Guernsey's first female Deputy to be honored with blue plaque at former home

Mary Randall Guernsey's first deputy
Marie Louise Mansell Randall was a States member for 31 years before retiring in 1955. Credit: States of Guernsey

The life and career of Guernsey's first female Deputy is to be celebrated with a blue plaque.

Marie Louise Mansell Randall was elected to represent St Peter Port in 1924 at the age of 42 and remained a States member for 31 years - most of which as the only woman in the assembly.

The plaque will be placed at One St Julian’s, Marie’s former home when it was Vauxlauren’s Brewery.

It will be unveiled by Guernsey's Deputy Bailiff on Wednesday 24 January to coincide with the centenary of Marie being elected.

During her career, Marie served on numerous States committees and was an advocate for equal voting rights for women eventually helping to reduce the voting age from 30 to 20 in 1938.

Marie was made an MBE in 1954 and retired from the States in 1955.

Shelaine Green, Chair of Women in Public Life Guernsey, said: "Marie Randall was a pioneer, elected just four years after Nancy Astor first sat in the UK Parliament and 24 years before Jersey’s Ivy Forster.

"We really hope Marie’s story will inspire other Guernsey women to follow in her footsteps – and we’d of course be very happy to support them."

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