City Council celebrates 130th anniversary of women’s right to stand as a district councillor

This year Gloucester City Council will celebrate the 130th anniversary of a women’s right to stand as a district councillor.

The anniversary will take place on December 12 and mark 130 years since the Victorian 1894 Local Government Act, which gave women the legal right to stand as district councillors.

The breakthrough legislation came over 30 years before women were able stand for Parliament and over a decade before the 1907 Qualification of Women Act allowed women to stand for county and borough councils.

Two women, Mary Elizabeth Hartland and Caroline Brown, stood to be elected to the district council in 1894.

Mary Elizabeth Hartland was also one of seven women who were elected to the board of the Guardians of the Poor between 1894 and 1900. The board of the Guardians of the Poor provided and managed workhouses to accommodate anyone who was not able to support themselves. These were abolished in 1930.

Over 51 per cent of Gloucester City Council’s serving members are women, this is compared to 37 per cent in district councils nationally.

Cllr Caroline Courtney, Cabinet member for Culture and Leisure at Gloucester City Council, said: “As a female member of Gloucester City Council I am proud that we are able to mark this important milestone in British democracy.

“Our council is leading the way with women making up the majority of seats on the council since the election earlier this year. In addition, just under half of our Cabinet is made up of women, and the city has both a female Mayor and Sheriff this year.

“Gloucester has done well to reach a point where women get equal representation within our local democracy.”