| Description | The collection consists of papers and correspondence relating to James Wellbeloved in his roles as MP for the constituency of Erith and Crayford; as a Member of the Bexley London Borough Council and as Leader of its Labour Group; as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Minister for the Royal Air Force); as Chairman of the Catering Sub-Committee of the House of Commons Refreshment Department; and as a Member of the Labour Party.
It also consists of papers, pamphlets and correspondence collected by James Wellbeloved on particular subject areas: Thamesmead, Erith, Thames flood prevention, Southern Africa and the European Community. |
| Administrative History | James Wellbeloved, born in 1926, was educated at the South East London Technical College. He served in the Royal Navy during the war, having joined as a boy seaman. He was a Member of Erith Borough Council 1950-56 and first Leader of Bexley London Borough Council 1965-66. He was a Member of Parliament for Erith and Crayford from 1965 until 1983, representing Labour until 1981 and the Social Democratic Party 1981-83. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Ministry of Defence 1967-69, holding the same position at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1969-70. He was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Minister for the Royal Air Force) 1976-79. He was the UK Representative at the North Atlantic Assembly 1972-76 and 1979-82. His book, "Local Government" was published in 1971.
Married with two sons and a daughter, his interests include camping and travel, and he has been National Vice-President of the Camping and Caravanning Club since 1974. He has also been Director General of the National Kidney Research Fund and a Director of the Greenwich and Bexley Cottage Hospice.
James Wellbeloved died on Monday 10th September 2012. He is survived by his wife, three children and four grandchildren. |