Noreen Branson (16 May 1910 – 25 October 2003) was a British communist activist, historian, founder of Revolt newspaper, and a life-long member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). In 1931 she married fellow communist and International Brigadeer, Clive Branson, and in 1934 she carried out a mission for Harry Pollitt to smuggle funding to Indian communists resisting the British colonial occupation of India. Noreen Branson was most known for her work as a historian, working as a researcher for the Labour Research Department, collaborating with historians Eric Hobsbawm and Roger Simon, and writing the 3rd and 4th volumes of the CPGB's official history. Early life Branson was born on 16 May 1910 in London, her father was colonel Alfred Browne and her paternal grandfather Henry Browne, 5th Marquess of Sligo, a UK and Irish peer. Both of Noreen Branson's parents died when was eight years old. In August 1918, Noreen's mother died from typhoid fever, and eleven days later Noreen's father was killed in combat in France. The experience of losing her parents sparked her life-long interest in anti-imperialist and anti-war politics. After losing both her parents, she was raised by her wealthy maternal grandparents in Berkley Square. Her grandparents raised her with bourgeois and aristocratic values, and presented her as a debutante in court in 1928. Despite being indoctrinated with upper class values, she would seek out socialist groups due to her anti-war beliefs. Husband and daughter Noreen Branson joined The Bach Choir in 1929, and in 1931 at the age of 20 took part in a Charity Concert at the Scarlet Theatre in east London. During this event she met the painter and poet Clive Branson, and agreed to marry him within days of first meeting him. Noreen Branson married Clive Branson in June 1931, and two years later the couple had their only child, the future artist Rosa Branson. Noreen was at this point in her life not very interested in politics, however her husband Clive held strong socialist beliefs and was a supporter of the Soviet Union and Marxism–Leninism. The couple began having more frequent discussions on politics and often lent each other books. Adult political life Joining the Communist Party Wishing to become more politically active and feeling betrayed by Ramsay MacDonald's "defection", both Noreen and Clive Branson joined the Independent Labour Party in Chelsea in Autumn 1931. The couple began campaigning