Ada E Evans

Description

“Ada Emily Evans (1872–1947) was the first Australian woman to attain a law degree and the first woman admitted to the Bar in New South Wales. Evans was eleven when her family moved from England to Australia and settled in Sydney. She finished her schooling at Sydney Girls' High and then undertook a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1895. Initially planning to become a teacher, she and her sister started a small private school at Summer Hill, until Evans had to give up the work for health reasons. With encouragement from her mother – who was from a family of lawyers – in 1899 Evans decided to return to university to study law, despite knowing that, as the law then stood, she wouldn't be able to practise after graduating. Nor for that matter, would the Dean of Sydney University's law school have tolerated a female student – so she applied (and was accepted) while he was on leave. He later told her that 'she did not have the physique for law and would find medicine more suitable'. Needless to say, Evans ignored this advice and graduated LL.B. in 1902. This achievement was reported on in a number of Australian newspapers, which also drily noted that 'the law a present in force does not permit ladies to practise the legal profession'. Accordingly, Evans' application to the Supreme Court for registration as a student-at-law was rejected – on the grounds of there being no precedent – as were her applications to be admitted to the Bar in New South Wales and in England.”

Identification

Artist

The Swiss Studios

Medium

Gelatin silver photo on aluminium (reproduced 2023)

Date

1902 to circa 1911

Collection

Portraiture