Tributes to Joan Bellamy, a leading campaigner for equal rights for women, who has died at the age of 96

Joan Bellamy, who was born in Liversedge and attended Heckmondwike Grammar School, died peacefully at her home in Leeds.

Joan was the eldest of two daughters of Tom and Hilda Shaw and her father was a coal miner at Gomersal colliery, a long serving Labour councillor, and a Freeman of Spenborough.

She read English at Leeds University and became Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the Open University and founder of the Women Humanities Research Group.

Joan joined the Communist Party of Great Britain and in 1953 married fellow communist Ron Bellamy, who was a senior lecturer in economics at Leeds University.

Joan wrote "More Precious Than Rubies", the biography of Mary Taylor, the independent minded advocate of equality for women long before the discovery of the word "feminist".

Mary came from a prominent textile industry family, lived at the Red House in Gomersal, was a close friend of Charlotte Bronte, and a powerful advocate of independence and equal rights for women.

She travelled the world by herself, including alone by boat to New Zealand where she set up her own business in Wellington.

Joan researched Mary’s life, retracing her steps, and "More Precious than Rubies" was launched by the author at a packed event at Red House.

Joan went to Africa and worked in the press office of Kwame Nkrumah, the President of Ghana, formerly the Gold Coast, the first African country to achieve independence from colonialism.

She wrote for the party's newspaper and witnessed first hand the work of Nkrumah, who inspired Africans across the continent and progressive movements worldwide. She also travelled to Iraq, Syria and Mongolia.

At the 1970 General Election, Joan stood unsuccessfully as the Communist candidate for Leeds East against Labour's Denis Healey, who was re-elected.

Spen Valley Civic Society has arranged for a blue plaque to be placed on Red House in Gomersal to mark the life of Mary Taylor.

Kirklees Council gave the go-ahead for the plaque just a few days before Joan died. She was informed and so pleased to hear this news.

Joan is survived by a nephew Graham, niece Gillian, and great nephew Alfie.