 Marriage was no longer legally considered a bar to a woman's ability to work in these spheres.The act came into force on the day it became law, 23 December 1919; the first female justice of the peace – Ada Summers, "ex officio" a Justice by virtue of being the Mayor of Stalybridge – was sworn in a week later, on 31 December.However, it took until December 1922 for a female solicitor to be appointed.