The Struggle for Social Justice in British Columbia

Helena Gutteridge was a socialist and feminist whose vision helpedto shape social reform legislation in British Columbia in the firstdecades of the twentieth century, and also one of the first women thereto hold high political office.

She was born in England in 1879. A militant suffragist, tutored bythe Pankhursts, she learned the politics of confrontation early.Emigrating to Vancouver in 1911, she found the suffrage movement theretoo polite and organized the B.C. Woman's Suffrage League to helpworking women fight for the vote. And she kept on organizing. As ajourneyman tailor she was a power in her union local, and as the onlywoman on the Vancouver Trades and Labor Council -- their 'rebelgirl' -- she championed the rights of workers and organized womento fight for themselves. In the 1930s, as a member of the feisty newpolitical movement, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, shejoined in the struggles of the unemployed for work and wages. Then, in1937, as the first woman ever elected to Vancouver City Council, sheled the fight for low-income housing.

As was typical for women of her class and time, Helena did not keeppersonal records, nor did organizational records exist to any extent.Irene Howard made it her task, over a period of years, to search outand assemble details of Helena's life and career, and to interviewold comrades who knew Helena and the turbulent times in which shelived. Herself a miner's daughter, the author brings to her subjectan affectionate regard and sympathy qualified by the larger view of thescholar and researcher. The result is a lively biography, shot throughwith humour and pathos, that pays homage to Helena Gutteridge and tomany of the people who have been inspired by a cause and who havetaught us about the politics of caring.