Jean Stead, British journalist, Died at 90

  Writers

Jean Laura Stead was born on May 30, 1926, in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, and died on December 2, 2016.

She was an English reporter, national news editor for The Guardian, and labour historian.

Jean Stead trained as a reporter on The Yorkshire Post, working as a reporter for 10 years in Leeds and London.

During 1963, Jean Stead joined The Guardian as a reporter, specialising in writing about housing and the homeless, immigration and race relations, and occasionally a columnist on the women’s page.

During 1968, Jean Stead became a deputy to news editor John Cole, then succeeded him as news editor from 1970 until 1979.

She was later appointed Special Projects Editor, supervising investigative reporting, book serialisation, and specialist columns, such as those concerning legal affairs and motorcycling.

Jean Stead became known for her international correspondence covering the motorcycle Grand Prix in Europe.

She was the only daughter of Harry and Jessie Stead, later of Kirkburton, Yorkshire.

Her father was a Royal Artillery regimental officer in both world wars, and in charge of east coast defences in the latter part of the second war.

Stead was married for nearly 60 years to John Bourne, a journalist. They have two children and three grandchildren and lived in London and Cornwall.

Jean Stead passed away at 90 years old.