3b: The changing role and status of women Flashcards
How did women role in politics change between 1918 and 1979?
Women gained the right to vote first at the age of 30 in 1918 and at the age of 21, on equal par with men, in 1928. However, they failed to gain a significant political voice in the sense that there were comparatively few women MPs throughout the period.
How did women in work between 1918 and 1979?
Women took on a significant role in the workplace during both wars, but many of these advances were lost once the war was over. It was not until the 1960s and 1970s that women made economic advances and equality in the workplace was enshrined in law under governments in the more socially liberal 60s&70s.
When was ROPA?
1918
What did ROPA allow women to do?
the ROPA enfranchised women over the age of 30.
However, the specifics of the legislation meant it was mostly educated and respectable women that were allowed to vote.
How many women made up the electorate in the dec 1918 elections?
These women still made up 43% of the electorate in the Dec 1918 election (8.4 million voters).
When did working women get the vote?
Working class women did not receive the vote until 1928. When they got the vote on the same terms as men (aged 21+) - 1928 ROPA.
How many women were MPs in the interwar years?
What party were they more drawn to?
Women faced prejudice in politics during the interwar period: never more than 5 percent of MPs were women.
Women were more naturally drawn to the Labour Party, as the promoter of social reform. 9 female Labour MPs across the period.
What restrictions did women in politics face in the interwar years?
There were petty restrictions: eg. Not allowed to use the commons dining room.
At what level were women more influential in politics?
Women were more influential at local level. But still less than 15% of local councillors were women.
What happened to the number of women in work after WW1?
The decade after WWI saw many of the employment gains women made overturned.
The numbers of women employed returned to 1914 levels when war ended (c. 5.7 million) - A return to traditional ideas about gender that existed before the war.
What was the largest source of employment for working class women 1918-1939?
Women’s work was the largest source of employment for working class women (cooks, maids, cleaners).
There was a strong class split: working class vs middle class split (clerical roles).
How many women were employed in clerical roles in 1921 compared to 1931?
1 million women employed in clerical roles by 1921. 1.3 mil by 1931.
What was the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919?
What injustices was there still?
universities accepting more women and lifted civil service and law bans.
Still, there were many injustices - 21 female architects out of a total of 6,000 & Civil service was open to women but none posted overseas. & Teaching - women had to leave the profession if they married.
What did the demand of total war led to during WW2?
What jobs did women take up?
Similarly to the events of WWI, the demands of total war meant that there was an increase in opportunities for women. Women flocked into factories and offices to complete various valuable roles…
Women’s Land Army (farming - 44’ 80,000 women)
Munitions factories, aircraft, clothing manufacture
Translators, analysts, some spies
Women’s voluntary service
What were the impacts of WW2 on women?
Many were better paid as a result of their employment & gained new skills and confidence.
Many reached levels of importance and seniority that were not available to them in civilian life. (eg. Bletchley Park analysts) and overseas appointments.
The opportunity to work alongside men in the war gave many women a sense of participation and contribution that they found missing in everyday civilian life.
What did Attless’s Govermeny not want to change?
Attlee’s government did not want the social upheaval of war to result in significant social change. His government did not encourage women to stay in wartime roles. Those who remained were usually exclusively industries for women
What started to be removed in 1946?
give examples
by 1946, some employers started to remove the ‘marriage bar’
(Teaching 1944, Civil Service 1946, Bank of England 1949).
How did political advance change for women between 1951-79?
In a nutshell, Women did not progress significantly in terms of political advancement.
How did the number of female MPs change?
The number of female MPs stayed constant at between 20 and 30 with dips in 1951 and 1979 despite an upward trend of candidates. This was due to prejudice and the widespread belief that women would be too busy with domestic duties to fulfil the role of MP.
What did the end of the marriage bar mean?
The end of the marriage bar meant that in the three decades after the war, more and more women worked for longer. ( 50% of married women retaining their jobs by 1972)
What was the Dagenham sewing machinists strike?
The Dagenham sewing machinists’ strike, 1968: In 1968, the Ford Motor Company’s car factory at Dagenham was paying the female sewing machinists who made car seat covers 15 percent less in wages than men doing equivalent jobs - They went on strike for three weeks.
What was the long term impact of the Dagenham sewing machinists strike?
The long-term impact of the strike was that it significantly raised the issue of unequal pay and was one of the main causes of the Equal Pay Act, 1970.
When was the Equal pay act?
1970
