Fowler, Winifred
People > Fowler, Winifred
Winifred Mary Hull was born on 7 May 1914, the youngest of twelve children (ten survived to adulthood) in Queens Park, Bedford.
Her parents, Eliza and Edwin had met at the Duke pub in Kempston where Eliza was a barmaid and the Hulls could trace their forbears back to
William Hull, a Kempston farmer who died in 1829.
Edwin was a gravel merchant, the business developing into E Hull, Haulage, carrying much of W H Allen’s machinery around Europe before being taken over in the 1960s.
Win’s schooling was at Queens Park School and then Bedford Girls Modern School. Win remembers riding down the High Street wearing her school hat in a pony and trap with Edwin swearing at car drivers as he thought he had right of way!
Leaving School at 14, Win worked at Bedford Post Office, as a counter clerk and telegraphist, despatching Bedford’s first sixpenny telegram, which was sent to the Prince of Wales.
Ronald Fowler first noticed Win over the PO counter and they became engaged in October 1935, marrying at All Saints, Queens Park on 14 August 1937. Ron’s great grandparents had moved to Cardington in 1845 from Great Wilbraham, Cambridge, his grandfather Tommy had been a founder member of the Blues—Bedford RUFC in 1886, becoming coach and groundsman until 1928. Claude, Ron’s father had also played for the Blues but had been killed in the Great War in October 1918.
Win and Ron moved into a new semi on an estate off Dunstable Road, Luton in 1937, eventually having have four children, The family always joked about the start of Win’s community concerns when as Chairman of the Social Studies Section of the Luton Group of Townswomens Guilds, she campaigned about the state of Ladies toilets in Luton town centre!
In 1961 they moved back to Biddenham and Win’s political career took off when she was elected as a Conservative to Bedford Borough Council for Queens Park ward in 1966. As the only housewife on the Council she was quoted as saying “There are more important things in life than housework”!
In 1970 the Mayor, Ron Whittingham appointed Win as his Deputy and in 1971 the Council took the controversial and historic decision to appoint her as its first lady mayor. She vowed to bridge the gap between the Council and the public saying ”I’m not a member of women’s lib but I do believe women are equal”.
A shadow was thrown over her Mayoral year when Ron died after only three weeks as her consort, but following a two week break, Win threw herself back into her duties.
Win had a keen sense of the Community and over the years was president/chairman of many of the Town’s organizations.
At the end of her year, the local elections following the national trend, Labour made inroads and Win lost her seat by 200 votes. The Bedfordshire Times Opinion gave “our admiration for the courage, determination and charm she has shown in coping under trying circumstances with the exacting demands of her public office”. Writing in 1995 in Beds on Sunday, Frank Branston said she was one of only three past Mayors who could be said to have enhanced the role.
In 1973 she was elected to the County Council for Castle Ward until she retired in 1981. However she maintained membership of many committees into her eighties, always out at meetings and maintaining an active life. In 1992 Win received the chairman’s gold medal for services to Macmillan Cancer relief.
She died after a very short illness on 13 December 2001.
Winifred Fowler by David Fowler, 2015
Page last updated: 23rd November 2015