‘Brenda the Usher’ is latest pseudonymic persona to hit social media, but who is she?
She is a family court usher “silently watching life played out in court”. She tweets about barristers, judges, court lists and corridor settlements.
Even though she has fewer than 40 tweets to her name, she has gained over 1,700 followers in just a couple of months. Brenda the Usher has become a Twitter sensation — and solicitors, QCs and trainees appear to love her. Some of our favourites include:
All my lovely barristers: two more files to read; half an eye on the telly and waiting for Deliveroo to arrive. It’s such a glamorous life.
— Brenda the Usher (@BrendatheUsher1) October 8, 2017
Always such excitement here when Mostyn J gives another judgment agreeing with himself. We can all hear him going up and down the corridor.
— Brenda the Usher (@BrendatheUsher1) September 29, 2017
Okay, fellow court ‘users’: keep it short; let’s get this list out of the way and let’s get out of here. Agreed? It’s Friday.
— Brenda the Usher (@BrendatheUsher1) September 8, 2017
One avid admirer wants her to do top family law organisation, Resolution’s, awards ceremony:
Last night I dreamed that @BrendatheUsher1 was handing out awards @YResnational Conference. Can we make this happen in real life?
— David James Lister (@MlSTERLlSTER) September 18, 2017
Brenda the Usher is the latest phenomenon in anonymous law-related fly-on-the-wall Twitter accounts, following in the footsteps of the Secret Barrister, the Secret Pupil and Ms Justice Prevailed.
The question we are all asking is: Brenda, are you for real?
Brenda could be an actual usher, one of the much-needed court staff in the Family Divison, preparing the courtroom for all those judges, barristers, and witnesses.
Or, on the other hand, she could be someone else entirely. Her insider knowledge is in no doubt but there’s something about her… Could she be, as one anonymous source posits, “a glove puppet account for one of the High Court judges”?
Remaining tightlipped over her true identity, Brenda told Legal Cheek:
I’m just plain old Brenda the Usher. Silently watching life played out in court and worrying about my lovely barristers.
