The Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers

Women in the Livery and High Civic Office in the City

In January 2021, Past Master Erica Stary published her paper – Women in the Livery and High Civic Office in the City.

Women in the Livery and High Civic Office in the City

The paper is essentially an overview: it looks first at the momentous year for women in the City – 1983 and the background to that year, then at the contributions women have made from the early middle ages to the City’s prosperity and the background law which prevented them from doing more. It then explains the rationale behind the Lady Masters Association, and the relatively newly created City Consorts group (the members of which are mainly but not entirely women). There is also a short comment about women clerks and the emerging pre-year masters groups. Since a woman attaining high civic office often needs (or at least would think about obtaining, a coat of arms as it is traditional, though not compulsory) it looks at women’s lack of rights there. It does not look at the considerable amount of voluntary time and work put in by women (and men) who have been prepared to be and have been elected to serve as common councilmen and aldermen and in due course, if appropriate, as sheriff and/or Lord Mayor.