Frome Times Past- A woman ahead of her time

Mention the name Mavis Tate and most Frome people will stare at you blankly.

That is not surprising given the lack of official recognition there is for her in the town.

For those who do know her story, this lack of acknowledgment is baffling.

Mavis Tate was Frome’s Member of Parliament for ten years between 1935 and 1945.

Of the 25 different people to have represented the town since 1832, she is the only female.

During her time as MP, she not only fought for the rights of her constituency, but also women in general.

She chaired the 1941 Women’s Power Committee and the following year the Equal Pay Campaign Committee.

She was a pro-abortionist and advocated the arming of women during the invasion threat of 1940.

Her beliefs did not go down well with the male dominated government at the time.

She inflicted the only commons defeat on Winston Churchill during the war years. So annoyed was the Prime Minister, it is said, he ordered another vote to ensure victory. She was married twice, and her second husband was Henry Tate (of Tate & Lyle).

On the liberation of the death camps she was one of ten MPs – and only female – to go and witness the horror of what had been discovered.

Mavis Tate subsequently narrated Pathé News’ harrowing footage, which shook a nation during the summer of 1945.

Later that year, like Churchill, she lost her seat to Labour in the post-war election.

She committed suicide in 1947, having become ill from the time she visited the camp.

That she has such a lack of recognition in Frome is an issue we hope to rectify.

As well as this piece, we are currently researching a full-length biography of her.

We would therefore be grateful for any stories, material or images readers might have.

We can be contacted by email at davidlassman@ davidlass man.com

Mick Davis & David Lassman

Correction: building 

in Eagle Lane

With regard to the story in the last Frome Times about the building in Eagle Lane, can I point out that the building was never occupied by Ellenbray Press; as far as I am aware it was conveyed to Millers Hardware who continued there till the building was gutted by fire in 1961. Millers hardware then moved to the Westway Centre, Frome Ellenbray Press was situated in the building opposite at 1 Church Street, Frome, now occupied by James Gaunt Interiors Limited.

David Chedgy, 

formerly of Ellenbray