MacLeod, Alison, 1964-

Alison Macleod, TV critic for the Daily Worker (1956) was born 12 April 1920. She is the daughter of Winifred Fairfield, one of 3 suffragette sisters, her sisters being Dr Letitia Fairfield and Cicily Isabel Fairfield (better known as Rebecca West). Alison was educated at Westcliffe High School for Girls and then at various art schools.

Joined Unity Theatre 1938 and then the Communist Party. She wanted to become a writer. She held various roles during the war:1939, women's land army; 1941, ambulance attendant for Bristol civil defence; 1942, shipyard welder.

In 1944 she joined the staff of the Daily Worker (The Communist Party's daily newspaper) and remained there for 12 years. The story of her parting with the paper in 1956 is written in her book, The Death of Uncle Joe .

She has written 6 historical novels: The Heretics (London, 1965); The Trusted Servant (London, 1972); No Need of the Sun (London, 1971); The Muscovite (London, 1971); The Jesuit (London, 1972) and The Portingale (London, 1976). She later worked on other newspapers: The Times Business News and Euromoney.

Married (1) James Hackshaw in 1945; (2) Jack Selford in 1950. She has one daughter to each husband.

From the guide to the The Papers of Alison Macleod (1920-), (Labour History Archive and Study Centre)