Background
Calvert was born on 30 April 1926 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. Her father was Albert Parker Commander of the Order of the British Empire, a chemistry
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Barbara Calvert
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She was educated at Saint Helen"s School, an independent all-girls school in Northwood, London.
Career
She was the first woman to be a Head of Chambers when she founded 4 Brick Court in 1974. She was also the first woman to become a Bencher of the Middle Temple when she was elected in 1982. She went on to study economics at the London School of Economics.
On 24 November 1959, she was called to the bar at Middle Temple.
At that time, only 3% of barristers were women. She joined the chambers ran by John Platts-Mills as a barrister.
In 1974, she set up her own chambers at 4 Brick Court. In doing so, she became the first female Head of Chambers.
lieutenant had four women as founding members and the chambers was quickly nicknamed "the Monstrous Regimen of Women" (a play on The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstruous Regiment of Women).
In 2000, the chambers merged with another to form Coram Chambers. On 6 April 1978, she was called to the Inner Bar of Northern Ireland. She therefore became a Queen"s Counsel (Queen's Counsel).
She was the first female Queen's Counsel to be called in Northern Ireland.
She was appointed a Recorder, a part-time judge, on 7 November 1980 with effect from 10 November. On 15 March 1982, she was elected a Bencher of the Middle Temple.
The first woman to receive that honour. In 1986, she left her chambers and was appointed Chair of the Industrial Tribunals, the independent judicial bodies that deal with employment law matters in Northern Ireland.
She was the first female to be appointed to this post.
Calvert was an honorary door tenant of 1 Pump Court Chambers. At the age of 75, she became chairwoman of the Grandparents" Federation (now the Grandparents" Association), a charity for grandparents" rights. She later stood down and was appointed a Vice-President.
She died on 22 July 2015, aged 89.
A memorial service was held on 13 November 2015 at the Temple Church, City of London.
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Born
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Died
July 22, 2015 (aged 89) -
Nationality
United Kingdom