3B - The Changing Role and Status of Women, 1918-1945 Flashcards
How was the experience of working women characterised after WW1?
Work opportunities highly gendered. Experience of women in the workplace was often one of low skill, low wages and long hours
How did the Representation of the People Act 1918 help women?
Women over 30 gained the right to vote if they were married to or a member of the local government register, a property owner or a graduate voting in a university poll
Why was the ROTP 1918 bad for women?
It only allowed ‘well educated’ women to vote
How much of the vote did women comprise in 1918?
43% which is low considering the loss of life of men during WW1
What did the 1928 Representation of the People act do?
Enfranchised all women on equal terms with men
How did WW1 help women’s employment opportunities?
Enabled women to make gains in the workplace as the entire population was required to work: worked as auxiliaries, drivers, telephonists, signallers and as nursers
How were women employed in 1914 and how had this changed by 1918?
1914 - Large female industrial workforce. 200,000 employed in metals and chemicals industries.
1918 - Over 1 million in these fields alone. 11,000 women worked in one factory to make explosives.
How did women’s employment change after WW1?
Gains overturned, wartime empl. only lasted as long as war continued. Men returned to work and forced women out of the workplace. Numbers of women employed returned to pre war levels.
What was considered as women’s work in 1918 as 1.25 million women were in service?
Maid, cook or cleaner usually. Unpopular work but opportunities limited due to lack of education and the prejudices that existed.
How were there clear gender roles in the 1920s?
Factory work - WC. Clerical work - MC, educated, artisan class.
What area of work was the biggest growth area for women in 1920s?
Clerical work biggest growth area, 1920s 1 million employed as typists or clerks, 1931 - 1.3million
What emerged as an option for women in the 1920s?
Light manufacturing - poorly paid, unemployment benefit for women set at a lower rate, no incentive for employers to offer better rates of pay
What did 2/3 of all work done by working class women consist of in 1920s?
⅔ of all work done by WC women = baking, brewing, sewing, household tasks and caring for children
How did MC women feel about the ROTP acts?
Suffrage campaign led by MC women and wanted women owning property to be enfranchised, only radicals wanted WC enfranchised
When did unis begin to accept women and how was this done?
Sex Disqualification (removal) Act 1919 - made the civil service or law a profession open to women