Women And Work In Britain Since 1840

Description:
The first book of its kind to study this period, Gerry Holloway's essential student resource works chronologically from the early 1840s to the end of the twentieth century and examines over 150 years of women's employment history and the struggles they have faced in the workplace. With suggestions for research topics, an annotated bibliography to aid further research and a chronology of important events which places the subject in a broader historical context, Gerry Holloway considers how factors such as class, age, marital status, race and locality, along with wider economic and political issues, have affected women's job opportunities and status. Key themes and issues that run through the book include: - continuity and change - the sexual division of labour - women as a cheap labour force - women's perceived primary role of motherhood - women and trade unions - equality and difference - education and training. Students of women's studies, gender studies and history will find this a fascinating and invaluable addition to their reading material.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1, Introduction Chapter 2, 'Fit Work for Women' Working class women and paid work in the mid nineteenth century Chapter 3, The Problem of the 'Superfluous Women' Chapter 4, Women Organizing: Trade Unions and other industrial organizations Chapter 5, Equal or Different? Divisive issues in the Industrial Women's Movement Chapter 6, Women's Work before the First World War Chapter 7, Out of the Cage? Women's Experience of Work during the First World War Chapter 8, Women's work in the Interwar period Chapter 9, Women's employment in World War Two: Continuity or change? Chapter 10, Back to Home and Duty again? Chapter 11, Women's employment in the 1950s and 1960s Chapter 12, Women's work in the age of Equal Opportunities: 1969 to the end of the century Chapter 13, Women's work since the 1840s Appendix 1: Chronology of Important Dates Appendix 2: Brief Biographies of some key women