(HOUSEWIFE)
(536)
Born on the Isle of Dogs, London and educated at Morden Terrace School, Lewisham.
On leaving school, Mrs Bell worked in the City of London for an Oil Company where she was engaged in book keeping and auditing.
Married Maurice Edward Bell of Sidcup, Kent at St John’s Church, Lewisham, London, on 30 October 1936. They had three children, Margaret, Jacqueline and Martin.
Moved to Leicester in 1947 when her husband’s work brought him to the City. Maurice Bell was a City Councillor and represented the Aylestone Ward as a Conservative Councillor from 1965-1968. Illness forced him to retire from his work and he died in February 1971.
Councillor Mrs Bell was first elected to the City Council in May 1968 as a Conservative Councillor for the Aylestone Ward. She lost the seat in 1971 but was successful in regaining it again in May 1978. Councillor Mrs Bell served on a number of the Council’s Committees, including the Education, Establishments, Housing and Recreation Committees and later on the Leisure Services and Grants Committee, Planning Committee, the Works Committee and the Development Sub-Committee. Also represented the City Council on the Management Committee of the North Memorial Homes, the Trinity Hospital and the Governing Body of the Wyggeston Hospital.
Councillor Mrs Bell was a Governor of Knighton Fields Road Junior School and served on many local Committees including the Lansdowne Neighbourhood Committee and the Carnival Sub-Committee.
She was appointed High Bailiff of the City on 3 May 1990 for the year 1990/91.
Councillor Mrs Bell was elected to the office of Lord Mayor of the City on 19 May 1994. She chose her daughter Mrs Jacqueline Robinson to be her Lady Mayoress.
Councillor Mrs Bell’s Year of Office was marked by the visit to the City of His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester on 24 May 1994. The Lord Mayor received His Royal Highness at the Guildhall and invited him to unveil a plaque to commemorate the completion of the restoration of the Guildhall.
On 25 April 1995, She attended a presentation of new Colours to the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Royal Anglian Regiment, at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, in the presence of the Deputy Colonel in Chief, Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret.
Two notable sporting triumphs occurred during Mrs Bell’s Mayoralty. The Lord Mayor was present at Wembley Stadium on 30 May 1994 when Leicester City defeated Derby County 2-1 in the First Division Play-off Final. This was Leicester City’s first ever victory at the famous stadium after six previous unsuccessful attempts. On 5 May 1995, the Lord Mayor hosted a Civic Reception, at the Town Hall, for the victorious players and officials of Leicester Tigers Rugby Football Club to mark the club winning the Courage League Championship.
Councillor Mrs Bell made a Civic Visit to Israel in July 1994 and a visit was made to Krefeld two months later to participate in a celebration of 25 years of twinning between Leicester and Krefeld.
The Lord Mayor was privileged to preside over the ceremony, which marked the presentation of the Freedom of the City of Leicester to Gary Winston Lineker OBE, on 20 April 1995, in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall. The Leicester born footballer had an outstanding professional career during which he played for his country on 80 occasions, over a period of eight years, and culminated in him being Captain of the England team from 1990 to 1992.
On 8 May 1995, Councillor Mrs Bell attended a ceremony on Abbey Park to ignite a beacon to commemorate the celebrations to mark the 50th Anniversary of VE Day – the end of World War II in Europe.
Mrs Olwen Hughes continued to fulfil the position of Lord Mayor’s Ambassador during the year of Councillor Mrs Bell’s Mayoralty.
The Civic Year will be remembered for Councillor Mrs Bell’s ‘Emergency Care Appeal,’ the aim of which was to raise funds to purchase and install an overhead X-ray machine for the Leicester Royal Infirmary’s Accident and Emergency Department. The Appeal raised the sum of £100,959.74.
Councillor Mrs Bell’s Year of Office was concluded on 18 May 1995.
