About Barbara Drake
Lived 1876 – 1963 (aged 86). Barbara Drake was an author.
Barbara Drake (3 October 1876 – 19 July 1963) was a member of the Fabian Society and trade unionist.
She was born in Knightsbridge, London, the daughter of Daniel Meinertzhagen, a banker, and his wife, Georgina née Potter, sister of Beatrice Webb. In 1900 she married the solicitor Bernard Harpur Drake. They had no children.
Active in the Women's Industrial Council, she conducted an enquiry into the position of the tea-shop girl.
Her 1920 book, Women in Trade Unions was an influential work produced by her under the auspices of the Labour Research Department and the Fabian Women's Group. A co-opted member of the London County Council Education Committee from 1925, she supported educational reforms including the introduction of comprehensive schools. When the Labour Party took control of the county council in 1934, she was made an alderman, holding the seat until 1946.
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Important facts
People in Barbara Drake's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Barbara Drake's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Barbara Drake?
British politician
When was Barbara Drake born?
Barbara Drake was born on 3 October 1876 in Knightsbridge.
When did Barbara Drake die?
Barbara Drake died on 19 July 1963.
What was Barbara Drake's occupation?
Barbara Drake was an author.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Barbara Drake. https://biography.guide/barbara-drake/
MLA: "Barbara Drake." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/barbara-drake/.
Chicago: "Barbara Drake." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/barbara-drake/.
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