Great Lives

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Discussion & Talk

Factual: Life Stories

Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.

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Matthew Parris

Cherie Blair

Hilary Heilbron

John Tribe

Perminder Khatkar

Great Lives: Episode 7: Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron

Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron

Episode 7

Episode 7: Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron

BBC Radio 4 - Great Lives, Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron

Cherie Blair chooses her role mode, England's first woman judge, Rose Heilbron

Barrister and QC Cherie Blair chooses England's first woman judge, Rose Heilbron. With Matthew Parris. From 2018.

For Cherie Blair, leading barrister and QC, picking her great life was simple – her role model is Rose Heilbron, England's first woman judge.      

When Cherie was growing up in Liverpool, Rose Heilbron was always the name that excited her grandmother the most. Rose was a barrister and when she was arguing a case before a jury in her home city, Cherie Blair's grandmother would follow her cases avidly, sometimes from the public gallery. Then she would come back and tell young Cherie all about what had gone on. 

And so Heilbron became a great example of what a Liverpool girl could achieve in the law. And she had a remarkable career - first woman in silk, first to lead in a murder case, first woman treasurer of Gray's Inn.

Cherie is joined in the studio by Hilary Heilbron QC, daughter and author of the biography: 'Rose Heilbron, Legal Pioneer of the 20th century'; plus Dr John Tribe – senior lecturer in law from the University of Liverpool.

Presenter: Matthew Parris 

Producer: Perminder Khatkar

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2018.

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