A PENSIONER has told of the dramatic moment she informed a future Prime Minister that American President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated.

Speaking to the Leader 50 years on from the event, Joan Parkins, 86, recalled the evening of November 22, 1963, and how, after hearing on the radio that President Kennedy had been killed, she was the person who told the Labour leader, Harold Wilson.

Mrs Parkins, of Egerton Street, Chester, was living in Penyffordd, Flintshire, at the time of the shocking event.

She had been on her way to listen to her local MP for Flintshire East, Labour’s Eirene White, speak at an event at Connah’s Quay Civic Hall with her late husband William.

On her way she heard on the car radio that President Kennedy had been killed.

“It was the early evening and my husband and I were driving to the civic centre as our MP, Eirene White, was standing for re-election and we wanted to hear what she had to say,” said Mrs Parkins.

“Harold Wilson was at the same event. We had known him throughout his time as MP for Huyton and Roby, so we were keen to see what was said at the meeting as we had a real interest in politics.

“We had the radio on during the drive there and the newsreader announced that President Kennedy had been shot dead. We were both stunned.

“William and I didn’t think anyone would have been listening to the radio at the meeting so we rushed there to inform them as to what had happened.”

News of President Kennedy’s death in Dallas, Texas, had not yet filtered through to those at the meeting, with Mrs Parkins telling of how stunned police officers allowed her through to inform Mr Wilson.

“They told us to move initially, but when we told them what had happened they let us through and said we better come and inform Harold Wilson’s people about it,” said Mrs Parkins.

“We came in through a back door and were met by his people, so we told them what had happened.

“They couldn’t believe it and said we should tell Harold ourselves, as we had heard all of the details on the car radio.

“When we finally got to tell him, he was obviously shocked but he thanked us for coming along and letting him know.”

Mrs Parkins said after the conversation, Mr Wilson, who was elected Prime Minister for the first time less than 12 months later, immediately left the meeting and arranged for a plane from Broughton to take him back to London.

Following the resignation of Conservative PM Harold Macmillan in October, 1963, it was left to his successor, Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Labour leader Mr Wilson to announce the news of President Kennedy’s death to the nation.

Soon after that Mr Wilson boarded a flight to Washington DC and was present at the State funeral of President Kennedy, which took place on November 25, 1963 in the US capital.

Mrs Parkins added: “It is a question which I have heard a lot: ‘Where were you when Kennedy died’?

“People can’t believe it when I tell them the story. It was just a strange turn of events that led to it happening.

“For me, 50 years on, the memories are still as vivid and it is a question that I am always able to remember the answer to.”