Jan Cheek

Jan Cheek was born in Stanley, the oldest child of Basil Biggs and Betty Rowlands.^[3] She was a sixth-generation Falkland Islander and was the oldest of three siblings.^[2][4] She spent much of her childhood in South Georgia after her father was appointed policeman and handyman for the island.^[3] For her A-Levels she was awarded a government scholarship to a study at a grammar school in Dorset. ^[5]

In 1995, Cheek became a Trustee for the South Georgia Whaling Museum and later joined the board of Trustees for the South Georgia Heritage Trust.^[4] Cheek was a member of the Falkland Island Legislative Council, representing Stanley between 1997 and 2005.^[2] She served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, also for the Stanley constituency, beginning in 2009. Cheek won re-election in 2013 but stepped down from the assembly at the 2017 election.^[6]

Cheek worked as a Secondary School English teacher from 1969 until 1989. She then moved to Fortuna Ltd. where she rose to become co-owner and director until her retirement in 2008.^[5] Cheek is the owner of the Volunteer Point nature reserve.^[7]

She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to the Falkland Islands.^[8]

Cheek married fellow islander John Cheek (1939–1996) in 1968, with whom she had two children, Miranda and Rosalind.^[1] She then became a grandmother to Hamish (2004), Flora(2005) and Tom(2011). Following John's death in 1996, Cheek became a Trustee of the John Cheek Trust.^[9]