Focus on the women driving borough forward as anniversary of town’s first female mayor marked

Florence Ada Coxon was a groundbreaker in Lynn and West Norfolk.At the age of 60, she became Lynn’s first-ever female mayor in 1925, just seven years after women over 30 won the right to vote.Mrs Coxon went on to train as a barrister at the age of 70.

Fast forward to 2025 and Florence, most commonly known by her middle name Ada, has been celebrated ahead of International Women’s Day this Saturday (March 8).A special display was launched at Stories of Lynn in the Saturday Market Place last week to celebrate her legacy as one of the first women in town to hold a position of civic authority.She was the first of just 14 female mayors to grace Lynn and West Norfolk over the past 100 years, and was deputy mayor to her husband in 1923.

In the same year, Ada formed the Women’s Conservative Club in Lynn. She was awarded an OBE after her retirement. However, Ada’s husband did not act as her consort while she was the mayor of Lynn from 1925 to 1926. Instead, her daughter Beryl acted as mayoress and aided her during her time in office.Ada led an eventful life even after retiring, deciding to train as a barrister at the age of 70, before being called to the bench. Her motto was “age is no obstacle”. She was a pioneer for women in leadership, as at the time, only women over the age of 30 who owned a property or had a university education could vote. It wasn’t until 1928 that universal women’s suffrage was granted.A few women had stood in council elections in Lynn, but Ada was the first to be elected in 1924.Career options were limited for women at the time. Married women were expected to give up work to look after their homes and family. Ada started studying law in 1928 and became a barrister in 1932.There is evidence that Ada loved dogs and horses and that riding in the countryside would have been an enjoyable pastime for her.Celebrating Ada and the many great women of West Norfolk:

Last week, a special display was launched at Stories of Lynn celebrating Ada.Other contemporary women of Lynn and West Norfolk with local leadership positions have also been celebrated. Some of these gathered for the launch alongside Ada’s great-grandson, Tony Bellars.

The display will be in place until March 27 and was timed to coincide with International Women’s Day this Saturday, when there will be free entry for all young people under 16.Cllr Jo Rust, the West Norfolk Council’s cabinet member for people and communities, said: “West Norfolk has a lot to be proud of, with many key local positions currently being held by women. International Women’s Day seems like the perfect time to tell their stories and celebrate the centenary of the woman who paved the way, Ada Coxon.“We believe in our young people and it is one of our priorities to improve their educational opportunities and ambition, which we’re doing though a number of schemes such as BOOST and our support for apprenticeships.

“By celebrating Ada and some of the amazing women we have working in West Norfolk, this project aims to inspire our young people and show them that there can be a place at the top table for them.”

Who are the women leading in West Norfolk now? Kate Blakemore, CEO of West Norfolk Council:

Kate was appointed CEO of West Norfolk Council in June last year. She has a background in environmental health. Kate, who spends a lot of her free time with her family and horses, has strong links to West Norfolk. She was born in Lynn and spent her early years in Dersingham, and has family still living in the area.She says she puts her success down to “taking every opportunity” that she has had given to her.Speaking about advice she would give to her younger self, Kate said: “Don’t beat yourself up if things go wrong – use this as a learning opportunity, reflect and grow and ultimately keep moving forward.”In relation to her job role, she added: “Being a local government CEO includes navigating a range of challenges, including budget constraints and public accountability. “As head of paid service, I am responsible for the recruitment, retention and wellbeing of our employees and legal compliance in areas such as health and safety, alongside support for our elected members in setting and delivering our strategic ambitions.“The need to listen and seek to continuously improve the delivery of our services is paramount to this role.“Overall, being a local government CEO requires strong leadership, problem-solving skills and the ability to make decisions that balance short-term needs with long-term goals.”Gill Rejzl, chair of the board of the College of West Anglia:

Gill has been in her role for around three years and was a governor at the college three years before that. She has a background in teaching, local government, social housing and NHS governance.Gill said: “Although retired from full-time paid employment, I continue to have lots of ‘jobs’.“There are of course challenges to managing a busy but fulfilling life, which features some important personal and professional roles.“The challenges include managing time effectively, managing information and managing people and relationships.” Speaking about some of her female role models, Gill added: “I admire the qualities of many people, including some women whose astonishing achievements have helped shape our history, values, and culture.“These include well-known artists, writers and activists such as Emmeline Pankhurst, Frida Kahlo, Mary Seacole, Maya Angelou and, more recently, women like (author) JK Rowling.“My real ‘role models’, however, are generally closer to home. They are some of the women and men I have known, loved, observed, learned from and worked with: teachers, work colleagues, family members, and friends.”Speaking about any challenges she has faced, Gill added: “I don’t believe I have experienced many ‘barriers’; I have generally been treated fairly and on merit. “I do not come from a financially privileged background, but I was lucky to have parents who worked hard to give their children opportunities and ensure that perceived wealth and ‘class’ would not be barriers.“With hindsight, perhaps my only ‘barrier’ was self-imposed, as a younger woman. Imposter Syndrome is a relatively recent term for the self-doubt many of us experience.”Anita Jones, CEO of Freebridge Community Housing:

Anita joined Freebridge in 2020 from Havebury Housing in Bury St Edmunds, where she was director of operations and deputy CEO since 2012.She said: “I have been very fortunate to have been given great opportunities to develop and learn from some amazing female leaders. If you can see it, you can be it.“At Freebridge we try to break down stereotypes, our nearly all-female development team is a great example of that.”Anita is the first female CEO of the housing firm.She added: “I am immensely proud to lead Freebridge, not least be the first female CEO.“The needs of our customers and communities are at the heart of everything we do and with this strong foundation at the core of the Freebridge, and our colleagues, we are well-positioned to make a meaningful impact with our community.”Speaking about advice she would give to her younger self, Anita said: “Surround yourself with people that lift you higher.“Success is never about one person doing something better than everyone else. It’s about the team you build. There is also no one definition of success – this could be a career or being a full-time mum.”Jane Steen, Bishop of Lynn:

Jane has served as the Bishop of Lynn since 2021, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Norwich.She said: “When people are discouraged because of circumstances beyond their control, I try to listen to them, to hear what they feel, but also to remind them that the church is God’s church and not ours and that even though people get things wrong, God is always faithful.“Ministry in the church isn’t really a career. We do what we do when God and the church call us. So although there have been barriers to women in ministry, I don’t think I could say that a particular structural barrier impeded me; perhaps something wasn’t God’s call on my life.“But people say to me that it’s harder in ministry if you’re a woman.”Leonie Boyd, station commander at RAF Marham:

Leonie’s role is to provide specialist capabilities and base and operations support to enable all units and personnel to operate.She said: “I’m inspired by trailblazers like Ada who don’t let traditional barriers stop them from achieving their goals, who show that we can all achieve things previously thought impossible.“I also have great respect for people like Malala Yousafzai (Pakistani female education activist), who survive hugely traumatic events in their lives, and come out stronger and make a positive difference in other people’s lives.”She added: “I have struggled with self-confidence at points, but have been lucky to have excellent support and mentorship which has helped me succeed. The RAF is also making huge strides in removing barriers that had restricted which professions could compete for certain roles, which has allowed me to become the first engineer station commander at Marham, something I am incredibly proud of.”Superintendent Sonia Humphreys, district police commander for Lynn, West Norfolk and Breckland:

Sonia said that misogyny and sexism were “widespread” when she first started her career in the police force.She said: “Policing has many challenges that are vast and varied. From the constraints of finances, delays in the justice system, the increase in physical and sexual violence or limited resources.“However, personally it’s not lost on me the everyday exposure to being part of the darkest days of people’s lives and the immediate and cumulative effect of this trauma.”She added: “Unfortunately, in the early years of my career, misogyny and sexism were widespread, there was an expectation that as a woman you had to do more than the men to prove yourself as a credible and serious officer.“Thankfully there has been a palpable change and the field is levelling.”Speaking about her role models, Sonia said: “There are so many who have inspired and shaped me, be it my mum teaching me resilience, or the many, many women who I’ve had the pleasure to have worked with, watched or call a friend who refuse to be labelled as bossy, loud, aggressive or emotional.“The women such as Madonna and Gillian Anderson (actor) are unashamed of female sexuality. Latterly there is the downright amazing all-rounder in Dame Carol Black (physician and academic). I will never achieve a fraction of what she has. Even in her 80s, she is brighter, sharper, and more stylish than I will ever be.”Alice Webster, CEO of Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital:

Alice took over as CEO from Caroline Shaw in 2023.Talking about barriers she has faced in her career, Alice said it was “people not sharing the same values, beliefs or vision” that has proved most difficult.She added: “It is when we don’t get ‘things’ right, for those we work with and for. Being honest with people when you have got it wrong, and showing some humility, compassion and care.”Other notable women of Lynn and West Norfolk include… Margery Kempe, from Lynn, was a Catholic mystic. Born in 1373, she is known for writing through dictation The Book of Margery Kempe is a work considered by some to be the first autobiography in the English language.Lucy Verasamy is mostly seen presenting the weather on ITV. She went to King Edward VII Academy in Lynn.Fanny Burney was an English novelist from Lynn. In 1786–1790 she held the post of ‘Keeper of the Robes’ to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, George III’s queen.Florence Green was from Lynn, she is known for being the world’s last WWI veteran. She died at age 110 in 2012.Pocahontas is associated with Heacham, because she visited her husband’s family there in 1616.Clara Dow, from Lynn, is well known for being an operatic soprano.Diana Spencer, who was married to King Charles and is mother to Prince William and Harry, was born in Sandringham