Rhoda McGaw
Rhoda McGaw was an elected Communist Party councillor for Woking Urban District Council in the 1940s and early 50s. Surprisingly, she was not the only local councillor elected as a Communist.
A member of the London District Committee of the Communist Party in 1947, McGaw was described as one of "London's leading Communists" by the Party. In 1963, she was elected president of Woking Urban DistrictCouncil, possibly by then as a Labour councillor.
An example of the involvement of Woking Communists in their community was the petition to have all-year round pool, organised by a local swimming club When the local council opposed the petition, members of the local Communist Party gave invaluable support and guidance to the campaign. In time, various life-saving clubs, parents of swimmers, and the local Party were able to raise 17,000 signatures of residents in the area on a petition. By 1973 the Woking Centre Pool was opened, which became the home of Woking Swimming Club.
Rhoda was active in Woking Drama Association and Woking's Rhoda McGaw Theatre is named after her.
Michael Walker
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