{{Short description|Canadian lawyer (1920–2021)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Constance Isherwood | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|QC|size=100%}} | image = Constance Isherwood at the Diocese of BC Synod.jpg | caption = Isherwood at the Diocese of British Columbia Synod in 2010 | birth_name = Constance Dora Holmes | birth_date = {{Birth date|1920|01|19}} | birth_place = Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada | death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|01|26|1920|01|19}} | death_place = Victoria, British Columbia, Canada | alma_mater = University of British Columbia | occupation = Lawyer }}
'''Constance Dora Isherwood''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|QC}} ({{nee}} '''Holmes'''; January 19, 1920 – January 26, 2021) was a Canadian lawyer based in British Columbia who focused on civil and family law, and real estate law. At the time of her death, she was the oldest practicing lawyer in British Columbia. She was a recipient of Canada's 125th anniversary medal for community service and also the lifetime achievement awards from the Law Society of British Columbia, University of British Columbia, and University of Victoria.
== Early life ==
Isherwood was born Constance Dora Holmes on January 19, 1920, in Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to Grace and Charles Holmes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=Trailblazing B.C. lawyer Constance Isherwood dies at 101|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-trailblazing-bc-lawyer-constance-isherwood-dies-at-101/|access-date=January 30, 2021|archive-date=January 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129201447/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-trailblazing-bc-lawyer-constance-isherwood-dies-at-101/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> Her father was a forest ranger and her mother was a homemaker.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 27, 2018|title=Meet B.C.'s oldest practicing lawyer|url=https://www.vicnews.com/community/meet-b-c-s-oldest-practicing-lawyer/|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=Victoria News|language=en-US|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109010152/https://www.vicnews.com/community/meet-b-c-s-oldest-practicing-lawyer/|url-status=live}}</ref> She attended Harwood Elementary School and John Shaw High School graduating in 1937.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|last=Community|date=February 2, 2019|title=SOOKE HISTORY: Connie Isherwood at 99|url=https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/community/sooke-history-connie-isherwood-at-99/|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=Vancouver Island Free Daily|language=en-US|archive-date=January 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131120945/https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/community/sooke-history-connie-isherwood-at-99/|url-status=live}}</ref> She was a drummer in an all-girls band and wanted to pursue a career in an orchestra.<ref name=":4" /> During the Second World War, she was a member of a singing group that performed concerts at army training camps across British Columbia,<ref name=":5" /> and toured with the band for eight months across British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=Female "Sherlock Holmes" – The Westcoast Reader|url=https://thewestcoastreader.com/female-sherlock-holmes-constance-isherwood/|access-date=January 30, 2021|language=en-CA|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806134446/https://thewestcoastreader.com/female-sherlock-holmes-constance-isherwood/|url-status=live}}</ref> However, after studying for a year in Victoria College, she was inspired to join law school by lawyer Ernest Tait, for whom she was working as a legal secretary.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Constance Isherwood, B.C.'s oldest lawyer, closes deal hours before dying at 101|url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/constance-isherwood-b-c-s-oldest-lawyer-closes-deal-hours-before-dying-at-101|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=vancouversun|language=en-CA|archive-date=January 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129194958/https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/constance-isherwood-b-c-s-oldest-lawyer-closes-deal-hours-before-dying-at-101|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news|title=B.C.'s oldest practising lawyer just turned 100 and isn't retiring yet {{!}} CBC Radio|language=en-US|work=CBC|url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-tuesday-edition-1.5434678/b-c-s-oldest-practising-lawyer-just-turned-100-and-isn-t-retiring-yet-1.5434692|access-date=January 30, 2021|archive-date=January 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106010027/https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-tuesday-edition-1.5434678/b-c-s-oldest-practising-lawyer-just-turned-100-and-isn-t-retiring-yet-1.5434692|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Career ==
Holmes studied law at the University of British Columbia in Victoria, enrolling in 1948 and graduating in 1951. She was one of only eight women in a class of 208, and graduated first in her class.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Dr. Constance Isherwood, QC {{!}} historyproject.law.ubc.ca|url=https://historyproject.allard.ubc.ca/law-history-project/profile/dr-constance-isherwood-qc|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=historyproject.allard.ubc.ca|archive-date=January 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129202443/https://historyproject.allard.ubc.ca/law-history-project/profile/dr-constance-isherwood-qc|url-status=live}}</ref> She was called to the bar in the same year.<ref name=":5" /> During her time in school, she was nicknamed 'Sherlock Holmes' because of the questions that she would ask in class and the clues she would be on the lookout for.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":6" /> After graduating, she worked with Tait again, setting up the legal firm Tait & Holmes. In 1963, she founded the legal firm Holmes & Isherwood.<ref name=":0" /> She focused on civil and family law, and real estate law.<ref name=":0" /> At the time of her death, she was the oldest practicing lawyer in British Columbia,<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|title=Trailblazer and oldest practising B.C. lawyer Constance Isherwood dead at 101 {{!}} CBC News|language=en-US|work=CBC|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/constance-isherwood-obit-1.5893681|access-date=January 30, 2021|archive-date=January 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130044308/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/constance-isherwood-obit-1.5893681|url-status=live}}</ref> closing her last case, a real estate deal, hours before her death.<ref name=":2" />
One of her major achievements was acting as the legal advisor for the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia guiding them on issues including residential schools, gay marriage, and female priests.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vancouver News {{!}} Local Breaking {{!}} CTV News Vancouver|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ubc-gives-95-year-old-practising-lawyer-honorary-doctorate-1.2384299/comments-7.643131|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=bc.ctvnews.ca|archive-date=January 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131120906/https://bc.ctvnews.ca/ubc-gives-95-year-old-practising-lawyer-honorary-doctorate-1.2384299/comments-7.643131|url-status=live}}</ref> She was a mentor to women law practitioners through her career, specifically through the 1960s and 1970s. Speaking of the advances made toward gender equality in the profession, she would note later in her career, "Now, the number of female students in law either equals or exceeds men. I'm amazed."<ref name=":1" />
She was the recipient of the Law Society of British Columbia's lifetime achievement award in 1996, becoming the first woman to receive the honor.<ref name=":0" /> She received an honorary doctorate from the University of British Columbia in 2015.<ref name=":1" /> She was also the recipient of the University of Victoria's lifetime achievement award in 2006. She received Canada's 125th anniversary medal for community service.<ref name=":3" /> As a resident of Victoria, she was a member of the Women's Business Network of Vancouver Island, the Victoria Symphony, the Victoria Board of Trustees of the Canadian Scottish Regiment, and the Asian Arts Society.<ref name=":3" />
== Personal life ==
Isherwood was married to fellow lawyer T.(Thomas) Foster Isherwood; they had met at law school.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> The couple went on to adopt two sons.<ref name=":0" /> Her husband predeceased her, in 2011. She died on January 26, 2021, aged 101.<ref name=":0" />
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Isherwood, Constance}} Category:1920 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Canadian women centenarians Category:Canadian King's Counsel Category:People from Nanaimo Category:University of British Columbia alumni Category:20th-century Canadian lawyers Category:21st-century Canadian lawyers Category:21st-century Canadian women lawyers Category:20th-century Canadian women lawyers