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| Joan Tyers obituary | Joan Tyers obituary |
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| My friend Joan Tyers, who has died aged 94, was a community activist and peace campaigner, a former mayor of Redditch, Worcestershire, and a founder of the Redditch Friends Housing Association. | My friend Joan Tyers, who has died aged 94, was a community activist and peace campaigner, a former mayor of Redditch, Worcestershire, and a founder of the Redditch Friends Housing Association. |
| Born Joan Linley in Studley, Warwickshire, as one of four children, she knew poverty and hardship from early on. Her parents were educated, but her father, a blacklisted trade unionist, found work difficult to get in those depression years. A move to Sheffield followed, but the pay in the food factory where he eventually found employment was barely sufficient for his family. When he died, exhausted, at the age of 39, Joan's teacher training had to cease as she was now the family's principal wage earner, working in the same factory. | Born Joan Linley in Studley, Warwickshire, as one of four children, she knew poverty and hardship from early on. Her parents were educated, but her father, a blacklisted trade unionist, found work difficult to get in those depression years. A move to Sheffield followed, but the pay in the food factory where he eventually found employment was barely sufficient for his family. When he died, exhausted, at the age of 39, Joan's teacher training had to cease as she was now the family's principal wage earner, working in the same factory. |
| On moving to Worcestershire, Joan met and married Cecil Tyers, a pioneer of historic canal restoration. This was a happy marriage, which lasted until his death in 1976. | On moving to Worcestershire, Joan met and married Cecil Tyers, a pioneer of historic canal restoration. This was a happy marriage, which lasted until his death in 1976. |
| Soon afterwards, she became involved in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, taking part in the early Aldermaston marches. In 1982, cruise missiles were installed at RAF Greenham Common, in Berkshire. Joan was an ardent participant in the women's peace camp there and became, with her husband, a committed Quaker. The newly formed network of Quaker Peace Friends then impelled her on to a number of initiatives aimed at raising public consciousness of the arms race and atomic war. These included the Mothers for Peace (now Women to Women for Peace) marches across the then Soviet Union and the US. In America, the marchers were sprayed by cattle farmers from head to foot with manure; this did not deter Joan. | Soon afterwards, she became involved in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, taking part in the early Aldermaston marches. In 1982, cruise missiles were installed at RAF Greenham Common, in Berkshire. Joan was an ardent participant in the women's peace camp there and became, with her husband, a committed Quaker. The newly formed network of Quaker Peace Friends then impelled her on to a number of initiatives aimed at raising public consciousness of the arms race and atomic war. These included the Mothers for Peace (now Women to Women for Peace) marches across the then Soviet Union and the US. In America, the marchers were sprayed by cattle farmers from head to foot with manure; this did not deter Joan. |
| Following Cecil's death, Joan became engrossed in Labour politics, served as an articulate and feisty Redditch councillor from 1986 until 1998, and was mayor in 1990. After the start of the Iraq war in 2003, she posted her torn-up party membership card to Tony Blair. She continued, however, to work tirelessly for her community; she had set up with fellow Quakers in 1973 the Redditch Friends Housing Association for single-parent families, and remained active as its chair, and later as life president. She was a regular contributor to charities including Greenpeace and Save Africa. | Following Cecil's death, Joan became engrossed in Labour politics, served as an articulate and feisty Redditch councillor from 1986 until 1998, and was mayor in 1990. After the start of the Iraq war in 2003, she posted her torn-up party membership card to Tony Blair. She continued, however, to work tirelessly for her community; she had set up with fellow Quakers in 1973 the Redditch Friends Housing Association for single-parent families, and remained active as its chair, and later as life president. She was a regular contributor to charities including Greenpeace and Save Africa. |
| Joan loved opera and sang her way around house and work. Her friends and colleagues remember her as a witty and steely personality; her children recall an inspiring parent. | Joan loved opera and sang her way around house and work. Her friends and colleagues remember her as a witty and steely personality; her children recall an inspiring parent. |
| She is survived by three children, Adrienne, Andrew and Lizzy. | She is survived by three children, Adrienne, Andrew and Lizzy. |
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