Celebrating the legacy of an astounding female leader
On International Women’s Day we honour Florence Ada Coxon, a pioneering woman who became the first female mayor of King’s Lynn 100 years ago
Florence Ada Neale was born in 1862 and grew up in Emneth, near Wisbech. Known by all as Ada, she was described as a happy and confident child who matured into an intelligent young woman. At the age of 21, she married Stephen Coxon, a dentist. The couple had three children (Howard, Cedric and Beryl) and initially resided in Wisbech before relocating to King Street in King’s Lynn.
Living on King Street placed the couple in the heart of the town and enabled them to play an active role in its civic life, which became increasingly important for them.
Ada and her husband, fondly referred to as ‘S.A.T.’, took on numerous roles in King’s Lynn. Ada served as Chair of the local Women’s Unionist Association, the local division of the Norfolk Women’s Coalition Association and the King’s Lynn Unionist and Conservative Association. She even held the position of Vice-Chair of the King’s Lynn Division of Norfolk Men’s Conservative and Unionist Association. Beyond her political involvement, she also contributed to the local education sector by serving as a governor of King Edward VII Grammar School.
Stephen also became active in local politics and was appointed mayor in 1923. The following year, in 1924, Ada was elected as the first female councillor of the Borough of King’s Lynn. This was an extraordinary achievement, considering it occurred only seven years after some women obtained the right to vote and three years before the introduction
of universal suffrage.
In 1925, Ada became King’s Lynn’s first female mayor and the town’s first female Chief Magistrate.
A local newspaper praised her suitability for the role: ‘The new mayor will be admirably fitted to discharge the duties of the office. She has on many occasions proved herself to be a woman of sound business ability and breadth of view, a ready speaker, alert in judgement, and pleasantly tolerant in controversy.’
Ada’s appointment raised a unique question for the council; if she was the first female mayor, who would serve as her mayoress? She chose her daughter Beryl, who documented the year’s events and commemorated them in a poem dedicated to her mother’s service. Two verses of this poem, referencing Ada’s inaugural speech as mayor, highlight her recognition of the historical significance of her role and women’s fight for equality:
Looking round at the portraits on the wall
Distinguished past members of that hall,
She hoped they would not frown, or censure
One bold enough to make this venture!
She spoke as well of women’s fight
To obtain for her sex an equal right,
And with fine purpose and unafraid
She went forward, with hope in a new decade.
ABOVE: Ada immersed herself in town life, taking part in civic marches and important functions including The Mart fairground and sporting events. A storyboard display showing a wealth of photographs and information can be admired at the Stories of Lynn museum to honour the life of Florence Ada Coxon.
In the previous year, she had decided to pursue formal studies in law. In June 1928, she was admitted as a student of The Bar to Gray’s Inn and passed all necessary legal exams over the next two years. As a result, in 1932, she reached another significant milestone by being called to The Bar at the age of 70. This achievement notably occurred only 10 years after the first woman had been called to The Bar, and she was the first to do so at such an advanced age.
Ada passed away in 1951, leaving behind a legacy that demonstrated women were just as capable of leadership as their male counterparts.
Today, having women in leadership roles in West Norfolk is no longer extraordinary. The borough has continued Ada’s legacy with pride, having seen 14 women serve as mayor since her time. In 2025, several key roles in West Norfolk are filled by women, including:
Dr Jane Steen, Bishop of Lynn
Gill Rejzl, Chair of Governors at CWA
Alice Webster, CE of QEH
Leonie Boyd, Station Commander, RAF Marham
Sonia Humphreys, District Commander, KL Police
Kate Blakemore, CE, BCKLWN
Anita Jones, CE, Freebridge
To celebrate women in leadership roles in West Norfolk and the life of Florence Ada Coxon, a storyboard display has been curated by West Norfolk Council, Norfolk Record Office and the Norfolk Museums Service. This will be held at Stories of Lynn from 1st-27th March, and an assembly pack has been produced for local schools to use during this period. On International Women’s Day (8th March) Stories of Lynn will be offering free admission for young people under 16.
“Ada Coxon was a trailblazer, and it makes me very proud to think that here in West Norfolk in 2025, we are honouring her achievements every day through the women we have in leadership positions,” says Councillor Jo Rust, the council’s cabinet member for People and Communities. “It is one of our priorities as a council to work with partners to improve educational opportunities, inclusion, attainment and ambition. I look forward to visiting the display!”
