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Ted Leadbitter

Edward Leadbitter was born in Easington Co.Durham to a mining family. He went to school in the village and as a teenager developed an interest in politics, giving out leaflets for the campaigns of the famous Manny Shinwell.

After serving in World War 2, he  trained as a teacher under the emergency post war programme and from 1949 to 1964 taught in Hartlepool.

In 1940, he married Irene Mellin and the couple had two children, a girl and a boy.

In 1964 he was elected Labour MP for Hartlepool replacing Commander Kearns who had represented the Conservatives. He was known as a loyalist, traditionalist and right wing labour MP who was dedicated in his work for the town and people of Hartlepool. In 1992 he retired and was replaced by Peter Mandleson.

Leadbitter died on 21st December 1996.

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