For many years Chris Wright would pass Alderman Leach School in Great Yarmouth (now East Norfolk College) most working days and wonder just who he was?

“I had not heard of him (most aldermen have been men) in my 70 years,” he said.

Chris eventually went off to the Town Hall to investigate where he discovered Alderman Leach was actually a woman, called Ethel but there was little information about her.

He went on a journey of discovery and this has led to the story of “Ethel Leach The Forgotten Pioneer” being published in the Great Yarmouth Local History and Archaeological Journal.

(Image: Family Collection)

She was one of the leading, and at times controversial, citizens of Great Yarmouth now described as the forgotten pioneer…and 100 ago she became the first female Mayor of Great Yarmouth Borough Council.

And now, on Monday November 11 at 21 Market Place, the present mayor, Councillor Paula Waters-Bunn, will unveil a blue plaque honouring and remembering this remarkable woman.

Mary Ethel (known as Ethel) was born in 1850 at Victoria Road, Great Yarmouth. Her father, William Appleton Johnson was a carter.

At 19 she married John Leach, aged 42, at the Unitarian Church in Middlegate and they lived above his oil and colour shop at 21 Market Place.

(Image: Family Collection)

John went on to develop a successful family business and opened two shops in Norwich, on St Stephen’s and St Benedict’s, importing oil from Russia and the US and glass from Belgium.

Some being shipped to their wharf at Riverside in Norwich.

He was involved with public life on the Board of Guardians and encouraged Ethel to seek election to the School Board in 1881.

Education urgently needed reform and Ethel took up the challenge as the first woman member and secured many reforms across the whole education programme,.

In 1884 she was elected as one of the first female members of the Board of Guardians which oversaw the Poor Law and workhouse.

She found no proper nurses and children living alongside inmates.

After clashing with the secretary she was banned from the office on South Quay and told to read documents outside.

Ethel sought an inquiry. The secretary was dismissed and reforms made.

(Image: Family collection)

Also in 1884, the couple and their son Bruce moved to Stradbroke Villa on Lowestoft Road, a large home with a coach-house and two aces of garden.

Her public work continued in many different ways and her achievements are impressive.

1879: First local campaigner for Parliamentary Votes for Women.

1881: First female GY School Board member.

1891: Founder of GY Women’s Liberal Association.

1891: One of the first female members of the GY Board of Guardians.

1903: First female candidate for GY Council – unsuccessful.

1909: Founder of the GY Women’s Suffrage Society.

1820: First female GY magistrate.

1924/5: First female GY Mayor and ex-officio Hospital Board member.

1925: Elected to GY Council for Gorleston St Andrews Ward (4th woman).

1929: Appointed first female Alderman on GY Council.

(Image: Submitted)

She also arranged numerous public meetings as secretary of Women’s Suffrage for Great Yarmouth

And Ethel wrote a book published by the Yarmouth Mercury about a three month tour of America in 1883.

She died in 1936. The once impressive grave of Ethel and John at Gorleston Old Cemetery was in ruins until a Project Nova team (an armed forces charity for veterans) and local supporters led by Steve Davies restored it in 2023.

“She deserves greater recognition as an inspiration of how ordinary people can make a difference,” said Chris.

He will be giving a talk on Ethel at the Time and Tide Museum, Great Yarmouth, on Friday November 8 at 2.30pm. Admission £5.

The blue plaque will be unveiled at her former home, 21 Market Place, Great Yarmouth, on Monday November 11 at 2pm by the Mayor Paula Waters-Bunn.

(Image: Family Collection)