Helen Alice Kinnear

Helen Alice Kinnear (may 6, 1894 - 1970) was a Canadian lawyer. She was the first federally appointed woman judge in Canada.

Early life

She was born in Cayuga, Ontario, Canada. She graduated and was called to the Ontario bar, to become a lawyer, in 1920.

Law practice

She practiced law in Port Colborne, Ontario until 1943, when she was appointed county-court judge for Haldimand County. In 1947 she was appointed judge of the Juvenile Court. She was the first woman in the British Commonwealth to be created a Kings Counsel and the first in the Commonwealth appointed to a county-court bench and the first female lawyer in Canada to appear as counsel before the Supreme Court in Canada in 1935.

In 1993 the Canadian Post Office issued a commemorative stamp to honour the achievements of this woman lawyer.

Kinnear House

Kinnear House was Helen Kinnear's residence from 1904 to 1942.

In 1999, Kinnear House, situated at 232 Clarence Street, Port Colborne, was added to the database of Heritage Port Colborne's Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee for the purpose of publicizing Kinnear's residence as a noteworthy local property.

The house was built by lawyer Louis Kinnear in 1904.

External links

* http://famouscanadianwomen.com/stamps/kinnear.htm
* [http://www.keithoverend.com/heritage/tour2/tour2.htm Port Colborne tour of historic properties]