Peterborough’s First Lady Mayor

Lily Violet Bryant 1882-1965

The Society’s AGM meeting took place on Thursday November 14th, followed by a talk from one of our society members Dr. Sadie McMullen entitled ‘Peterborough’s First Lady Mayor’. 

Trevor, the Society’s Chairman, welcomed the audience and commenced with the AGM business. Trevor was unanimously re-elected as Chairman and Annette Matin was re-elected as membership secretary. The remaining AGM business was quickly dealt with and the talk commenced. 

Dr Sadie McMullen, a researcher and historian who is the Peterborough Cathedral’s librarian and Peterborough Family History Society’s secretary and journal editor. Her talk was about the life and extraordinary achievements of Lily Violet Bryant Peterborough’s first lady Councillor and Lady Mayor. Despite achieving two very important public positions in Peterborough’s history, very little is known about Lily Violet Bryant. Dr McMullen acknowledged her great granddaughter, Dr Jane Atkinson, for allowing her to access her great grandmother’s photographs and memoirs. 

Lily Violet Hicks, known as Violet, was born on the 10th of June 1882 in her grandparents’ Victorian villa, Charnwood House, situated in the leafy village of Hornsey, Middlesex, now part of the London borough of Haringey. She was the middle child of her parents five children. All the children received excellent educations and made good marriages. After Violet completed her education, she found a post as a Governess and in the early 1900s drove around in a car; an unusual activity for women at that time.

Violet married Charles William Bryant on the 6th October 1902. Charles already had a prestigious career in the Royal Navy. Beginning as an engineer-student signing up in 1882 at the age of 16, he was attached to H.M.S. Marlborough. He progressed through the ranks and eventually retired with the rank of Engineer-Commander. He then joined as a director of the firm of Peter Brotherhoods Ltd. Then a London based engineering company. 

Peter Brotherhood and his son Stanley moved their engineering works to Peterborough in 1903, where their engineering business continued to grow.  Violet and Charles Bryant, with their two young daughters, also moved to Peterborough to Charnwood House in Old Fletton and eventually in 1916, to Westwood House. After the family’s move to Peterborough the couple had 2 more children. Violet held “Home Days” at her home receiving many eminent guests for tea. 

Violet entered the city’s public life. She sat on the Board of Guardians, but her main interests were in child welfare, education, maternity work, and housing. In 1930 Violet became the city’s first lady Councillor when she campaigned for the city’s west ward, a position she only had to defend twice. Then in 1938 she became the city’s first lady mayor.  As lady mayor, she helped the council to prepare the city’s war defences just before the advent of the second world war. Overseeing the positioning of air raid shelters, sirens, first aid posts, as well as countless other essential operations needed to protect the people of the city. Violet also involved herself in active war work. She worked with ARP services, the St Johns Ambulance, where she gained first aid and home nursing qualifications, and many other activities in the city.

After the war Violet continued her wide-ranging public works, including her child welfare, the rights of children, Dr Barnardo’s, the NSPCC, and its juvenile branch the League of Pity, and many more. She often used the grounds of her home, Westwood House, for fund raising activities which her children helped with. She became a Commissioner for the Girl Guides, was active in the Primrose league and the National and International Council of Women. She attended conferences all over world, while continuing her local work in Peterborough including being a city Magistrate. 

Violet’s Children immigrated to Australia and Canada. She often travelled to visit her children.  In 1960 at the age of 77 Violet immigrated to Mittagong in New South Wales, Australia, to be close to her two daughters. So died on24th February 1965 age 82. There is a memorial stone commemorating her life in Peterborough’s Eastfield cemetery.

Note The Photo of Violet driving her car in Surry was taken in the early 1900s Taken by a Mr Bartholomew of Jubilee Street Woodston,  the family’s chauffeur at the time.

Dr McMullen’s talk was both interesting and engaging and we would like to thank her for researching this inspiring but almost forgotten woman of Peterborough.