Phoebe Cusden – (1887-1981)
Socialist, trade unionist, educator, peace campaigner and local politician.
She was continuously active between the 1910s and the 1970s, and was a leading citizen of Reading over the middle part of the twentieth century. Particularly notable was that her local campaigning developed into an effort to broaden her own and her fellow citizens’ awareness of issues of international peace and progress. She was a pioneer of local authority nursery education, and a founder of the post-war twin towns movement. Most significantly she developed a twin-town link enabling aid and practical assistance to the German city of Düsseldorf while it was still recovering from the devastation of World War II bombing. The link survives to this day.
How to find it
Talbot House, 55 Castle Street, RG1 7SN. Walking up Castle Street from the town centre towards the IDR. The Courts and the Police station will be on the right hand side at the top and Talbot House, with the dog over the doorway, is to the left.
Unveiling the plaque
The blue plaque was unveiled in November 2017 at her former home, 55 Castle Street Reading The ceremony was performed by the Mayor, Councillor Rose Williams, in the presence of Phoebe’s grandchildren and some sixty-five supporters. The plaque was paid for jointly by the Reading-Dusseldorf Association, the Reading Civic Society, and Phoebe’s grandchildren.
More information
Reading born Annie Phoebe Ellen Blackall was raised as an Anglican. She started work at Reading Post Office in 1901 aged 13 and quickly became a trade union activist. Early influences were John Rabson (a local socialist councillor) and Professor Edith Morley, with whom she became friends for life.
Phoebe was a pacifist during WW1, she left the Anglican church over the issue and later converted to become a Quaker. She was active during the General Strike of 1926 and established Reading’s Women’s branch of the Labour Party. In 1931, on her third attempt, she became the second woman to be elected to the then Reading District Council.
Phoebe was editor of ‘Reading Citizen’ a labour magazine for 30 years and the organising secretary of Nursery Schools Association and a founder of Reading’s Progress Theatre.
She is best remembered for her work, when Mayor of Reading in 1946/47, to provide aid and practical assistance to the German city of Düsseldorf. Responding to a desperate plea for help from the Royal Berkshire Regiment, who at the time occupied war-ravaged Dusseldorf, she defied local opposition by launching a Christmas appeal. Part of her appeal stated that the unfortunate German children cannot be held responsible for the guilt of the Nazi party. The appeal was a success, by March 1947 £90 (today £3,000) had been raised along with clothing and other donations, quite an achievement post war Britain. During her Mayorality Phoebe invited six German children from Dusseldorf to visit Reading for 3 months. This marked the start of the Reading Düsseldorf Association, of which she was chair from 1947-1970. It is now over 75 years old.
In 1951 George VI awarded her an MBE.
She supported the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and helped to organise the second Aldermaston CND march in 1959.
Throughout her life Phoebe fought many campaigns especially for those she believed to be at a disadvantage. In her honour Reading Borough Council named its new Supported Living Scheme, off the Basingstoke Road, the Phoebe Cusden House. Opened in March 2017, by the Mayor Cllr Mohamed Ayub and Cllr Rachel Eden, it provides 11 much-needed supported living flats for residents with disabilities.
Phoebe married Albert Cusden in 1921. Albert ran a printing works which were on the site of the modern building which is to the right of 55 Castle Street. He died in 1953.
Phoebe died in 1981 just before her 94th birthday. Düsseldorf held her in such high esteem that they sent their Burgermeister to attend her funeral.