379:
was passed into law the next day, on 24 December. She applied again to join
Lincoln's Inn that month, and was admitted as a student on 27 January 1920. Bebb attended a banquet at the House of Commons on 8 March 1920 to celebrate the passing of the Act, where she proposed a toast. In August 1920,
422:
A century after the passing of the law permitting women to be solicitors, one view is that there 'still work to be done to achieve real equality in law', others recognise 'the valuable work she did during her lifetime has led to nearly a century of women working in the law, bringing greater
313:(included in the law reports in 1914), a key statement in the Court's view was the “long uniform and interrupted usage, which we ought … to be very loth to depart from” that only men had become solicitors, therefore women were not able to do so.
316:
Bebb continued with political and feminist activism. The publicity from her case – the press was mostly in her favour – helped the campaign for women's admission to the legal profession in
Britain, and the passage of the
270:
as amended, and was therefore entitled to be admitted to the preliminary examination of the Law
Society. The judge, who had previously ruled a decade before, against another woman attempting to be a solicitor,
283:. And stated that this disability that must remain "unless and until" Parliament changed the law; in other words, that women could not be solicitors because no woman had ever been a solicitor.
412:
legal case, only Crofts succeeded in becoming recognised as a lawyer. Nettlefold left law, but went on to become the Deputy
Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Food, the highest
909:
904:
465:
200:
In 1913, forty years after women first tried to become practicing professional lawyers, she and three other women started an unsuccessful legal action, known as
899:
302:
287:
244:
365:
398:. The premature baby died on 12 August, and Bebb herself died at a nursing home in Edgbaston on 9 October 1921, shortly before her 32nd birthday.
376:
318:
310:
306:
615:
183:. She completed her studies with First-Class degree marks in 1911, but at that time women were not awarded degrees or allowed to graduate.
656:
697:
160:
391:
Bebb was permitted with 51 other Oxford women, to graduate in 1920, then the only woman who had obtained a First Class Degree in Law.
805:
734:
779:
639:
357:
811:
740:
582:
153:
413:
337:
church in
Kensington, London, in April 1917. Her husband was born in 1872, the second son of Captain William Thomson of the
735:"Bebb [married name Thomson], Gwyneth Marjory (1889–1921), campaigner for women's admission to the legal profession"
490:
164:
919:
523:
457:
430:
said: “The legal profession owes an enormous debt of gratitude to
Gwyneth Bebb and her fellow aspiring female lawyers.”
172:
141:
556:
124:, a test case in the opening of the legal profession to women in Britain. She was expected to be the first woman to be
251:
375:
as a student barrister in 1918, but she was refused. She gave birth to a daughter, Diana, on 23 December 1919. The
419:
Crofts was the first woman solicitor and she became a partner in the law firm of Crofts, Ingram and Wyatt & Co.
579:"XP14A – Stephen, Karin (1890–1953) née Costelloe, psychologist and psychoanalyst – Karin Stephen collection (P14)"
346:
145:
202:
342:
239:
120:
102:
330:
914:
491:"Oh, That Glass Ceiling … More of a Bar than a Gate, Criminal Law & Justice Weekly (2009) 173 JPN 507"
427:
267:
149:
118:(27 October 1889 – 9 October 1921) (later Mrs Thomson) was an English lawyer. She was the claimant in
87:
894:
889:
350:
299:
263:
356:
In August 1917, Bebb now Mrs
Thomson was appointed assistant commissioner for enforcement for the
291:
633:
255:
873:
705:
621:
611:
259:
247:
210:
should be compelled to admit them to its preliminary examinations. The three other women were
125:
91:
816:
745:
402:
395:
381:
372:
338:
176:
849:
384:
in order to study for the bar examinations, and help her husband in his legal practice in
295:
231:
215:
394:
A second daughter, Marion, was born on 10 August 1921, but the pregnancy was affected by
175:, from 1908. She was the sixth woman to study law at Oxford: her predecessors included
334:
223:
219:
187:
168:
578:
883:
780:"'All These Barriers are Broken Down' – Five Remarkable Women Who Shaped the 1920s"
361:
227:
180:
129:
835:
764:
152:. She moved to Wales with her family after her father was appointed principal of
820:
749:
272:
211:
207:
515:
148:. Her mother, Louisa Marion (née Traer), was the daughter of the obstetrician
385:
280:
709:
625:
549:"Maud Crofts: "We women want not privileges but equality." – First 100 Years"
548:
75:
605:
266:, seeking a declaration that she was a "person" within the meaning of the
132:
was the first woman to qualify as a barrister in
England, in May 1922.
416:
role held by a woman to that date. Costelloe became a psychoanalyst.
53:
140:
Bebb was born in Oxford. She was the third of seven children of
610:(1st ed.). Chicago: American Bar Association. p. 403.
279:
that women were incapable of carrying out a public function in
698:"Landmarks in law: when female lawyers were declared 'people'"
128:
in
England; in the event, her early death prevented that, and
115:
28:
360:
in its
Midland Division, with work that included prosecuting
237:
Bebb became the first named party for the reported case,
485:
483:
543:
541:
423:
equality, diversity, and balance to the profession'.
657:"The Fascinating Lives Of The First Women Solicitors"
97:
83:
61:
35:
23:
815:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2011.
804:
744:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.
733:
458:"The tragic case of the legal star history forgot"
581:. Archives.psychoanalysis.org.uk. 29 March 2016.
341:. Her husband had several brothers, including
8:
806:"Ingram, Maud Isabel (1889–1965), solicitor"
493:. Criminallawandjustice.co.uk. 8 August 2009
218:, who became a psychoanalyst after marrying
186:She became an investigating officer for the
910:Officers of the Order of the British Empire
728:
726:
451:
449:
447:
445:
443:
329:In the meantime, Bebb married a solicitor,
366:Officer of the Order of the British Empire
163:in Paddington, London (which later became
20:
778:Staveley-Wadham, Rose (7 January 2020).
607:Lawyer : a brief 5,000-year history
516:"UK | 75 years of women solicitors"
408:Of the four women who had contested the
262:on 2 and 3 July 1913, before Mr Justice
874:A feminist pioneer in law: Gwyneth Bebb
812:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
741:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
439:
377:Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919
319:Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919
631:
256:Withers, Bensons, Birkett & Davies
696:Baksi, Catherine (15 February 2019).
510:
508:
7:
691:
689:
687:
651:
649:
294:when the decision was upheld in the
258:when her test case was heard in the
171:) and then studied jurisprudence at
905:Alumni of St Hugh's College, Oxford
784:blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
526:from the original on 17 March 2018
456:Rosemary Auchmuty (10 June 2011).
14:
585:from the original on 1 March 2018
559:from the original on 1 March 2018
468:from the original on 15 June 2015
165:St Mary's College, Lancaster Gate
900:British women's rights activists
426:Law Society president in 2019,
298:in December 1913, heard by the
850:"5 inspirational women in law"
321:allowed women to be lawyers.
1:
661:The Legal Copywriting Company
638:: CS1 maint: date and year (
401:Bebb's funeral took place at
836:UK public library membership
765:UK public library membership
380:she gave up her work at the
325:Later life, death and legacy
154:St David's College, Lampeter
142:Llewellyn John Montford Bebb
936:
347:William Montgomery Thomson
16:English lawyer (1889–1921)
876:, the f-word, 6 June 2011
371:Bebb had applied to join
243:. She was represented by
173:St Hugh's College, Oxford
146:Brasenose College, Oxford
72:October 9, 1921 (aged 31)
604:Andrus, R. Blan (2009).
203:Bebb vs. the Law Society
821:10.1093/ref:odnb/102120
750:10.1093/ref:odnb/101944
343:Henry Broughton Thomson
286:She was represented by
240:Bebb v. The Law Society
195:Bebb v. The Law Society
121:Bebb v. The Law Society
103:Bebb v. The Law Society
331:Thomas Weldon Thomson
112:Gwyneth Marjorie Bebb
40:Gwyneth Marjorie Bebb
920:Deaths in childbirth
854:Simply Law Jobs Blog
553:first100years.org.uk
522:. 19 December 1997.
364:. Bebb was made an
351:Seaforth Highlanders
206:, claiming that the
159:She was educated at
428:Christina Blacklaws
300:Master of the Rolls
268:Solicitors Act 1843
167:, before moving to
245:Stanley Buckmaster
150:James Reeves Traer
88:St. Hugh's College
856:. 6 February 2018
834:(Subscription or
763:(Subscription or
617:978-1-60442-598-7
309:and Lord Justice
303:Lord Cozens-Hardy
288:Lord Robert Cecil
260:Chancery Division
126:called to the bar
109:
108:
92:Oxford University
50:December 27, 1889
927:
866:
865:
863:
861:
846:
840:
839:
831:
829:
827:
808:
801:
795:
794:
792:
790:
775:
769:
768:
760:
758:
756:
737:
730:
721:
720:
718:
716:
693:
682:
679:
673:
672:
670:
668:
663:. 31 August 2017
653:
644:
643:
637:
629:
601:
595:
594:
592:
590:
575:
569:
568:
566:
564:
545:
536:
535:
533:
531:
512:
503:
502:
500:
498:
487:
478:
477:
475:
473:
453:
403:Tewkesbury Abbey
396:placenta praevia
382:Ministry of Food
362:black-marketeers
358:Ministry of Food
339:78th Highlanders
254:, instructed by
177:Cornelia Sorabji
161:St Mary's School
71:
69:
49:
47:
21:
935:
934:
930:
929:
928:
926:
925:
924:
880:
879:
870:
869:
859:
857:
848:
847:
843:
833:
825:
823:
803:
802:
798:
788:
786:
777:
776:
772:
762:
754:
752:
732:
731:
724:
714:
712:
695:
694:
685:
680:
676:
666:
664:
655:
654:
647:
630:
618:
603:
602:
598:
588:
586:
577:
576:
572:
562:
560:
555:. 5 July 2016.
547:
546:
539:
529:
527:
514:
513:
506:
496:
494:
489:
488:
481:
471:
469:
455:
454:
441:
436:
368:(OBE) in 1921.
327:
305:, Lord Justice
296:Court of Appeal
232:Lucy Nettlefold
216:Karin Costelloe
198:
138:
79:
73:
67:
65:
57:
51:
45:
43:
42:
41:
31:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
933:
931:
923:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
892:
882:
881:
878:
877:
868:
867:
841:
796:
770:
722:
683:
674:
645:
616:
596:
570:
537:
504:
479:
438:
437:
435:
432:
335:St Mary Abbots
326:
323:
224:Virginia Woolf
220:Adrian Stephen
197:
192:
188:Board of Trade
169:Gerrards Cross
144:, a fellow of
137:
134:
107:
106:
99:
98:Known for
95:
94:
85:
81:
80:
74:
63:
59:
58:
52:
39:
37:
33:
32:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
932:
921:
918:
916:
915:Women jurists
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
887:
885:
875:
872:
871:
855:
851:
845:
842:
837:
822:
818:
814:
813:
807:
800:
797:
785:
781:
774:
771:
766:
751:
747:
743:
742:
736:
729:
727:
723:
711:
707:
703:
699:
692:
690:
688:
684:
678:
675:
662:
658:
652:
650:
646:
641:
635:
627:
623:
619:
613:
609:
608:
600:
597:
584:
580:
574:
571:
558:
554:
550:
544:
542:
538:
525:
521:
517:
511:
509:
505:
492:
486:
484:
480:
467:
463:
459:
452:
450:
448:
446:
444:
440:
433:
431:
429:
424:
420:
417:
415:
414:Civil Service
411:
406:
404:
399:
397:
392:
389:
387:
383:
378:
374:
373:Lincoln's Inn
369:
367:
363:
359:
354:
352:
348:
344:
340:
336:
332:
324:
322:
320:
314:
312:
308:
304:
301:
297:
293:
289:
284:
282:
278:
274:
269:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
246:
242:
241:
235:
233:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
204:
196:
193:
191:
189:
184:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
157:
155:
151:
147:
143:
135:
133:
131:
127:
123:
122:
117:
113:
104:
100:
96:
93:
89:
86:
82:
77:
64:
60:
55:
38:
34:
30:
22:
19:
858:. Retrieved
853:
844:
826:19 September
824:. Retrieved
810:
799:
787:. Retrieved
783:
773:
755:19 September
753:. Retrieved
739:
713:. Retrieved
702:The Guardian
701:
677:
665:. Retrieved
660:
606:
599:
587:. Retrieved
573:
561:. Retrieved
552:
528:. Retrieved
519:
495:. Retrieved
470:. Retrieved
462:The Guardian
461:
425:
421:
418:
409:
407:
400:
393:
390:
370:
355:
328:
315:
307:Swinfen Eady
292:R. A. Wright
285:
276:
252:R. A. Wright
238:
236:
228:Vanessa Bell
222:(brother of
201:
199:
194:
185:
181:Ivy Williams
158:
139:
130:Ivy Williams
119:
111:
110:
25:Gwyneth Bebb
18:
895:1921 deaths
890:1889 births
589:28 February
563:28 February
530:28 February
497:12 November
472:12 November
275:, ruled in
273:Bertha Cave
212:Maud Crofts
208:Law Society
884:Categories
860:13 October
838:required.)
789:13 October
767:required.)
715:13 October
667:13 October
434:References
386:Tewkesbury
311:Phillimore
281:common law
136:Early life
68:1921-10-09
46:1889-12-27
710:0261-3077
681:1 Ch. 286
634:cite book
626:428436866
156:in 1898.
84:Education
78:, England
76:Edgbaston
56:, England
583:Archived
557:Archived
524:Archived
520:BBC News
466:Archived
349:of the
290:KC and
230:), and
832:
761:
708:
624:
614:
464:. UK.
345:, and
54:Oxford
333:, at
264:Joyce
862:2020
828:2020
791:2020
757:2020
717:2020
706:ISSN
669:2020
640:link
622:OCLC
612:ISBN
591:2018
565:2018
532:2018
499:2011
474:2011
410:Bebb
277:Bebb
250:and
226:and
179:and
62:Died
36:Born
817:doi
746:doi
405:.
116:OBE
29:OBE
886::
852:.
809:.
782:.
738:.
725:^
704:.
700:.
686:^
659:.
648:^
636:}}
632:{{
620:.
551:.
540:^
518:.
507:^
482:^
460:.
442:^
388:.
353:.
248:KC
234:.
214:,
190:.
114:,
90:,
864:.
830:.
819::
793:.
759:.
748::
719:.
671:.
642:)
628:.
593:.
567:.
534:.
501:.
476:.
105:'
101:'
70:)
66:(
48:)
44:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.