Dame Annie Maud Burnett DBE JP (27 February 1863 — 17 November 1950) was a local English politician who served as the first female mayor of

Tynemouth Tynemouth () is a coastal town in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, North East England. It is located on the north side of the mouth of the River Tyne, hence its name. It is 8 mi (13 km) east-northeast of Newcastle upon T ...

Life

The second daughter of Jacob Burnett, an alkali manufacturer Burnett was born on 27 February 1863 at 10 Prior's Terrace,

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land on ...

, where she is commemorated by a

Blue Plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term i ...

. She was taught at local schools before travelling to

Vevey Vevey (; frp, Vevê; german: label=former German, Vivis) is a town in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne. The German name Vivis is no longer commonly used. It was the seat of the district of ...

, Switzerland, to complete her education. After returning she did voluntary welfare work and work teaching a bible class and at the Church of the Holy Saviour in Tynemouth. Following her family's

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

political sympathies, Burnett served as honorary secretary of the Tynemouth Women's Liberal Federation from 1895 to 1910. In 1902, Burnett founded a Tynemouth branch of the Women's Local Government Society, standing for election to the municipal council in 1909. Although defeated, she was returned the next year with the support of the Liberal Society, becoming the first woman in the North of England to sit as a municipal councillor. In 1918 she was created a DBE in thanks for her work during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

as President of the Tynemouth War Savings Association, and on 28 August 1920 was made a

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

. Following her retirement from the council in 1921 she did voluntary work before being re-elected in 1926. From 1928 to 1930 she served a pair of two-year terms as Mayor of Tynemouth, and was the first woman elected to that position. A portrait of her attributed to John William Gilroy is in the ownership of

North Tyneside Council North Tyneside Council is the local authority of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a metropolitan district council, one of five in Tyne and Wear and one of 36 in the metropolitan counties of England, and provides the majority of lo ...

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Death

She retired from politics in 1934, and died at home on 17 November 1950, aged 87.

Family

Her younger brothers John Walter Burnett (1864-1946) and Norman Burnett founded the Burnett Steam Shipping Company.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burnett, Maud 1863 births 1950 deaths Women mayors of places in England Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire Mayors of places in Northumberland People from Tynemouth Politicians from Tyne and Wear English justices of the peace