In almost 600 years, Jill is the first woman to hold the role. She took us through her early career, having worked in senior administrative roles and with some significant schools projects, Jill has had a very different career from the military men who preceded her.
We heard a fascinating explanation of the duties involved, such as the ceremonial that takes place each day, sitting in the Commons chamber and being responsible for security within the House of Commons. Jill told us that the Mace the Serjeant at Arms carries, and which is present in the Chamber whenever the House is sitting, represents the Sovereign, so can never be in the same room as the Queen herself.
Úna then asked Jill about the person who had been her biggest inspiration. We could certainly identify with Betty Boothroyd who was a magnificent Speaker of the House, commanding respect and admiration from MPs of all parties and bringing gravitas and style to the role in equal measure. It’s clear that Jill has succeeded in that too.
With such a high profile role, Úna asked about some of the sacrifices that have been necessary to do a job that’s constantly in the public eye. Jill said the lack of privacy had been difficult at times – especially where the media were concerned. However the benefits have been far greater and long lasting.
Jill described to us some of the many state visits she has been part of, such as President Obama’s last year. She gave us a true insight into the man himself – unusually for such an important figurehead Jill was impressed by the President’s naturalness and concern for others, as for example, she saw him go out of his way to shake hands with even the most junior staff.
Jill also related the visit of Pope Benedict and mentioned the charisma of one of his senior aides, who clearly made a lasting impression on the Serjeant at Arms! Of course security is a key part of the extensive preparation that goes into the planning of each state visit, and in fact is a crucial daily aspect of the work of the House of Commons.
Jill also related the visit of Pope Benedict and mentioned the charisma of one of his senior aides, who clearly made a lasting impression on the Serjeant at Arms! Of course security is a key part of the extensive preparation that goes into the planning of each state visit, and in fact is a crucial daily aspect of the work of the House of Commons.
With a more lighthearted focus, Úna asked the very stylish Serjeant which were her favourite shoe brands. Like many of us, Jill has a wide collection of shoes with many different styles and makes - when asked to choose just one, we could all agree with her choice as LK Bennett tops the list for Jill.
So, as she moves on from this historic job, what next for Jill Pay? Jill is involved in the reading campaign run by the Evening Standard and is already working with inner London school children, so plans to do more in such a vital role helping children learn to read.
We’re also delighted to announce that Jill will be joining Pink Shoe Club in Liverpool to help launch Pink Shoe Club North West at ‘Panoramic 34’ on January 26th!