3 Changes in Family Life and The Quest for Personal Freedoms 1918-1939

Question 1

birth control

1921 and Marie Stopes

Answer 1

established the first birth control clinic, although health workers who reccomended it to women were sacked, the demand was growing

Question 2

birth control

By 1930: how were some local authorities speaking out? Who was allowed birth control? what did the Church of England allow?

Answer 2

some local authorities were speaking out and arguing not only birth control was essential, but the government should be funding it.
- mothers who had had 1 child and whose 2nd would damage their health were allowed to take it.
- the church of england allowed married members to take it too.

Question 3

birth control

also in 1930: What did the General Medical Council allow? who was excluded? where could contraception soon be bought from?

Answer 3

the General Medical Council allowed married couples to take contraceptive advice. Working class women who weren’t covered by national health insurance were excluded, and soon contracpetion could be bought from barbers, chemists, hygeine stores etc.

Question 4

divorce

1934: Lawyer A.P. Herbert pointed out ridiculous standards for getting a divorce. What were they? How did people have to achieve a divorce?

Answer 4

1. there had to be a case of adultery or violence
2. even if both partners had been unfaithful, the appeal could still be rejected by the courts.

private detectives found evidence of unfaithfullness.

Question 5

divorce

Herbert succeeded with the 1937 Matrimonial Causes Act, what were the new grounds for a divorce?

Answer 5

1. if a partner had been unfaithful, or either partner had deserted the other after 3 years

Question 6

divorce

By 1951, divorce petitions?

Answer 6

38,000 a year :0

Question 7

self expression

Women and self expression

Answer 7

due to the huge increase in women in clerical jobs, lots of them could enjoy consumerism 1918-1939

Question 8

self expression

Flappers

Answer 8

• enjoyed jazz, social freedoms, and glamour
• Clara Bowe, Coleen Moore were successful models
• lots of these women were living livs not dictated by men by this time
• working class women were rarely included

Question 9

during the depression

What was the role and expectations of women?

enquiry?

Answer 9

• women were often expected to sacrifie meals for their kids or husbanbds
• the 1933 Hungry England Enquiry found some women were starving to feed their family
• families were often reliant on unemployment bebefits, but when these became means tested in 1934 lots were pushed over the poverty line. :(