Women and WW1

Standard Grade HistoryInternational Co-operation and

Conflict 1890s-1920s

Manpower

The early rush of volunteers and later the conscription of men led to a shortage of manpower on the home front.

In turn, women were encouraged to engage in other forms of work normally done by men.

Role of Women before WW1 Before the war, most women were content to

stay at home to bring up a family and carry out domestic work.

Some women had to work for financial reasons.

Only “OK” for single women to work – nurses and teachers.

Munitions

At first, women worked mainly in munitions.

A vital service that grew dramatically.

Not a safe working environment.

Munitions

From 1916…

From 1916, as conscription became a more pressing issue and casualty rates began to spiral out of control the government tried to persuade women into all sectors of the workplace.

Agriculture

Women’s Land Army established in 1917. Hard work, hours long – many preferred

factory work. Women had to take on hard “male jobs” – e.g.

Ploughing fields. Poster campaign to recruit women from towns

to work on farms.

Agriculture

Transport

Women worked as

tram and bus

conductors.

Became tram drivers.

Women’s Royal Navy Service

Women’s Royal Air Force

Women’s Police Service

Middle Class Women

More likely to work as nurses with the VAD Worked as factory supervisors Employment with either local or national

government Many women took responsibility for running the

family business while male family members fought in the war.

Role of Women after WW1 The war gave women the opportunity to show

that they were equal to men. People realised that women could make

contributions in the workplace as well as at home.

WW1 could be said to have begun the movement for equal opportunities for men and women.

Did WW1 Change Women’s Working Lives?The war may have helped women gain the vote but it had

little effect on their working lives as many women were sacked or demoted in 1918 or had their wages cut. However some laws were passed to help women:

1919 Sex Disqualification Act made it illegal to bar women from jobs e.g. lawyers, due to their sex.

But it was only much later when laws granting equality with men were passed:

1970 Equal Pay Act – women had to be paid the same as men for work of equal value.

1975 Sex Discrimination Act employers had to treat male and female employees the same.