BY MICHAEL BRESLIN
Barristers aren't everyone's favourite people. They look and sound aloof, they are aloof and, an image that isn't helped by their silly wigs.
But, there is always an exception to the rule and, bestselling author, Constance Briscoe is definitely one. She is a black barrister who, as a child, overcame the 'ugly' taunts of her bullying mother to secure a place in one of the Inns of Court where her master was well-known lawyer, Michael Mansfield of 'Bloody Sunday Tribunal' fame.
Her first book was simply called, 'Ugly' and this one, 'Beyond Ugly', with a sub title, 'Surviving a loveless childhood' which charts her progress through a law degree in Newcastle On Tyne and, thanks to a promise made to her eight years before, a 'pupillage' at Mansfield's Inn of Court where the barristers and the 'pupils', such as the author, dealt mainly with left wing cases, the miners' strike, Greenham Common Women, etc.
It's an inspiring read this. Briscoe adopts an easy narrative style, using huge dollops of quotes to recreate scenes in and out of court from way back. Although published at the end of last year, the events in the book pre-date June, 1987 when her son was born. But, apart from the over-use of quotes, and the too-often description of Mansfield, her hero as, 'brilliant', her story is fascinating.
It seems her father, who remains in London where he owns lots of houses and is a furtive figure scored on the pools, and her mother is only talked about in recall. She and her daughter don't communicate. The author certainly doesn't benefit from her father's wealth, save a night's accommodation in his girlfriend's.
It means that Constance is left to fend for herself, which she commendably does. We pick up her life as she prepares for the journey north to Newcastle to become a lawyer and, at the same time, she is making arrangements with a Harley Street surgeon to have cosmetic surgery done to her nose (too big), her 'teapot' lips, and scarring to her face.
Harley Street consultations don't come easy, and the surgery less so. But, by now, Constance has made her mark as a night care assistant/nurse in hospices for the terminally ill and hospitals, and a very caring one at that.
By the way, her ugliness is a matter of opinion, but not even her Harley Street doctor can put her off. What has done the damage was the constant taunting of her mother who famously asked her when she brought home a photograph of herself from her school for orders, 'Why do you want to buy these photographs when you is so ugly?'.
The money to pay for the cosmetic surgery she saves from her grant up north and her hospice week-ends in London where she specialises in preparing the dead bodies for the visit of the relatives.
If the reader has never worked in a hospice, consider this revealing comment: 'It occurred to me after all these years I had never seen a patient make a complete recovery. That was really sad'.
Black humour like that spices her writing, an there is a memorable scene where a corpse she is washing groans, twice! She immediately calls the Sister: "I stood at the door so that I could make a quick escape if there was a duppie (ghost) in the room".
Born a Catholic, but of the non-practising kind, Constance, nevertheless, has great respect for the hospice chaplain who, unsuccessfully, tries to encourage her to forgive her mother and fails to convince her that a virus she has picked up isn't a punishment from God.
But, her sheer goodness and commitment to fulfilling her dream bring her through her Law degree to knocking on the door, literally, of Michael Mansfield's law chambers as his pupil towards becoming a barrister.
To me, law chambers smell of old wood and dust and even older men and women poring over Archebold. But, true to their television image, they're far from that, being full of bright young things and more mature, well-dressed men and women, all with a singular focus. But, as the author tells it against herself, the Inns of Court can be as bitchy as any café or shop. In her case, three Junior barristers, all female, take exception to the new pupil, all because she got in on the back of Mansfield.
It takes her a long time to find out the real reason and, before she does, the Three Witches have her running in and out making cups of tea for them and returning for more sugar and milk. Such is the appeal of these Inns where 'master', barristers, junior and senior and clerks work alongside each other that, when she was invited to apply after her pupillage is over, she is one of 127 entrants.
She is short-listed only to be told they are taking on no one and it is long afterwards she is told the reason why she wasn't kept on - too much make up, straightened hair and too friendly with white men.
As always, Constance Briscoe takes it in her stride, and has a laugh to herself when she is informed that, 'lack of life experience' denied her a place in another Inn of Court. If only they knew, the reader is moved to say.
Her memoirs carry a variety of Court cases, from Magistrates to Crown, that readers will enjoy and they will be glad to know that, today, the author can be found in Brick Court where she practises mainly in criminal law.
An inspirational book this, of a black woman's battle against difficult domestic circumstances, her perceived facial 'ugliness' and petty jealousies where one would least expect to find them to become a respected media figure.
'Beyond Ugly: Surviving a loveless childhood' by Constance Briscoe is published in paperback by Hodder & Stoughton is now available at the discounted price of £9.99 from Eason's, Enniskillen.
