Julia McMordie CBE

CBE

CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...

 (1860–1942) was an Ulster Unionist Party

Ulster Unionist Party

The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...

 politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

.

McMordie was the daughter of shipbuilder Sir William Gray, of Hartlepool

Hartlepool

Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...

, County Durham. A Presbyterian, she was educated at Chislehurst

Chislehurst

Chislehurst is a suburban district in south-east London, England, and an electoral ward of the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...

, Kent. On 21 May 1886 she married prominent Belfast barrister Robert James McMordie

Robert James McMordie

Robert James McMordie, QC was an Irish barrister, politician, and Lord Mayor of Belfast.Son of the Rev. J A McMordie, he was born in Cumran, County Down, and educated at the Royal Academical Institution, Belfast and Queen's College, Belfast. He received an M.A. from Queen's University. In 1874 he...

; the couple made their home at Cabin Hill

Cabin Hill

Cabin Hill was a private primary school in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which closed in 2006. Its pupils transferred to the new preparatory department at Campbell College....

, The Knock, Belfast.

In 1921 she was one of two women elected to the first Parliament of Northern Ireland

Parliament of Northern Ireland

The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...

, she represented South Belfast. She did not stand for re-election in 1925

Northern Ireland general election, 1925

The Northern Ireland general election, 1925 was held on 3 April 1925. It was the second election to the Parliament of Northern Ireland. It saw significant losses for the Ulster Unionist Party, although they maintained their large majority. This was the last election for the Stormont parliament...

.

In 1925 McMordie moved to East Cliff, Budleigh Salterton

Budleigh Salterton

Budleigh Salterton is a small town on the south coast of Devon, England 15 miles south of Exeter. It is situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty designated East Devon AONB.- Features :...

, Devon, in order to be near her family (a son, John Andrew, and daughter, Elsie Gray). She was the first female High Sheriff of Belfast

High Sheriff of Belfast

The High Sheriff of Belfast is a High Sheriff title and position which was created in 1900 under the Local Government Act 1898, with Sir James Henderson the first holder. It is a largely ceremonial position currently held by Ian Adamson, who took office in January 2011...

 (in 1928).

She died, in 1942, at her daughter's home in King's Cliffe, Oundle

Oundle

Oundle is an ancient market town on the River Nene in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 5,345 or 5,674 . It lies some north of London and south-west of Peterborough...

. Her brother was created a baronet in 1917 as Sir William Gray, 1st Baronet

Gray Baronets

There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Gray, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. One creation is extant as of 2007....

of Tunstall Manor, Hartlepool.