Mina Smallman

Smallman was born on 29 October 1956 in Middlesex.{{Crockford | surname = Smallman | forenames = Wilhelmina Tokcumboh | id = 6299 | accessed = 23 June 2018}}{{Who's Who | title=Smallman, Wilhelmina T. | id = U258591 | volume = 2016 | edition = November 2015 online | access-date = 24 July 2016 }} Her mother Catherine was of Scottish descent and her father Bill was of Nigerian heritage.

Smallman studied drama, English and Voice at the Central School of Speech and Drama, graduating with a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree in 1988. She then worked as a drama teacher for 15 years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/echofeatures/echowoman/10460990.foster-child-funk-musician-introducing-southends-first-female-archdeacon/|title=From foster child to funk musician... introducing Southend's first female archdeacon|website=Echo|date=4 June 2013 }} By 2005, she was an assistant principal of John Kelly Girls' Technology College.

Smallman trained for ordination on the North Thames Ministerial Training Course. During her training, she also studied contextual theology at Middlesex University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 2006.

Smallman was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 2006 and as a priest in 2007. She served her curacy at St Paul's Church, Harrow (2006–2007) and then at the Church of St John the Evangelist, Stanmore (2007–2010). She was then team vicar in Barking{{Cite web|url=https://www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/news/artist-creates-altar-frontal-for-thames-view-church-1-2021171|title=Artist creates altar frontal for Thames View church|first=Buni|last=Adigun|website=Barking and Dagenham Post|date=17 April 2013}} from 2010 until her Archdeacon's appointment.{{Cite web|url=http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/464657/cc2a76c1c5/ARCHIVE|title=Chelmsford Diocese|website=hosted-p0.vresp.com}}

In June 2013, it was announced that Smallman would be the next Archdeacon of Southend.Daily Telegraph, 8 June 2013, p.26, "Senior Clergy Appointments" On 16 September 2013, she was installed as archdeacon during at a service at Chelmsford Cathedral.{{cite news|title=Church appoints first woman Archdeacon of Southend|url=http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/10420978.Church_appoints_first_woman_Archdeacon_of_Southend/|accessdate=29 October 2016|work=Echo Newspapers|date=16 May 2013}} She was the Church of England's first female archdeacon from a black and minority ethnic background.{{cite web |title=Emeritus the Venerable Mina Smallman |url=https://www.murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk/fellow/emeritus-venerable-mina-smallman |website=Murray Edwards College |publisher=University of Cambridge |access-date=20 July 2024 |language=en}} She retired on 31 December 2016.[http://www.chelmsford.anglican.org/news/article/archdeacon-of-southend-to-retire-at-the-end-of-2016 Diocese of Chelmsford - Archdeacon of Southend to retire at the end of 2016] (Accessed 22 December 2016)

Smallman says she suffered misogyny and racism throughout her career, mainly due to "privileged white men" who she says "questioned" her right to be a priest.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/26/you-have-to-let-the-anger-go-mina-smallman-on-her-daughters-and-the-police-who-photographed-the-bodies You have to let the anger go’: Mina Smallman on her daughters’ murder - and the police who shared photos of the bodies] The Guardian

Two of her daughters, Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, were discovered, stabbed to death, in Fryent Country Park, Brent on 7 June 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newslondon/church-of-england-leaders-devastated-after-first-female-bame-archdeacons-daughters-found-dead-in-london-park/ar-BB15iELq?ocid=spartandhp|title=Church of England leaders 'devastated' after first female BAME Archdeacon's daughters found dead in London park|website=www.msn.com}}

A murder investigation was launched.BBC Radio Four, 'PM' programme 16:04 GMTRaffray, Nathalie (16 June 2020), [https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/crime-court/tributes-paid-to-sisters-murdered-in-kingsbury-1-6701086 "Tributes paid to sisters murdered in Kingsbury"], Brent & Kilburn Times. On 2 July 2020, Danyal Hussein was charged with murdering Nicole and Bibaa.{{cite news |title=Man charged with murdering sisters in Wembley park |work=BBC News |date=2 July 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-53261399 |access-date=7 July 2021}} He was found guilty on 6 July 2021[https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/courts/teenager-guilty-of-murdering-two-sisters-after-pact-with-satan-to-win-lottery/ar-AALPQhE?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531 Teenager found guilty of murdering two sisters after pact with Satan to win the lottery] and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 35 years.[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/28/danyal-hussein-jailed-for-35-years-for-murdering-sisters-in-london-park Danyal Hussein jailed for 35 years for murdering sisters in London park] The Guardian

Smallman spoke publicly about the police handling of the murder investigation, especially after it was revealed that two police constables had shared photos of the murder scene,[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-60387087 BBC website, Mina Smallman: Dame Cressida Dick gaslighted me, says killed sisters' mum, article dated February 15, 2022] stating that Cressida Dick, Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, tried to mislead her. She has also spoken about her beliefs that the search for her daughters was delayed due to racist elements in the police service.[https://www.channel4.com/news/met-police-to-apologise-to-mother-of-murdered-sisters Channel 4 News website, Met Police to apologise to mother of murdered sisters, article dated October 25, 2021][https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/26/mother-of-murdered-sisters-bibaa-henry-nicole-smallman-met-police-apology Guardian website, Mother of murdered sisters says Met’s apology for failings too late, article by Tom Ambrose dated October 26, 2021]

She is quoted as saying "most of our police force are amazing and doing amazing jobs but there is an element that has taken over the culture of how they banter...and there an element of misogyny in its worst possible form".[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-london-59553761 Mina Smallman: 'We've been to hell and back again'] BBC Smallman maintained that Dick gave the impression that problems with the investigation were unusual and isolated incidents when, in reality Dick knew about investigations of wrongdoing at Charing Cross Police Station and knew there were larger problems. Smallman said, "So she would have known that this wasn't an isolated incident. I didn't expect her to throw herself or the Met under the bus, but to behave in a way that sounds as though 'this is incredible', or 'we've never heard of anything like this in our lives' [the conduct of the officers in Fryent Country Park], it was a lie.".

Dick resigned as Commissioner of Police on 10 February 2022.

In 2021 she was chosen by BBC Radio 4's Today programme to be one of seven guest editors during the Christmas period.{{Cite web|last=adam-sherwin|date=2021-11-25|title=Raheem Sterling leads Radio 4 Today programme line-up of Christmas guest editors|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/radio/raheem-sterling-leads-bbc-radio-4-today-programme-line-up-of-christmas-guest-editors-1316596|access-date=2021-11-25|website=inews.co.uk|language=en}}

In 2024, Smallman stated that she has forgiven the man who murdered her daughters, but that she cannot forgive the police officers who shared pictures of their bodies and who had therefore "violated" them further.{{cite web |title=Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry's mother tells BBC Radio 4 she has forgiven killer |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9r319dzkz3o |website=BBC News |access-date=20 July 2024 |date=20 July 2024}}

Since 1992, she has been married to Christopher. She has two daughters from a previous relationship including Bibaa Henry (born 1974), and the couple had one daughter together, Nicole Smallman (born 1992).{{cite web |title=Smallman, Ven. Wilhelmina T., (born 29 Oct. 1956), Archdeacon of Southend, 2013–16 |url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U258591 |website=Who's Who 2021 |publisher=Oxford University Press |access-date=7 July 2021 |language=en |date=1 December 2020}} Bibaa and Nicole were murdered in 2020.{{cite web |title=Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry: Tributes to sisters killed in park |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-53007189 |website=BBC News |access-date=20 July 2024 |date=11 June 2020}}

Smallman has ME/CFS and fibromyalgia.{{cite web |last1=Smallman |first1=Mina |title=Mina Smallman: "My Daughters' Murders Moved Me To Begin A New Mission" |url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/mina-smallman-viewpoint |website=British Vogue |access-date=2 October 2024 |date=27 July 2024}}

In February 2025, Smallman was interviewed by Lauren Laverne on the BBC's Desert Island Discs. Her book of choice was The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins and her luxury item was a tub of hair moisturiser.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00282l0 | title=Desert Island Discs - Mina Smallman, activist - BBC Sounds }}

Smallman was included in the BBC's 100 Women list for 2021, which honours the most inspiring and influential women from around the world.{{Cite news|date=2021-12-07|title=BBC 100 Women 2021: Who is on the list this year?|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-59514598|access-date=2021-12-09}} In 2021, the BBC were concerned to highlight women who are hitting 'reset' - women who are reinventing our society, our culture, and our world. Smallman was recognised for her trailblazing as the first female Church of England archdeacon from a black or ethnic-minority background, and for her campaigning to make UK streets safer and to reform the police.

• {{cite book |last1=Smallman |first1=Mina |title=A Better Tomorrow: Life Lessons in Hope and Strength |date=2024 |publisher=Ebury Press |location=London |isbn=978-1529199710}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Portal|Christianity}}

{{Archdeacons of Southend and of Chelmsford}}

{{Diocese of Chelmsford}}

• [https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/devastated-family-pay-tribute-to-sisters-fatally-stabbed-in-london-park/ar-BB15HARE?ocid=spartan-dhp-feeds Tributes from the Smallman and Henry families]

{{100 Women by BBC in 2021}}

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Category:1956 births

Category:21st-century British Anglican priests

Category:21st-century British educators

Category:21st-century British women educators

Category:Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

Category:Alumni of Middlesex University

Category:Archdeacons of Southend

Category:English people of Nigerian descent

Category:English people of Scottish descent

Category:Living people

Category:People with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Category:People with fibromyalgia