Frances Christian Kyle, LLB (30 October 1893 – 22 June 1958) was a Northern Irish barrister and the first woman, together with Averil Deverell, to be admitted to the bar in either Ireland or Great Britain,[1][2] being called to the Bar of Ireland on 1 November 1921.[3][4] It not only made headlines in Dublin but also New York City, London, and India. It was almost a year before any woman was called to the English bar (Ivy Williams, 10 May 1922).[5]
Kyle as pictured in The Vote, 1922
Early lifeedit
Kyle was born on 30 October 1893 in Belfast in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. She was the youngest child of Robert Alexander Kyle, the owner of an outfitter/draper, and Kathleen Frances Bates. A governess, Delphine Ladiray, educated Frances and her sister Kathleen, who subsequently attended Ladies' & Preparatory School. She spent a year in 1905 at a boarding school in Poitiers in France and then attended a finishing school in Bern in Switzerland.[6] She received her BA in French in 1914,[3] and her LLB in 1916 at Trinity College, Dublin (TCD).[4]
Careeredit
In January 1920, Frances Kyle and Averil Deverell were admitted as the first female students of law at the King's Inns in Dublin. Kyle came first in the Bar Entrance Examinations and, in October 1921, she became the first woman to win the John Brooke Scholarship.[6][5] At the time, The Irish Times described her being awarded the Scholarship as representing "a women's invasion of the law."[4]
On 1 November 1921, she was called to the Irish bar by Sir Thomas Molony. A week later, she was called to the newly established Bar of Northern Ireland at the Crumlin Road Courthouse.[6] She practiced as a probationer and received her first brief on 23 November 1922.[6] On 14 November 1922, Kyle was elected a member of the Circuit of Northern Ireland at a meeting in Belfast, becoming the first female member of a circuit. Kyle is reported in the Dublin Evening Telegraph in 1922 as having received eight briefs.[3][6] Most of Ireland left the United Kingdom on 6 December 1922 as the Irish Free State, while Northern Ireland remained within the United Kingdom.
Kyle may have struggled to find work as her last listing in Thom's Law Directory is in 1931. In 1937, she appeared in court to defend herself on a parking summons.[3] By 1952, Kyle was living in London with her sister Kathleen, who was married to a medical inspector, Dr. John McCloy. In 1930, Kathleen was described by the Belfast Newsletter as "very well known in Belfast" and "a delightful speaker".
^ abc"Frances Kyle and Averill Deverel". Legally Hers. First Hundred Years. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
^ ab"Female Lawyers in Ireland". First 100 Years. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
^ abcdefGoldthorpe, Liz (2018). "Kyle, Frances Christian [Fay] (1894–1958), barrister". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.111934. ISBN978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
November 26, 2023
frances, kyle, frances, christian, kyle, october, 1893, june, 1958, northern, irish, barrister, first, woman, together, with, averil, deverell, admitted, either, ireland, great, britain, being, called, ireland, november, 1921, only, made, headlines, dublin, al. Frances Christian Kyle LLB 30 October 1893 22 June 1958 was a Northern Irish barrister and the first woman together with Averil Deverell to be admitted to the bar in either Ireland or Great Britain 1 2 being called to the Bar of Ireland on 1 November 1921 3 4 It not only made headlines in Dublin but also New York City London and India It was almost a year before any woman was called to the English bar Ivy Williams 10 May 1922 5 Kyle as pictured in The Vote 1922Early life editKyle was born on 30 October 1893 in Belfast in Ulster the northern province in Ireland She was the youngest child of Robert Alexander Kyle the owner of an outfitter draper and Kathleen Frances Bates A governess Delphine Ladiray educated Frances and her sister Kathleen who subsequently attended Ladies amp Preparatory School She spent a year in 1905 at a boarding school in Poitiers in France and then attended a finishing school in Bern in Switzerland 6 She received her BA in French in 1914 3 and her LLB in 1916 at Trinity College Dublin TCD 4 Career editIn January 1920 Frances Kyle and Averil Deverell were admitted as the first female students of law at the King s Inns in Dublin Kyle came first in the Bar Entrance Examinations and in October 1921 she became the first woman to win the John Brooke Scholarship 6 5 At the time The Irish Times described her being awarded the Scholarship as representing a women s invasion of the law 4 On 1 November 1921 she was called to the Irish bar by Sir Thomas Molony A week later she was called to the newly established Bar of Northern Ireland at the Crumlin Road Courthouse 6 She practiced as a probationer and received her first brief on 23 November 1922 6 On 14 November 1922 Kyle was elected a member of the Circuit of Northern Ireland at a meeting in Belfast becoming the first female member of a circuit Kyle is reported in the Dublin Evening Telegraph in 1922 as having received eight briefs 3 6 Most of Ireland left the United Kingdom on 6 December 1922 as the Irish Free State while Northern Ireland remained within the United Kingdom Kyle may have struggled to find work as her last listing in Thom s Law Directory is in 1931 In 1937 she appeared in court to defend herself on a parking summons 3 By 1952 Kyle was living in London with her sister Kathleen who was married to a medical inspector Dr John McCloy In 1930 Kathleen was described by the Belfast Newsletter as very well known in Belfast and a delightful speaker Kyle died of cancer at The London Clinic in Marylebone on 22 June 1958 aged 64 6 References edit McMahon Aine 24 February 2015 Scales of justice tip in favour of women but more needs to be done The Irish Times Retrieved 29 January 2018 Bacik Ivana Costello Cathryn Drew Eileen 2003 Gender InJustice Feminising the Legal Professions PDF Trinity College Dublin Law School p 11 ISBN 0953497917 a b c d First Hundred Years https first100years org uk frances kyle biography a b c Frances Kyle and Averill Deverel Legally Hers First Hundred Years Retrieved 29 January 2018 a b Female Lawyers in Ireland First 100 Years 2 June 2015 Retrieved 29 January 2018 a b c d e f Goldthorpe Liz 2018 Kyle Frances Christian Fay 1894 1958 barrister Oxford Dictionary of National Biography doi 10 1093 odnb 9780198614128 013 111934 ISBN 978 0 19 861412 8 Retrieved 21 June 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frances Kyle amp oldid 1183554570, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
