Mabel Philipson

Mabel Philipson (1 January 1887 – 8 January 1951) was a British actress and politician. She was the third female member to serve in the House of Commons after this became legally possible in 1918, representing Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Born Mabel Russell, she became a successful music hall and comedy actress. Widowed by 1911, in 1917 she married Hilton Philipson, a business owner and National Liberal politician; they had three children.

On 21 November 1918 the Parliamentary Qualification of Women Act, introduced a few weeks previously by Lord Robert Cecil was given Royal Assent, making women eligible as Members of Parliament.

Hilton Philipson was unseated on petition in 1923, due to a fraud involving his agent. Mabel Philipson won the by-election to follow him, while standing as a Conservative. It was said that she made no secret that she intended to hold the seat until her husband's return;^[1] however when her husband's business hit financial difficulties in 1928 she announced her retirement as "the reason why I have held the seat has ceased to exist".^[2]

She returned to the stage after leaving Parliament, appearing as Mrs Tilling in Other People's Lives at the Wyndham Theatre in 1929.^[3]

References

John Sleight, Women on the March (1986)
Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3rd edition ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.

^ Pamela Brookes, "Women at Westminster", Peter Davies, London, 1967, p. 37-8.
^ Daily Telegraph, 20 November 1928, cited in Pamela Brookes, "Women at Westminster", Peter Davies, London, 1967, p. 67.
^ Pamela Brookes, "Women at Westminster", Peter Davies, London, 1967, p. 67.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Hilton Philipson	Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed 1923–1929	Succeeded by Alfred Todd

Persondata
Name	Philipson, Mabel
Alternative names
Short description	British politician
Date of birth	1 January 1887
Place of birth
Date of death	8 January 1951
Place of death