Dame Lois M. Browne-Evans. 1927-2007.

Dame Lois Marie Browne -Evans                              

      

 

Lois Marie Browne-Evans, the PLP candidate for Devonshire North, has been one of the most knowledgeable and experienced members of The Bermuda Parliament. She had often been hailed as a living legend, whose place in Bermuda's history was secured long ago with her accomplishments as a Barrister-at-law and Legislator. She gained recognition in 1953 as the country's first female lawyer.

Lois Browne-Evans was the longest serving PLP Member of Parliament, and represented the Devonshire North Constituency from 1963. She became the first Black woman to be elected to Parliament, in 1968, and gained world-wide recognition as the first woman Opposition Leader in the British Commonwealth.

Lois Browne-Evans stepped down as Opposition Leader in 1972. In 1976 she was elected Leader of the Party and became Leader of the Opposition once again. She held this position from 1976 to 1985, when she once again stepped down.

She remained active in the PLP as an MP and helped support immigration reforms as well as a law enabling married women to achieve

Bermudian status.

In the 1980 General Election she led the PLP in its closest election loss to the UBP — she was pictured by The Royal Gazette crossing her fingers into an X urging people to express themselves and vote.

She remained leader of the Opposition until 1985.

Her debating skills served Bermuda well, particularly at the historic London and Bermuda Constitutional Conferences, and as a delegate to numerous international conferences in Africa, New Zealand, the USA and the Caribbean.

When the PLP won its first election in 1998 she was appointed Minster of Legislative Affairs, another first.

She became Bermuda’s first elected Attorney General and first female Attorney General in 1999.

That year she was also made a Dame Commander of the British Empire by the Queen.

Dame Lois Browne-Evans was a member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, the founding member of the Bermuda Business and Professional Women's Club, and the first woman member of the Devonshire Recreation Club.

Despite Evans' demanding political and professional commitments, she managed to devote quality time to her family. She and her husband John had three children, Ernestine, Donald and Nadine. Dame Lois Browne-Evans is the proud Grandmother of three granddaughters, Kassandra, Ariana

and Rodney'Ka.

Obituary Tribute Dame Lois Browne-Evans by Premier Hon. Dr. Ewart Brown

LAST NIGHT OUR NATION LOST A PIECE OF ITS SOUL.                JUST THREE DAYS BEFORE HER EIGHTIETH BIRTHDAY DAME LOIS BROWNE-EVANS WAS CALLED HOME.  AND ALREADY SHE IS MISSED.         TODAY… BERMUDA MOURNS.        

WE MOURN BECAUSE WE KNOW, IN THIS ONE SUDDEN EVENT, WE HAVE LOST SO MUCH.  DAME LOIS WAS OUR COUNTRY’S FIRST FEMALE BARRISTER, OUR COUNTRY’S FIRST FEMALE ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND THE FIRST FEMALE OPPOSITION LEADER IN

THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH.  The three faces of Lois Browne-Evans, the lawyer and politician (1970).(Bermuda Archives)

DAME LOIS MADE HISTORY AND HEADLINES AS EFFORTLESSLY AS A MUSICIAN MAKES MUSIC.  AND IN THE END HER LIFE WAS

AN OPERA COMPLETE WITH DRAMA AND TRAGEDY AND TRIUMPH.  WE ARE TRULY

FORTUNATE TO HAVE WATCHED AND LISTENED AS HER OPERA PLAYED – FROM

START TO FINISH OVER EIGHT SPARKLING DECADES. 

       SHE HAD AN ACUTE SENSE OF TIMING AND

WAS AN AGENT OF FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE.  

      

DAME LOIS TAUGHT SO MANY OF US WHAT IT MEANS TO FIGHT AND TO WIN. 

 

SHE WAS A SISTER OF THE STRUGGLE

AND, AT TIMES, THE STRUGGLE WAS

VIOLENT.  BUT LIKE MARTIN LUTHER

KING JR., DAME LOIS DID NOT WAGE THE

STRUGGLE WITH HER FISTS, SHE DID IT

WITH WORDS. 

At London Constitutional

Conference November 1966. Lois Browne-

Evans, Deputy Opposition Leader and Mrs. Learie Constantine

(wife of famous Trinadadian cricketer).

(Browne-Evans Collection)

SHE ALWAYS HONOURED DEMOCRACY AND SHE ALWAYS BOWED TO THE LAW – EVEN WHEN LADY JUSTICE SEEMED TO BETRAY HER.        

SHE TAUGHT US SO MUCH. 

AND HER LESSONS WILL LIVE ON – BUT ONLY IF WE PROMISE TO KEEP THEM

ALIVE.         TODAY TELL YOUR CHILDREN THE STORY OF

LOIS BROWNE-EVANS - OUR COUNTRY’S MATRIARCH. 

TELL THEM HOW SHE WAS UNAFRAID, HOW SHE SHATTERED GLASS CEILINGS AND BATTLED RACISM. 

HOW SHE EMPOWERED WOMEN, EVEN AS SHE UPLIFTED BLACK MEN. . 

TELL THEM HOW SHE WON THE SEAT THEY TOLD HER SHE COULDN’T WIN IN 1963, HOW SHE SELFLESSLY SERVED THE PEOPLE OF DEVONSHIRE NORTH FOR 35 YEARS

Lois on her way to besworn in as a new Member of the Colonial Parliament(MCP) in 1963.(Browne-EvansCollection

TELL THEM HOW SHE WAS A CHAMPION OF JUSTICE, NOT JUST

FOR BLACKS, BUT FOR ALL PEOPLE. 

•Another controversial case, the Queen vs Dillas and others (1973), also known as the "French Connection".Lawyers Left to Right: Howard Hamilton (junior to Ian Ramsay),Lois Browne-Evans, Ian Ramsay Q.C. and Shirley D. Simmons.(Shirley D. Simmons Collection)

TELL THEM SHE WAS BELOVED BY THE MASSES AND HONOURED BY THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND.

        

THEN TELL YOUR CHILDREN… REMIND THEM… THAT YOU WERE A FIRSTHAND WITNESS TO THE LIFE OF BERMUDA’S GREATEST HEROINE.  BECAUSE THAT’S

WHAT SHE WAS.        

I SPEAK FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE CABINET STANDING HERE WITH ME TODAY WHEN I OFFER THE THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS OF A GRATEFUL NATION TO DAME LOIS’ FAMILY – ESPECIALLY HER

BELOVED CHILDREN: DONALD, TINA, AND NADINE.  THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT OF BERMUDA ARE

HERE TO HELP THEM IN WHATEVER WAY IS NEEDED.         

The young Evans family 1967. Lois holds Ernestine "Tina", John holds Donald. (Browne-Evans Collection)

IN THE MEANTIME, WE MUST SAY FAREWELL TO A LEGEND LIKE NONE OTHER.        

REST NOW, DAME LOIS, AND SPREAD YOUR WINGS.         WE MISS YOU TODAY AND WILL MISS YOU ALWAYS.        

TODAY… BERMUDA MOURNS

“ A good name is to be chosen rather than great

riches, loving favour rather than silver and gold”

Proverbs 22:1

Dame Lois Browne-Evans on being called to the Bar. She was the first female barrister in Bermuda.

Great Moments in Time1946 – Graduates from The Berkeley Institute1949 – Starts law school in London, England1953 – Becomes first woman called to The Bermuda

Bar

At London Constitutional Conference November 1966. Lois Browne-Evans Deputy Opposition Leader and Mrs. Learie

Constantine (wife of famous Trinidadian cricketer). (Browne-Evans Collection)

Great Moments in Time1960 – Wins change of death penalty for Wendell Lightbourne to life in a mental institution1963 – Elected to Parliament. Devonshire North becomes “Lioness Den”1964 – Spearheads movement forcing King Edward Memorial Hospital reinstatement of Dr. Ball1965 – Becomes first woman Parliamentary Leader

• Longtime friend Lynden Pindling of the Bahamas Progressive Liberal Party came to speak at the

first PLP Conference in 1965. (Browne-Evans

Collection)

Great Moments in Time1967- Endorses life “in the bushes” over drugs1968 – Goes to ‘The Den’ to console the PLP after party leader Walter Robinson loses his seat in Parliament

• 1966 Constitutional Conference in London, England.Left to Right - Leader of PLP Delegation, Walter Robinson M.P.Lois Browne-Evans M.P., Dorothy Thompson M.P.

Great Moments in Time1970 – Returns to ‘The Den’ to respond to Sir Henry Tucker’s denunciation of anti-Bermudian behavior in the Black Power movement1972 – Returns to ‘The Den’ to criticize pre-election seat predictions by the media

Left to Right - Eugene Cox, Edward de Jean and Opposition Leader Lois Browne-Evans. P.L.P. 1St Founders' Day Celebration, 1970.(Browne-Evans Collection)

Great Moments in Time1976 – becomes PLP leader for the second time and sends “Jack a message”1979 – Signs final report from Warwick Constitutional Conference1980 – Leads PLP to its closest loss

• Governor Peter Ramsbotham, Premier David Gibbons and Opposition Leader Lois Browne-Evans. (Browne-Evans Collection

• The PLP celebrates, the opening of its renovated headquarters at Alaska,Hall, February 16, 1992. Lois and long time friend Sir Lynden Pindling.(PLP Collection)

Great Moments in Time1983 – Wins important PLP

leadership challenge and Bermuda Business and Professional Women’s Club Sojourner Truth Award

1990 – Successfully defends Mr. Christopher Dillas from a possible death sentence

1993 – Supports immigration reform and Bermuda Status for married women

Lois was guest speaker at The Berkeley Institute's reunion of the 50's and 60's at Southampton Princess Hotel. Left to

Right - Charles Jeffers, Chairman of the function, Lois' sister Althea and Lois.

(Browne-Evans Collection)

• Familiar faces at the annual PLP Banquet, February 1992Left to Right - Walter Robinson (Past Party Leader, Lois, Sir Lynden Pindling and Arnold Francis (Past Party Leader(Browne-Evans Collection)

Great Moments in Time1998 – Appointed minister of Legislative Affairs1999 – Appointed Attorney General and Dame

Commander of The British Empire

2001 – Appointed to Boundaries Commission that recommends first single seat constituencies2003 – Retires from Parliament as longest serving MP2005 – Appointed to Bermuda Independence Commission

Great Moments in Time

                          

                                                                

Attorney General Dame Lois Browne-Evans poses outside the Bermuda Cathedral after a special Sunday Assize church service in 2000.

                    

                                                                  

    

Resources

• Lois: Bermuda’s Grande Dame of Politics by J. Randolf Williams

• The Royal Gazette

• www.royalgazette.bm

• http://www.plp.bm/