Mabel Clarkson was Norwich’s first woman councillor. She believed “that the best wealth of a city is in the health of its citizens” and advocated free school meals for needy children, a decent pension and a living wage. Elected in 1913, when women were still not fully franchised, Mabel blazed a trail for women in local politics.

We placed her plaque on Guildhall where she would have taken her seat on the council overlooking Norwich’s historic market and war memorial.

Norwich now has 19 out of 40 councillors who are women, sadly this is not the case elsewhere