Mabel Philipson (née Russell; 2 January 1886 – 9 January 1951), known as Mrs Hilton Philipson when not on the stage, was a British actor and politician. Having starred in multiple plays in London, including a period as a
Gaiety Girl
Gaiety Girls were the chorus girls in Edwardian musical comedies, beginning in the 1890s at the Gaiety Theatre, London, in the shows produced by George Edwardes. The popularity of this genre of musical theatre depended, in part, on the beautifu ...
, Philipson left acting to marry
Hilton Philipson
Hilton Philipson (5 November 1892 – 12 April 1941), also known as Hylton Phillipson was a politician in the United Kingdom.
Biography
Standing as a National Liberal Party candidate, he was elected at the 1922 general election as Member of Pa ...
in 1917. Her husband stood for the
National Liberal
National liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal policies and issues with elements of nationalism. Historically, national liberalism has also been used in the same meaning as conservative liberalism (right-liberalism).
A seri ...
party in the
1922 general election and although he was successful, the result was declared void. Philipson ran for the
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
party in the subsequent by-election in 1923, securing a larger majority than her husband did. In doing so, she became the third woman to take a seat in the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
after it became legally possible in 1918, as
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MP) for
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
.
Philipson did not enjoy speaking in Parliament, so focused her energies on committee work and in her
constituency
An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger State (polity), state (a country, administrative region, ...
. She was part of a parliamentary delegation to Italy 1924, meeting
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
, who described her as "la bella Russell". In 1927, she submitted a
private member's bill
A private member's bill is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch. The designation "private member's bill" is used in most Westminster system jurisdictions, in whi ...
that subsequently passed as the
Nursing Homes Registration Act 1927. Philipson retired from politics in 1929, when her husband left politics to focus on his business, stating that "the reason why I have held the seat has ceased to exist". She returned to acting for a period, before leaving that profession to focus on her children.
Early life
Philipson was born Mabel Russell on 2 January 1886,
[There is some doubt regarding Philipson's birthdate, sources vary between 1886 and 1887 and also 1 or 2 January.] at 1 Copeland Avenue,
Peckham
Peckham () is a district in southeast London, within the London Borough of Southwark. It is south-east of Charing Cross. At the United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 Census the Peckham ward had a population of 14,720.
History
"Peckham" is a Saxon p ...
.
[ ] She was the eldest of three children of Albert Russell, a travelling sales representative from
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
and Alice Russell (née Shaw), a dressmaker. Due to the travelling nature of her father's role, Philipson helped to raise her siblings when her mother died in 1898.
Acting career
![Mabel Russell 1907](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Mabel_Russell_1907.jpg)
After leaving school Philipson found work in a
Clapham Junction
Clapham Junction is an urban locality around Clapham Junction railway station in London, England. Despite its name, it is not located in Clapham, but forms the commercial centre of Battersea.
Clapham Junction was a scene of disturbances durin ...
theatre box office before taking on a role in a play. She understudied for a lead
pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...
actress, and took on the role when the leading lady became ill. This break led to a number of other roles, including becoming a
Gaiety Girl
Gaiety Girls were the chorus girls in Edwardian musical comedies, beginning in the 1890s at the Gaiety Theatre, London, in the shows produced by George Edwardes. The popularity of this genre of musical theatre depended, in part, on the beautifu ...
at the
London Gaiety Theatre where she was given a role in ''
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. '',
before taking on the role of Fifi in the 1907 London opening production of ''
Merry Widow
''The Merry Widow'' (german: Die lustige Witwe, links=no ) is an operetta by the Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The Libretto, librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein (writer), Leo Stein, based the story – concerning ...
''.
In 1913, Philipson took on a role in ''
Within The Law'', a drama as recommended by
Sir Herbert Tree. She was considered for the role of
Eliza Doolittle
Eliza Doolittle is a fictional character and the protagonist in George Bernard Shaw's play ''Pygmalion'' (1913) and its 1956 musical adaptation, ''My Fair Lady''.
Eliza (from Lisson Grove, London) is a Cockney flower woman, who comes to Profe ...
in ''
Pygmalion
Pygmalion or Pigmalion may refer to:
Mythology
* Pygmalion (mythology), a sculptor who fell in love with his statue
Stage
* ''Pigmalion'' (opera), a 1745 opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau
* ''Pygmalion'' (Rousseau), a 1762 melodrama by Jean-Jacques ...
'', but ultimately could not take it on due to contractual obligations. Instead she was the triumphant leading actress in the 1916 play, ''
London Pride'', produced by
Frank Curzon
Frank Curzon (17 September 1868 – 2 July 1927) was an English actor who became an important theatre manager, leasing the Royal Strand Theatre, Avenue Theatre, Criterion Theatre, Comedy Theatre, Prince of Wales Theatre and Wyndham's Theatre, am ...
and
Gerald du Maurier
Sir Gerald Hubert Edward Busson du Maurier (26 March 1873 – 11 April 1934) was an English actor and manager. He was the son of author George du Maurier and his wife, Emma Wightwick, and the brother of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. In 1903, he m ...
, to positive reviews.
In 1916, Philipson decided to take a break from acting, eventually leaving it as a career when she married her second husband, Hilton Philipson. However, in 1925 she returned to acting in a midnight benefit for
Middlesex Hospital
Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, England. First opened as the Middlesex Infirmary in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally clos ...
and again for a run of a musical version ''
The Beloved Vagabond'' during the
parliamentary recess of 1927. For each role, she remained known by her maiden name, Mabel Russell.
After retiring from politics in 1929, Philipson returned to her acting career, with one significant film role in ''
Tilly of Bloomsbury''. There, she regularly referred to the director as "
Mr. Speaker", to his surprise. Philipson's final performance was a run in ''
Other People's Lives
''Other People's Lives'' is the second studio album by English Singer-songwriter Ray Davies. It reached the top 40 in the UK Albums Chart in February 2006, and 122 in the US Billboard 200. Released on V2 Records it was Davies' third solo albu ...
'' in 1933 at
Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by actor/manager Charles Wyndham (the other is the Criterion Theatre). Located on Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, it was designed c.1898 by W. G. R. Sprague, the archit ...
.
Political career
Election
![Vote for Philipson placard - 1923](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Vote_for_Philipson_placard_-_1923.jpg)
Hilton Philipson was elected as the
National Liberal
National liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal policies and issues with elements of nationalism. Historically, national liberalism has also been used in the same meaning as conservative liberalism (right-liberalism).
A seri ...
party's Member of Parliament for
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
in the
1922 general election. He was, however, unseated on petition in 1923, due to campaign violations involving his agent. Although he was personally exonerated, he was also barred from standing in the constituency for seven years. Mabel Philipson agreed to stand in the resulting by-election, but only as a
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
. Philipson was considered a natural campaigner, who would court the press, blow kisses to the crowd and sign autographs. She was quick witted with
heckler
A heckler is a person who harasses and tries to disconcert others with questions, challenges, or gibes. Hecklers are often known to shout encouraging comments at a performance or event, or to interrupt set-piece speeches, with the intent of di ...
s and her theatrical training made her an excellent public speaker, so even after her election she would carry on speaking at political rallies.
Philipson was also happy to canvass the more deprived areas of Berwick, bringing up members of the public to join her for press photographs.
Also standing in the by-election were
Harold Burge Robson for the
Liberal party
The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left.
__TOC__ Active liberal parties
This is a li ...
and
Gilbert Oliver for the
Labour party. There was significant interest in speeches from the candidates, so the Mayor had to allocate the Town Hall steps to each party on different nights. During the election the MPs
Margaret Wintringham
Margaret Wintringham (née Longbottom; 4 August 1879 – 10 March 1955) was a British Liberal Party politician. She was the second woman, and the first British-born woman, to take her seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.
Early ...
and
Nancy Astor
Nancy Witcher Langhorne Astor, Viscountess Astor, (19 May 1879 – 2 May 1964) was an American-born British politician who was the first woman seated as a Member of Parliament (MP), serving from 1919 to 1945.
Astor's first husband was America ...
, as well as Philipson, were named at "Piety, Sobriety and Variety". Philipson won the by-election, taking the seat that the Liberal party had held for 37 years since the
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict., c. 23) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equal ...
.
Her majority was over 6000, larger than her husband's the previous year.
[Mabel Philipson received 12,000 votes in the by-election, followed by Harold Burge Robson who received 5,858 and Gilbert Oliver who received 3,966 – a majority of 6,142.] In the ''
Dundee Courier & Argus'', her success put down to "local conditions, sympathy with Captain Philipson, and resentment at his unseating", while she herself attributed it to the support of women and ex-service men.
Thousands attended the announcement of the results on 31 May 1922, enthusiastically cheering despite the
High Sheriff's appeals for quiet while the numbers were being announced. Philipson was unable to speak after the result, having developed a sore throat during the campaign, she was escorted by six police bodyguards back to the Conservative Committee Rooms, where she appeared at the window and her husband expressed her thanks on her behalf. Philipson was then escorted through the crowds to her hotel but was accidentally elbowed by a policeman trying to make a passage through, resulting in a
black eye
A periorbital hematoma, commonly called a black eye or a shiner (associated with boxing or stick sports such as hockey), is bruising around the eye commonly due to an injury to the face rather than to the eye. The name refers to the dark-color ...
.
Time in Parliament
On 7 June 1923, Philipson became the third woman to take a seat in Parliament, nearly five years after the
Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918
The Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It gave women over 21 the right to stand for election as a Member of Parliament.
At 27 words, it is the shortest UK statute.
Background
The R ...
had been given
Royal assent
Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...
. When she entered the House of Commons for the first time, she was surrounded by the Members of Parliament from both sides who congratulated her. As debate was ongoing, the
Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
had to actively call the House to order.
Philipson signed the roll, shook the Speaker's hand and then joined the other two women in Parliament for a long conversation. The gallery was full of ladies watching Philipson taking her seat. During the signing, there were a few comments from other members reportedly in
good humour, including a call of "Cheer up, Mabel", a sarcastic "Good old National Liberals" – who had previously held her seat and a comment that Nancy Astor would soon be "
on the dole
On, on, or ON may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* On (band), a solo project of Ken Andrews
* ''On'' (EP), a 1993 EP by Aphex Twin
* ''On'' (Echobelly album), 1995
* ''On'' (Gary Glitter album), 2001
* ''On'' (Imperial Teen album), 200 ...
".
While sitting in Parliament, Philipson took a particular interest in housing, agriculture, infant welfare and women's issues.
Although each woman of the time spoke more than the average man in Parliament,
Philipson herself disliked parliamentary speaking, instead focussing on her constituency and committee work.
She was part of the
Joint Select Committee regarding Guardianship of Infants Bill 1923.
She joined the Air Committee in 1925.
In 1924, Philipson was part of a
parliamentary delegation to Italy, where she was the only woman on the trip. There she met
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City fro ...
and
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
.
Mussolini had previously expressed amusement at the idea of women in Parliament, referring to Philipson as "la bella Russell".
In 1927, Philipson began a movement for stricter registration of
nursing homes
A nursing home is a facility for the residential care of elderly or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as skilled nursing facility (SNF) or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms have slightly different meanings to in ...
, and when she drew the ballot to present a
private member's bill
A private member's bill is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch. The designation "private member's bill" is used in most Westminster system jurisdictions, in whi ...
, she chose to present the
Nursing Homes Registration Act 1927 requiring nursing homes to register and ensuring that they would be regularly inspected.
Outside of parliament, she was 1927 Vice President of the
Electric Association for Women, a member of the
Women's Engineering Society
The Women's Engineering Society is a United Kingdom professional learned society and networking body for women engineers, scientists and technologists. It was the first professional body set up for women working in all areas of engineering, pred ...
and life governor of the
Middlesex Hospital
Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, England. First opened as the Middlesex Infirmary in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally clos ...
.
Retirement
Throughout her time in office, Philipson considered her seat to be held until her husband could return, and would not step down unless he could be considered in her place.
Her husband acknowledged that she wanted to focus on being a mother in 1924,
but she remained in Parliament until she announced her resignation in 1928.
Philipson cited her young family as one of the main reasons for leaving, but also that her husband had decided to move away from politics and focus on his business work due to the effect of coal disputes and residual costs from his unseating.
Philipson's own summation was "the reason why I have held the seat has ceased to exist".
Personal life
![The Philipson family](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/The_Philipson_family.jpg)
In February 1911, Philipson married Thomas Stanley Rhodes, nephew of
Cecil Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes (5 July 1853 – 26 March 1902) was a British mining magnate and politician in southern Africa who served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896.
An ardent believer in British imperialism, Rhodes and his Br ...
. Less than six months later, in August, Stanley Rhodes was killed in a car crash near
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...
racing circuit. Philipson was also injured in the same accident, losing her vision in one eye.
In 1917 she married
Hilton Philipson
Hilton Philipson (5 November 1892 – 12 April 1941), also known as Hylton Phillipson was a politician in the United Kingdom.
Biography
Standing as a National Liberal Party candidate, he was elected at the 1922 general election as Member of Pa ...
, then a
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in the
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards (SG) is one of the five Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Its origins are as the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland. Its lineage can be traced back to 1642, although it was only placed on the ...
, and had three children, twin sons and a daughter. One of her sons died soon after childbirth. Hilton Philipson left the Scots Guards as a Captain, becoming a director of the
North Eastern Railway Company.
Philipson announced her retirement from both politics in 1929 and acting in 1933, to focus on looking after her children. Her husband died in 1941
at the age of 48 at
Vale Royal Abbey
Vale Royal Abbey is a former medieval abbey and later country house in Whitegate England. The precise location and boundaries of the abbey are difficult to determine in today's landscape. The original building was founded c. 1270 by the Lord ...
in Cheshire, and Philipson herself died on 9 January 1951 in a nursing home in
Brighton
Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
.
Selected filmography
*''
Sons of Martha
"The Sons of Martha" is a poem written by Rudyard Kipling. It is inspired by the biblical story of Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary. It celebrates the care and dedication of workers–engineers, mechanics, and builders–to provide for the saf ...
'' (1907)
*''
Masks and Faces
''Masks and Faces'' is a 1917 British silent biographical film directed by Fred Paul and starring Johnston Forbes-Robertson, Irene Vanbrugh and Henry S. Irving. The film depicts episodes from the life of the eighteenth-century Irish actress P ...
'' (1917)
* ''
Tilly of Bloomsbury'' (1931)
Notes
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Philipson, Mabel
Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
UK MPs 1922–1923
UK MPs 1923–1924
UK MPs 1924–1929
Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
1880s births
1951 deaths
Place of birth missing
Place of death missing
20th-century British women politicians
National Liberal Party (UK, 1922) politicians
People from Peckham
English actresses
20th-century English women
20th-century English people
British actor-politicians
British politicians with disabilities
Actors with disabilities