Dorothy Somerville and niece Sesca Zelling lead the way for Adelaide's emerging women lawyers in 20th Century
Dorothy Somerville and her niece Sesca Anderson/Zelling were heavily involved in the Adelaide community and its legal life.
Dorothy “Dumps” Somerville, as most senior female member of Adelaide’s legal profession for 69 years from the 1930s, mentored the emerging ranks of women lawyers, including her niece Sesca Anderson (later Zelling).
Aileen Ingleby, second female admitted to the Bar in Adelaide in 1921, only practised briefly before becoming a reverend’s wife in Mannum. But she persuaded Somerville, a hockey teammate, to study law.
Born in Unley in 1897, Somerville was dux of Methodist Ladies College (later Annesley). She graduated from Adelaide University with a bachelor of arts (honours) in 1919, winning the Latin and Greek prizes. Tying for the David Murray scholarship in theory of law, she obtained her law degree in 1921 and did her articles with H.T. Ward at Fisher, Ward & Powers.
Somerville became managing clerk of Isbister, Hayward, Magarey & Finlayson but left with Adelaide’s first female lawyer Mary (Kitson) Tenison Woods to join Bennett, Campbell, Browne and Atkinson. Somerville was eventually sole practitioner, in Epworth Building, where she remained.
Somerville became honorary solicitor to many sporting bodies, notably the women’s hockey association. She served as CWA honorary solicitor andwas involved with Wanslea emergency homes for children and the Women’s Memorial Playing Fields.
As a foundation member of the Lyceum Club Adelaide, Somerville presided over a traditional annual dinner at the club for most female lawyers and law students. By 1929, 12 women had been admitted in South Australia bar. The trickle of female lawyers continued in the 1930s including Beryl Linn, Vivienne Judell, Roma Mitchell, Chris Walker, Marjorie Frick and Jean Gilmore. With women barred from lunching in hotels, every Thursday they ate at Somerville’s office. In 1937, they were joined by Somerville’s niece, Sesca Anderson, Australia’s first female article clerk taken on by a female practitioner: Somerville.
As with her mother and aunt, Sesca Anderson attended Methodist Ladies College, where she was head prefect in 1936, excelled in sport, dux of the school and she topped the state in Leaving botany in 1934. She was the 35th woman to be admitted to the South Australian Bar in in 1941. She retained her interest in her school and university, being the third woman on Adelaide University Council.
From 1942, Sesca was a prosecuting officer for the deputy commonwealth crown solicitor until 1947, when she became the first female secretary of the Law Society of South Australia. After her marriage, Sesca shared an office with her husband/lawyer Howard Zelling, where she practised primarily in wills, estates and conveyancing. From 1946-57, she was convenor of the National Council of Women standing committee for laws and suffrage.
When Howard Zelling was made a judge in 1969, Sesca didn’t risk conflict of interest and wound up her practice. She remained close to Aunt “Dumps” Somerville who continued to practise in Pirie Street, walking daily from the Brighton train to her office, sporting her trademark big red hat. She retired in 1991, aged 94.
From 1945, Sesca Zelling became the longest-serving woman member of the Royal Association of Justices of the Peace.
