Paula Frances Beaubrun (1928 – 3 August 1994) was a Grenadian-born, Saint Lucian barrister, who was the first woman to be appointed to the post of Attorney General of the British Virgin Islands.

Paula Beaubrun

Biography

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Beaubrun was born in 1928 in St George's, Grenada,[1][2][3] to Clytie and Ignatius Cecil Beaubrun [Wikidata], in a family of seven children. The family lived in Grenada, Barbados and Trinidad, before settling in Saint Lucia.[4][5] Her father was the first West Indian to be appointed Colonial Treasurer.[6][3] Her brother Michael Beaubrun,[note 1] was Professor of Psychiatry at the University of the West Indies and, from 1976 to 1981, was a senator for Trinidad and Tobago.[7][3]

From 1958 to 1960 she was joint treasurer of the British-Caribbean Association, subsequently joining its executive committee.[8] On 4 November 1960 she entered Lincoln's Inn to study law.[9] After returning to the Caribbean, she became the first woman to be appointed to the post of Attorney General of the British Virgin Islands.[10][11][12][13] In the first instance she held the role of acting attorney general from 1 July 1972 to 30 June 1973, which was followed by her appointment as attorney general from 1 July 1973 to 25 July 1977.[14]

As a member of the formative Steering Committee of the Saint Lucia Sickle Cell Association alongside Ira Simmons, Beaubrun was instrumental in its establishment.[15] She was also President of the Saint Lucia Cancer Society.[15][16] In 1989 she lived in Saint Lucia and had a reputation as an expert on fruit trees of the Caribbean.[17] She died on 3 August 1994 and is buried alongside her father Ignatius Cecil Beaubrun, OBE, in Castries City Cemetery, Saint Lucia.[18][better source needed]

Office

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Preceded by
Nolan Jacobs
Attorney General of the British Virgin Islands
2007-2011
Succeeded by
Clare I. Roberts

Notes

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  1. ^ He is referred to as Matthew in the News Journal,[3] but appears to be a mistake.

References

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  1. ^ Who's Who in the World. Third edition, 1976-1977. Wilmette, IL: Marquis Who's Who, 1976
  2. ^ Shulterbrandt, Eldra (1976). Proceedings of the Caribbean Institute on Alcoholism, June 17-26, 1975, June 1-12, 1976: College of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The College.
  3. ^ a b c d Constable, George (1 September 1974). "Famous people mix on islands". News Journal. p. 32. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Cicely Monica Giraudy". St. Lucia News From The Voice. 2016-07-25. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  5. ^ "Kensington's Part in new Caribbean Association". Kensington Post. 13 March 1959. p. 5.
  6. ^ "Oaths Administered". Kingston Daily Gleaner. 14 October 1930. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Icons". The National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST). Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  8. ^ "Newsletter no.3, the British-Caribbean Association". mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk. 1960. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  9. ^ The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn (1981). Admissions Registers VOL 4 1957-1973 & CHAPEL REGISTERS 1905 1973.
  10. ^ Shulterbrandt, Eldra (1976). Proceedings of the Caribbean Institute on Alcoholism, June 17-26, 1975, June 1-12, 1976: College of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The College.
  11. ^ Brathwaite, Joan A. (1999). Women and the Law: A Bibliographical Survey of Legal and Quasi-legal Materials with Special Reference to Commonwealth Caribbean Jurisdictions and Including Relevant Commonwealth Caribbean Legislation and Case Material. University of the West Indies Press. ISBN 978-976-640-069-9.
  12. ^ The Caribbean Year Book. Caribook, Limited. 1978.
  13. ^ "British Virgin Islands Ministers". www.guide2womenleaders.com. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  14. ^ "BVI election and information results 1950–2011" (PDF). BVI Deputy Governor's Office. pp. 185–186. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2014.
  15. ^ a b "About". slusicklecell.com. St. Lucia Sickle Cell Association. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  16. ^ "About". stluciacancersociety.org. Saint Lucia Cancer Society. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  17. ^ Dick-Read, Sally (December 1989). "A Bountiful Haven on Tortola" (PDF). American Horticulturalist. 68 (12): 28.
  18. ^ "Paula F. Beaubrun (1929-1994) - Find a Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2022-05-08.