Blue Plaque: Marie Bethell Beauclerc

Marie Beauclerc was a pioneering figure in the fields of journalism and education, with a significant legacy in Birmingham. 

The self-taught trailblazer
Born Maria Bethell in St. Pancras, London, on 10th October 1845, she later adopted the professional name Marie Beauclerc. At the age of twelve, Marie taught herself Pitman’s shorthand from a manual she discovered in discarded papers. This self-taught skill would  become central to her career. In 1858, at the age of thirteen, she moved to Birmingham with her mother to open a grocer’s shop and Marie continued to hone her shorthand abilities.

Breaking the news barrier
Beauclerc is widely credited as being the first female reporter in England. Her exceptional shorthand skills led her to work for George Dawson, editor of the Birmingham Morning News. She meticulously reported on numerous public meetings, conferences, and lectures, providing accurate records of important civic events. After Dawson’s death in 1876, her detailed notes were used to publish several volumes of his sermons and lectures.

Educational revolutionary
Beyond journalism, Beauclerc was a trailblazer in education. In 1874, she was appointed a teacher of phonography (shorthand) at the Perry Barr Institute, holding the position for fourteen years. She also taught shorthand at the Birmingham and Midland Institute from 1876, where she was the first female teacher. Her influence extended to the introduction of typewriting to Birmingham in 1887, the same year she established a Shorthand Writers Association. Her paper, “Phonography in Birmingham,” delivered at the International Shorthand Congress in London, showcased Birmingham’s pioneering role in business technology.

The ultimate glass ceiling breakthrough
In 1888, she broke another barrier by becoming the first woman to be appointed as a teacher in an English boys’ public school, teaching shorthand at Rugby School. Her work helped to challenge the assumption that clerical and shorthand occupations were exclusively for men, thereby empowering young women with valuable business skills.

Legacy
Marie Bethell Beauclerc retired from teaching in 1892 due to illness. She died in Birmingham on 19th September 1897 and is buried at Key Hill Cemetery. Her legacy lives on in every woman who entered journalism, education, and business – doors she courageously opened through talent and determination.