Helena Normanton
Encyclopedia
Helena Florence Normanton, KC
(14 December 1882 - 14 October 1957) was the first woman to practise as a barrister
in the UK
. In 1922 she was called to the Bar
of England and Wales at the Middle Temple
, following the example set by Ivy Williams
earlier that year.
She went on to become the first woman to lead the prosecution in a murder
trial
, to conduct a trial in America and to represent cases at the High Court and the Old Bailey
. In 1949, along with Rose Heilbron
, she became one of the first women King's Counsel
at the English Bar.
Normanton was a campaigner for women's rights and women's suffrage, becoming the first married woman in the UK to have a passport
in her maiden name, believing that men and women should keep their money and property separately. She was also a pacifist, later being a supporter of CND.
Little is known of Normanton's career before she became a lawyer, other than that she trained as a teacher in Liverpool
at Edge Hill Teacher Training College
between 1903 and 1905. Her entry in the 1938 edition of Who's Who
states that she had a first class honours degree in Modern History from the University of London
; a Scottish Secondary Teachers' Diploma; and a diploma in French language, literature and history from Dijon
University. In 1921 she married Gavin Bowman Watson Clark.
.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(14 December 1882 - 14 October 1957) was the first woman to practise as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In 1922 she was called to the Bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
of England and Wales at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, following the example set by Ivy Williams
Ivy Williams
Dr. Ivy Williams , was the first woman to be called to the English bar.She was born in Newton Abbot and educated privately...
earlier that year.
She went on to become the first woman to lead the prosecution in a murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
trial
Trial (law)
In law, a trial is when parties to a dispute come together to present information in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court...
, to conduct a trial in America and to represent cases at the High Court and the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
. In 1949, along with Rose Heilbron
Rose Heilbron
Dame Rose Heilbron, DBE, QC was one of the outstanding barristers of the post-war period in the United Kingdom, whose career included many 'firsts' for a woman - she was the first woman to win a scholarship to Gray's Inn, the first woman to be appointed King's Counsel in England, the first to lead...
, she became one of the first women King's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
at the English Bar.
Normanton was a campaigner for women's rights and women's suffrage, becoming the first married woman in the UK to have a passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
in her maiden name, believing that men and women should keep their money and property separately. She was also a pacifist, later being a supporter of CND.
Little is known of Normanton's career before she became a lawyer, other than that she trained as a teacher in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
at Edge Hill Teacher Training College
Edge Hill University
Edge Hill University is situated in Ormskirk, Lancashire, England. It has three faculties: Education, Health and Social Care, and Arts and Sciences.- History :...
between 1903 and 1905. Her entry in the 1938 edition of Who's Who
Who's Who
Who's Who is the title of a number of reference publications, generally containing concise biographical information on a particular group of people...
states that she had a first class honours degree in Modern History from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
; a Scottish Secondary Teachers' Diploma; and a diploma in French language, literature and history from Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
University. In 1921 she married Gavin Bowman Watson Clark.
Archives
The archives of Helena Normanton are held at The Women's Library at London Metropolitan UniversityLondon Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University , located in London, England, was formed on 1 August 2002 by the amalgamation of the University of North London and the London Guildhall University . The University has campuses in the City of London and in the London Borough of Islington.The University operates its...
.