States of Jersey Building Dedicates Room to First Female Greffier, Mary Newcombe

A room within the States of Jersey building has been officially designated in honor of Mary Newcombe, the first female Greffier of the States. This naming forms part of ongoing commemorations observing the 500th anniversary of the initial creation of records for States meetings. Ms Newcombe commenced her tenure with the States Greffe in 1968, serving as a committee clerk. In this capacity, she was responsible for generating the official records of various bodies’ meetings, notably including the Policy and Resources Committee, which was formed in 1989. Her appointment as Deputy Greffier of the States occurred in 1991, followed by her elevation to Greffier of the States in 2000. The position of Greffier carries a legal obligation to maintain the official records of the States. Connétable Karen Shenton-Stone, who chairs the Privileges and Procedures Committee, officially inaugurated The Mary Newcombe Room. She stated: “I had the opportunity to get to know Miss Newcombe through my late father, who worked with her throughout his political career, as well as in my own right. “My father spoke about her with much admiration and respect, as did many of his colleagues, and as our own relationship grew, I found her to be a truly inspirational woman.” She further commented: “The Mary Newcombe Room will be used by the States Greffe team as a place to create content aimed at engaging the public with the work of the Assembly, and it feels very appropriate that a room with such a modern role is named after someone who herself was something of a pioneer at a time when politics was dominated by men.” The dedication ceremony, which took place on Monday, coinciding with Miss Newcombe’s birthday, was also attended by two members of Ms Newcombe’s family.