Wikipedia

Helena Normanton: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→Feminism: expanded blue plaque detail & citation
 
(43 intermediate revisions by 27 users not shown)
Line 1:
{{Short description|British barrister and activist (1882–1957)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Helena Normanton
| image = Photograph of Helena Normanton c. 1930 (22770439042).jpg
| birth_datebirth_name = 14Helena DecemberFlorence 1882Normanton
| death_datebirth_date = 14{{Birth October 1957date|1882|12|14|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[East London]], England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1957|10|14|1882|12|14|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Sydenham, London]], England
| education = [[University of London]]
| known_for = One of the first female barristers, campaigner for women's rights, pioneer of divorce reform, and the first married woman to hold a British passport in her own name, after she declined to take on her husband's surname.
}}
 
'''Helena Florence Normanton,''', [[KingQueen's Counsel|KCQC]] (14 December 1882 – 14 October 1957) was the first woman to take advantage of thefemale [[Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919barrister]] and join an institution ofin the legalUnited professionKingdom.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bourne |first=Judith |urldate=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/9689064042016 |title=Helena Normanton and the opening of the Bar to women|date=2016 |others=Mary Jane Mossman |location=Hook, Hampshire, UK |publisher=Waterside Press |isbn=978-1-910979-17-4|location=Hook, Hampshire, United Kingdom|oclc=968906404}}</ref> In November 1922, she was the second woman to be [[call to the bar|called to the Bar]] of England and Wales, following the example set by [[Ivy Williams]] in May 1922. When she married, she kept her surname and in 1924, she was the first British married woman to have a passport in the name she was born with. In October 2021, Normanton was honoured by the installation of an English Heritage [[Blue plaque]] at her London home in [[Mecklenburgh Square]].
 
== Early life and education ==
Normanton was born in [[East London]] to Jane Amelia (neenée Marshall) and piano maker William Alexander Normanton.<ref name="HN UOL2">{{cite book|title=Helena Normanton and the Opening of the Bar to Women|last=Bourne|first=Judith|publisher=Waterside Press, 2016|year=2016|isbn=9781909976320}}</ref> In 1886, when she was just four years old, her father was found dead in a railway tunnel. Her mother, who may already have been separated from her father, a stigmatised position in those days,<ref name="HN UOL2" /> brought up Helena and her younger sister Ethel alone<ref name="schoolnet12">[{{cite web| url= http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Wnormanton.htm |title= Helena Normanton biography] {{webarchive|url archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20111010043131/http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Wnormanton.htm|date archivedate=2011-10-10}},| website= spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk| publisher= Spartacus Educational,| accessedaccessdate= 10 January 2011}}</ref>—&nbsp;– letting rooms in the family home in [[Woolwich]] to wives of officers, before moving to [[Brighton]] to run a grocery and later a boarding house.<ref name=":02">{{cite encyclopedia| first= Joanne |last= Workman,| ‘Normantontitle= Normanton, Helena Florence (1882–1957)’,| encyclopedia= Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,| publisher= Oxford University Press,| year= 2004;|doi= online10.1093/ref:odnb/39091| edn,edition= Septonline (September 2011) |url= [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/39091 accessed|access-date= 20 July 2012]}}</ref>
 
In 1896, Normanton won a scholarship to the York Place Science School in Brighton, now known as [[Varndean School]], where she did well, becoming a pupil teacher by the time she left in July 1900. Following her mother's death, she became responsible for supporting her sister and helped to run the family's boarding-house before attending a teachers' training college at [[Edge Hill University|Edge Hill]], [[Liverpool]] where she studied between 1903 and 1905.<ref name=":02" />
Normanton describes the moment she decided to become a barrister in her book, ''[[Everyday Law for Woman]]''. She says that as a twelve year old girl, she was visiting a solicitor's office with her mother, who was unable to understand the solicitor's advice.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Everyday Law for Woman|last=Normanton|first=Helena|publisher=Richard Clay & Sons|year=1932|pages=6}}</ref> Normanton recognised this situation as a form of [[sex discrimination]] and wished to help all women gain access to the law, which at the time was a profession only open to men.<ref name="HN UOL2" />▼
 
She also read modern history at the [[University of London]]<ref name="HN UOL">{{cite book|last=Bourne|first=Judith|title=Helena Normanton and the Opening of the Bar to Women|year=2016|publisher=Waterside Press, 2016|isbn=9781909976320}}</ref> as an external student,<ref name="HN UOL" /> graduating with first class honours,<ref name="HN UOL" /> obtained a Scottish Secondary Teachers' Diploma, and held a diploma in French language, literature, and history from [[Dijon University]].<ref name="WhosWho">''Who's Who 1938'', p. 2513</ref> She lectured in history at [[Glasgow University]] and [[London University]], and began to speak and write about feminist issues. She worked as a tutor to the sons of the [[Maurice de Forest|Baron de Forest]], a Liberal MP. She spoke at meetings of the [[Women's Freedom League]] and supported the [[Indian National Congress]].<ref name=":02" />▼
In the book, Normanton reflects: ''"I still do not like to see women getting the worst end of any deal for lack of a little elementary legal knowledge which is the most common form amongst men".''<ref name=":1" />▼
 
== Legal career ==▼
▲She read modern history at the [[University of London]]<ref name="HN UOL">{{cite book|last=Bourne|first=Judith|title=Helena Normanton and the Opening of the Bar to Women|year=2016|publisher=Waterside Press, 2016|isbn=9781909976320}}</ref> as an external student,<ref name="HN UOL" /> graduating with first class honours,<ref name="HN UOL" /> obtained a Scottish Secondary Teachers' Diploma, and held a diploma in French language, literature and history from [[Dijon University]].<ref name="WhosWho">''Who's Who 1938'', p. 2513</ref> She lectured in history at [[Glasgow University]] and [[London University]], and began to speak and write about feminist issues. She spoke at meetings of the [[Women's Freedom League]] and supported the [[Indian National Congress]].
▲Normanton describes the moment she decided to become a barrister in her book, ''[[Everyday Law for Woman]]''. She says that as a twelve -year -old girl, she was visiting a solicitor's office with her mother, who was unable to understand the solicitor's advice.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Normanton |first=Helena |title=Everyday Law for Woman|last=Normanton|first=Helena |publisher=Richard Clay & Sons |year=1932 |pages=6}}</ref> Normanton recognised this situation as a form of [[sex discrimination]] and wished to help all women gain access to the law, which at the time was a profession only open to men.<ref name="HN UOL2" />
 
▲In the book, Normanton reflects: ''"I still do not like to see women getting the worst end of any deal for lack of a little elementary legal knowledge which is the most common form amongst men".''<ref name=":1" />
▲==Legal career==
Normanton held ambitions to become a barrister from a young age. An application to become a student at [[Middle Temple]] in 1918 was refused, and she lodged a petition with the [[House of Lords]]. She reapplied on 24 December 1919, within hours of the [[Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919]] coming into force, and was admitted to the [[Middle Temple]].<ref name=GuardianObit>'Obituary: Mrs H. F. Normanton, Q.C.', ''The Manchester Guardian'', 16 October 1957</ref><ref>{{cite ODNB |title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |year=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/39091 |isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-39091 |access-date=28 December 2018 |ref=ODNB|last1=Workman |first1=Joanne }}</ref> She married Gavin Bowman Watson Clark in 1921,<ref name=WhosWho/> but preserved her maiden name for professional reasons.<ref name=GuardianObit/> In 1924, she became the first married British woman to be issued a passport in her maiden name.<ref name="schoolnet12"/>▼
 
▲Normanton held ambitions to become a barrister from a young age. An application to become a student at [[Middle Temple]] in 1918 was refused, and she lodged a petition with the [[House of Lords]]. She reapplied on 24 December 1919, within hours of the [[Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919]] coming into force, and was admitted to the [[Middle Temple]].<ref name="GuardianObit">'Obituary: Mrs H. F. Normanton, Q.C.', ''The Manchester Guardian'', 16 October 1957</ref><ref>{{cite ODNB |title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |year=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/39091 |isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-39091 |access-date=28 December 2018 |ref=ODNB|last1=Workman |first1=Joanne }}</ref> She married Gavin Bowman Watson Clark in 1921,<ref name="WhosWho" /> but preserved her maiden name for professional reasons.<ref name="GuardianObit" /> In 1924, she became the first married British woman to be issued a passport in her maiden name.<ref name="schoolnet12" />
She was the second woman to be called to the bar, on 17 November 1922, shortly after [[Ivy Williams]]. She was the first woman to obtain a divorce for her client, the first woman to lead the prosecution in a murder trial, and the first woman to conduct a trial in America and to appear at the High Court and the [[Old Bailey]]. In 1949, along with [[Rose Heilbron]], she was one of the first two women [[Queen's Counsel|King's Counsel]] at the English Bar.<ref name="schoolnet12"/>▼
 
▲She was the second woman to be called to the bar, on 17 November 1922, shortly after [[Ivy Williams]]. She was the first woman to obtain a divorce for her client, the first woman to lead the prosecution in a murder trial, and the first woman to conduct a trial in America and to appear at the High Court and the [[Old Bailey]]. In 1949, along with [[Rose Heilbron]], she was one of the first two women [[Queen's Counsel|King's Counsel]] at the English Bar.<ref name="schoolnet12"/>
[[File:Helena Normanton.jpg|thumb|Photograph of Helena Normanton taken in 1950]]
 
== Feminism ==
Normanton was a campaigner for [[women's rights]] and [[women's suffrage]], becoming the first married woman in Britain to have a [[passport]] in her maiden name, believing that men and women should keep their money and property separately.<ref>[{{cite web| url= http://blogs.edgehill.ac.uk/125by125/magazines/helena-normanton/ Edge| Hilltitle= magazine],Helena EdgeNormanton Hill|format= University,blog| accessedwork= 10Edge JanuaryHill 2011</ref>Magazine| via= Sheedgehill.ac.uk| wasdate= also aJune pacifist9, later2010 being|first= aMike supporter|last= ofNolan| publisher= [[CNDEdge Hill University]].<ref| nameaccessdate="schoolnet12" 10 January 2011}}</ref>
 
Ten years after the passing of the [[Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919]], Normanton spoke at the [[Women's Engineering Society]]’s's seventh Annual Conference in July 1929, alongside Professor [[Winifred Cullis]], the first woman to hold a professorial chair at a medical school, and architect [[Edna Mosley]]. In her speech, Normanton noted that there were "''
{{blockquote|nearly a hundred women solicitors in this country and most of them have brilliant qualifications; she did not believe in any boycott of men in professions, but the women ought at least to be brought into the sphere of action. There was a general muddle as present in regard to the position of women...They might become engineers but not ministers of the Church; they might not enter the sacred portals of the [[Stock Exchange]] nor the [[House of Lords]]; they could become a [[Cabinet Minister]] but not an [[Ambassador]]. While any woman was held back from the position to which her talents drew her, the whole of womanhood was lowered''".<ref>{{Cite web|title= ''The Woman Engineer'' Vol 2 |url= https://twej.theiet.org/twej/WES_Vol_2a.html|url-status=live|access-date=2019-01-27|website via=www. theiet.org}}</ref>}}
 
She acted as the Honorary Legal Adviser for the [[Women's Engineering Society]] from 1936 until 1954, succeeding [[Theodora Llewelyn Davies]] in the role.<ref>{{Cite web|title= ''The Woman Engineer'' Vol 4|url=http://www.theiet.org/resources/library/archives/research/wes/WES_Vol_4a.html|website via=www. theiet.org|access-date=2019-01-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.theiet.org/resources/library/archives/research/wes/WES_Vol_9.html|title= ''The Woman Engineer'' Vol 9|website via=www. theiet.org|access-date=2019-01-27}}</ref>
 
She campaigned for divorce reform, and was president of the [[Married Women's Association]] until 1952, when the other officials resigned over her memorandum of evidence to the [[Royal Commission on Divorce]], which they regarded as 'anti-man'. Normanton formed a breakaway body called, the [[Council of Married Women]].<ref name=GuardianObit/>
 
She founded the [[Magna Carta Society]]. She was a [[pacifism|pacifist]] throughout her life, and demonstratedwas later a supporter of [[CND]],<ref name="schoolnet12"/> demonstrating against the nuclear bomb after the Second World War.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.womeninpeace.org/n-names/2017/7/11/helena-normanton| title=Entry for Helena Normanton| publisher= | website= WomeninPeace.org| date= 8 January 2017|access-date=21 October 2021}}</ref>
 
== DeathPersonal and buriallife ==
Normanton was married to Gavin Bowman Watson Clark, an accountant.<ref name= bus>{{cite web| url= http://history.buses.co.uk/history/fleethist/053hn.htm| title= Names on the buses: 53 Helena Normanton | website= buses.co.uk| publisher= Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company | date= | access-date= 1 November 2021}}</ref> They lived in [[London]].<ref name= bus />
Normanton died on 14 October 1957, and after cremation was buried with her husband [[Gavin Bowman Watson Clark]] in [[Ovingdean]] churchyard, [[Sussex]].<ref name=":02"/>▼
 
▲Normanton died in [[Sydenham, London]] on 14 October 1957, and, after cremation, was buried with her husband [[Gavin Bowman Watson Clark]] in [[Ovingdean]] churchyard, [[Sussex]].<ref name=":02"/><ref name= bus />
 
== Legacy ==
In 1957, Normanton was the first person to leave a legacy donation to the [[University of Sussex]] (which opened in 1961), and is recognised as a founding funder. She wrote that "I make this gift in gratitude for all that Brighton did to educate me when I was left an orphan."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Ford |first=Anna |title=Teenagers' campaign sees blue plaque for University of Sussex founding funder Helena Normanton |url=https://www.sussex.ac.uk/broadcast/read/58203 |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=The University of Sussex}}</ref> In 2015, the Helena Normanton Society was formed in her honour at the University of Sussex,<ref name=":0" /> and The Helena Normanton Doctoral Fellowship was launched there in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=exchange |first=Research and knowledge |title=Helena Normanton International Postdoctoral Fellowships : Sussex Research : Research : Staff : University of Sussex |url=http://www.sussex.ac.uk/staff/research/sussexresearch/helenanormantonfellowships |access-date=2022-06-19 |website=sussex.ac.uk}}</ref>
In February 2019, 218 Strand Chambers rebranded as Normanton Chambers in her honour. This is the first instance of a barristers' chambers being named after a woman.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2018-09-26|title=Normanton Chambers to become first at Bar to be named after a woman|language=en-GB|work=The Lawyer {{!}} Legal insight, benchmarking data and jobs|url=https://www.thelawyer.com/helena-normanton-chambers-woman/|access-date=2018-09-26}}</ref>▼
 
The archives of Helena Normanton are held at [[The Women's Library]] at the [http://www.lse.ac.uk/library/Home.aspx Library of the[[The London School of Economics]], ref [https://archives.lse.ac.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=7HLN&pos=2 7HLN]▼
In 2020 barrister Karlia Lykourgou set up the first legal outfitter dedicated to offering courtwear for women, as much of the existing provision was impractical and uncomfortable. She named it Ivy & Normanton, in honour of [[Ivy Williams]], the first woman to be called to the Bar in May 1922, and Helena Normanton.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mehta|first=Amar|date=2020-06-18|title=After 100 years, female barristers finally get their own outfitter|url=https://www.thelawyer.com/after-100-years-female-barristers-finally-get-their-own-outfitter/|access-date=2020-06-18|website=The Lawyer {{!}} Legal insight, benchmarking data and jobs|language=en}}</ref>▼
 
▲In February 2019, 218 Strand Chambers rebranded as Normanton Chambers in her honour. This is the first instance of a barristers' chambers being named after a woman.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2018-09-26|title=Normanton Chambers to become first at Bar to be named after a woman|language=en-GB|work=The LawyerTheLawyer.com {{!}} Legal insight, benchmarking data and jobs|url=https://www.thelawyer.com/helena-normanton-chambers-woman/|access-date=2018-09-26}}</ref>
In April 2021 [[English Heritage]] announced that Normanton was one of six women who they were honouring with a [[Blue plaque]], marking where she lived from 1919 to 1931 during the early part of her legal career.<ref>{{Cite web|title=English Heritage announces six more blue plaques to women for 2021|url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/search-news/six-new-blue-plaques/|access-date=2021-04-05|website=English Heritage}}</ref> Normanton's nomination was made by women barristers at [[Doughty Street Chambers]]. The plaque was unveiled by [[Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond|Brenda Hale]], the first female head of the [[Supreme Court of the United Kingdom|Supreme Court]] on the wall of 22 [[Mecklenburgh Square]] in October 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/law/2021/oct/21/blue-plaque-for-first-practising-female-barrister-helena-normanton-unveiled|first=Haroon|last =Siddique|title=Blue plaque for first practising female barrister Helena Normanton unveiled|newspaper=The Guardian|date=21 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Barrister and women’s rights advocate Helena Normanton receives blue plaque|url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/search-news/helena-normanton-blue-plaque/|access-date=2021-10-21|website=English Heritage}}</ref>▼
 
▲In 2020 barrister Karlia Lykourgou set up the first legal outfitter dedicated to offering courtwear for women, as much of the existing provision was impractical and uncomfortable. She named it Ivy & Normanton, in honour of [[Ivy Williams]], the first woman to be called to the Bar in May 1922, and Helena Normanton.<ref>{{Cite web| last= Mehta |first= Amar| date=2020-06-18|title=After 100 years, female barristers finally get their own outfitter|url=https://www.thelawyer.com/after-100-years-female-barristers-finally-get-their-own-outfitter/| access-date=2020-06-18|website=The Lawyer {{!}} Legal insight, benchmarking data and jobs|language=en}}</ref>
==Works==▼
 
* ''Sex Differentiation in sSalary'', 1915▼
▲In April 2021 [[English Heritage]] announced that Normanton was one of six women whowhom they were honouring with a [[Blue plaque]], marking where she lived from 1919 to 1931 during the early part of her legal career.<ref>{{Cite web|title=English Heritage announces six more blue plaques to women for 2021|url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/search-news/six-new-blue-plaques/|access-date=2021-04-05|website=English Heritage}}</ref> Normanton's nomination was made by women barristers at [[Doughty Street Chambers]]. The plaque was unveiled by [[Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond|Brenda Hale]], the first female head of the [[Supreme Court of the United Kingdom|Supreme Court]] on the wall of 22 [[Mecklenburgh Square]] in October 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/law/2021/oct/21/blue-plaque-for-first-practising-female-barrister-helena-normanton-unveiled| first= Haroon|last =Siddique|title=Blue plaque for first practising female barrister Helena Normanton unveiled|newspaper=The Guardian|date=21 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Barrister and women’swomen's rights advocate Helena Normanton receives blue plaque|url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/search-news/helena-normanton-blue-plaque/ |access-date=2021-10-21|website=English Heritage}}</ref>
 
In June 2022, Normanton was honoured with a blue plaque at 4 Clifton Place, Brighton where she lived as a teenager in the 1890s, following a campaign by teenage Brighton twins, after they learned of Normanton in a school project.<ref name=":0" />
 
▲== Works ==
▲* ''Sex Differentiation in sSalarySalary'', 1915
* ''India in England'', 1915
* ''Oliver Quendon's First Case'', 1927 (a romantic detective novel published under the pseudonym Cowdray Browne)
Line 53 ⟶ 69:
* ''Trial of Alfred Arthur Rouse'', 1931
* ''[[Everyday Law for Women]]'', 1932
* ''The Trial of Mrs. Duncan'', 1945
 
==Archives==
▲The archives of Helena Normanton are held at [[The Women's Library]] at the [http://www.lse.ac.uk/library/Home.aspx Library of the London School of Economics], ref [https://archives.lse.ac.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=7HLN&pos=2 7HLN]
 
== See also ==
Line 70 ⟶ 83:
[[Category:Alumni of the University of London]]
[[Category:Alumni of Edge Hill University]]
[[Category:English QueenKing's Counsel]]
[[Category:Members of the Middle Temple]]
[[Category:20th-century English women lawyers]]
[[Category:Queen20th-century King's Counsel 1901–2000]]
[[Category:Women's Engineering Society]]
[[Category:20th-century women lawyers]]
[[Category:20th-century English lawyers]]
[[Category:20th-century EnglishBritish women lawyers]]
[[Category:20th-century English people]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena_Normanton"