Women have been able to stand for election to the House of Keys since 1919, when universal adult suffrage was introduced.

 

The first woman to be elected was Mrs Marion Shimmin at a by-election in 1933 caused by the death of her husband Christopher. Mrs Shimmin was elected unopposed.

 

Ten women were elected to the Keys at the 2021 election.  This is the highest number of women MHKs at any one time. 

Women have been able to stand for election to the Legislative Council since 1961. 

 

Betty Hanson, a former MHK, was the first woman to be elected to the Legislative Council in 1982. From then until 2018, three other women served as MLCs: Clare Christian from 1993 to 2011, Pamela Crowe from 2003 to 2008, and Jane Poole-Wilson from 2017 to 2018. Mrs Poole-Wilson was the first woman MLC who had not previously been an MHK.

 

Five women were elected to the Council in 2018. This is the highest number of women MLCs at any one time. 

​Name	Office	​Term of Office
​Hazel Hannan MHK	Deputy Speaker of the ​House of Keys	​ 2004-2006
​Clare Christian MLC	​President of Tynwald	​2011-2016
​Daphne Caine MHK	​Deputy Speaker of the House of Keys	​2021-date

In 2011, the parliamentary committee system was reformed with the introduction of the Policy Review Committees.  Since then, the following women have been elected to chair Standing Committees:

​Name	​Committee	​Term of Office
Brenda Cannell MHK​	​Social Affairs Policy Review Committee	​2011-2015
​Jane Poole-Wilson MLC	​Constitutional, Legal Affairs and Justice Committee	​2017-2018, 2018-2021
​Julie Edge MHK	​Social Affairs Policy Review Committee	​2020-2021
​Clare Barber MHK	​Environment and Infrastructure Policy Review Committee	​2020-2021
​Tanya August-Hanson MLC	​Constitutional, Legal Affairs and Justice Committee	​2021-date
​Claire Christian MHK	​Economic Policy Review Committee	​2021-date
​Ann Corlett MHK	​Social Affairs Policy Review Committee	​2021-date
Daphne Caine MHK​	​Vice-Chair of the Public Accounts Committee	​​2021-date

The ministerial system was introduced in 1986.  The following women have served as Ministers since then:

 

​Name	​Department	​Term of Office
​Hazel Hannan MHK	​Education	​1991-1995
	​Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry	​1995-1999
​Clare Christian MLC	​Health and Social Security	​1996-2004
​Pamela Crowe MHK/MLC	​Local Government and the Environment	​2002-2004
​Anne Craine MHK ​	​Education	​2006-2010
	​Treasury	​2010-2011
​Kate Costain MHK	​Health and Social Care	​2016-2018
​Clare Barber MHK	​Environment, Food and Agriculture	​2021-date
​Julie Edge MHK	​Education, Sport and Culture	​2021-date
​Kate Lord-Brennan MHK	​Cabinet Office	​2021-date
​Jane Poole-Wilson MHK	​Justice and Home Affairs	​​2021-date

 

 

 

  

Read more about the changes in legislation that allowed women to stand for election: Votes for Women

 

Read more about the changes in legislation that allowed women to Vote in an election: Votes for Women