Jeanne in Wandsworth is 61-70 and is a Humanist Celebrant.
Jeanne Rathbone has lived in Battersea since she was a teenager after immigrating from Ireland in the 1960’s.
A practising Humanist Celebrant, and very much involved in local community politics, Jeanne was instrumental in campaigning for Nightingale Lane Nursery, Latchmere Baths, Battersea Power Station and Battersea Arts Centre in the 1980’s.
Jeanne has had a varied career having worked as a Laboratory Technician, childminder, youth worker, Women’s Officer in Hammersmith & Fulham Council – a role in which she particularly enjoyed and refers to as being “paid to be a feminist”. She has been a counsellor and comedy performer, her stage name is Shelia Na Gig and she has performed in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
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Film Maker: Team Jeanne Rathbone
Questions & Answers
- What's your first memory of London? Getting the tube from Euston Station to Clapham South, using the escalator for first time and emerging onto Clapham Common.
- What do you miss when you're away from London? Not being able to use my Freedom Pass and great public transport.
- What's your favourite neighbourhood? Battersea.
- What's your favourite building? Battersea Arts Centre.
- What's your ideal day out in London? Visit to Tate/RA followed by hot chocolate or lunch in a luxury Hotel- Claridges, Dorchester etc.
- What's your ideal night out in London? A night at the ballet either Sadlers Wells or Royal Opera House.
- What's your most hated building? The Salvation Army HQ at Denmark Hill.
- What's the best view in London? From St Thomas''s Hospital onto Houses of Parliament, river and Westminster Bridge.
- What's your favourite open space? Battersea Park.
- What's your favourite bar, pub or restaurant? The Falcon pub and Buena Sera Restaurant Northcote Road.
- What's the most interesting shop? Peter Jones Sloane Square.
- What's your favourite place to hang out? Greenwich.
- What's been your most memorable night out in London? 25th Wedding anniversary at The Alexandra pub Clapham Common.
- How would you like to spend your ideal day off in London? River trip, Tate Modern and Borough market for food.
- Where would you take someone visiting from out of town? Sir John Soane Museum and Somerset House.
- What's the worst journey you've had to make in London? Trying to get home from a funeral family visit in Kent on 7/7 day of bombing.
- What's your personal London landmark? The Royal Academy of Art.
- Who's your favourite fictional Londoner? Elsie Cotton from Pamela Hansford Johnson's book 'This bed thy Centre'.
- What's your favourite London film, book or documentary? Up the Junction film from the novel by Nell Dunn.
- If you could travel to any time period in London, past or future, where would you go? To join the suffragettes campaign.
- For you, who is the ultimate Londoner? Sadiq Kahn mayoral candidate 2015.