Myrella Cohen
Encyclopedia
Myrella Cohen was one of the first female judges in Great Britain
. She was born into a Jewish family
in Manchester in 1927 and her parents, Sam and Sarah Cohen wanted to name her after their mothers who were called Myra and Ella, so they came up with the combination of Myrella.She was educated at Manchester High School for Girls
and Colwyn Bay
Grammar School and then read law at Manchester University
. She married Mordaunt Cohen whose surname was the same as her own.
in the UK, who was a pioneer for women in the legal profession. At the age of 44 she became the youngest judge in the UK at that time. She presided over numerous high profile cases at many courts in both Newcastle and London including the Old Bailey
and as resident Judge in Harrow. In 1992 she became the first person to receive an honorary doctorate in law from the University of Sunderland
. In 2001 she starred as the Judge in the TV programme 'Trial by Jury
'.
(get) from their wives. The bill was completed and stamped by the Queen in August 2002. She died two months later in October 2002 and was buried at the Har Hamenuchot cemetery in Jerusalem.. A new road in Sunderland, called Myrella Crescent, was named in honour
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. She was born into a Jewish family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
in Manchester in 1927 and her parents, Sam and Sarah Cohen wanted to name her after their mothers who were called Myra and Ella, so they came up with the combination of Myrella.She was educated at Manchester High School for Girls
Manchester High School for Girls
Manchester High School for Girls is an independent daytime school for girls and a member of the Girls School Association. It is situated in Fallowfield, Manchester, United Kingdom...
and Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay
- Demography :Prior to local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974 Colwyn Bay was a municipal borough with a population of c.25,000, but in 1974 this designation disappeared leaving five separate parishes, known as communities in Wales, of which the one bearing the name Colwyn Bay encompassed...
Grammar School and then read law at Manchester University
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
. She married Mordaunt Cohen whose surname was the same as her own.
Career
Myrella Cohen went on to become one of the first female judges and QCsQueen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in the UK, who was a pioneer for women in the legal profession. At the age of 44 she became the youngest judge in the UK at that time. She presided over numerous high profile cases at many courts in both Newcastle and London including the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
and as resident Judge in Harrow. In 1992 she became the first person to receive an honorary doctorate in law from the University of Sunderland
University of Sunderland
The University of Sunderland is located in Sunderland, north east England. The university has more than 17,500 students, including 7,000-plus international students from some 70 countries....
. In 2001 she starred as the Judge in the TV programme 'Trial by Jury
Trial by Jury
Trial by Jury is a comic opera in one act, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was first produced on 25 March 1875, at London's Royalty Theatre, where it initially ran for 131 performances and was considered a hit, receiving critical praise and outrunning its...
'.
Communal Life
Myrella was very active in the Jewish community as President of the international association of Jewish lawyers and jurors. She led the campaign in the UK for agunot (Jewish women whose husbands will not allow them to remarry). This campaign took over 10 years and in 2001 she successfully pushed a law through Parliament, the Divorce (Religious Marriages) Bill making it a lot harder for husbands to withhold a divorceDivorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
(get) from their wives. The bill was completed and stamped by the Queen in August 2002. She died two months later in October 2002 and was buried at the Har Hamenuchot cemetery in Jerusalem.. A new road in Sunderland, called Myrella Crescent, was named in honour