Change In Women’s Lives Flashcards
1882
Married Women’s Property Act enabled women to own and control property in their own right
1885
Age of Consent raised from 13 to 16
1888
Annie Besant organized first women’s strike at Bryant and May’s match factory
1893
Women allowed to become factory inspectors
1894
Local Government Act: married women have the right to vote in local elections and stand for election as municipal councilors
1918
Representation of the People act: gives women aged 30+ right to vote. Constance Mankiewicz is first woman elected to parliament
1919
Nancy Astor becomes first woman to take her seat in parliament.
Sex Disqualification (removal) Act: gives women the right to become jurors, magistrates, barristers and high-ranking civil servants
1921
First Marie Stopes’ family-planning clinic
1928
Universal suffrage for men and women aged 21 and over on equal terms
1961
Contraceptive pill becomes available
1967
Abortion Act: legalizes abortion through NHS during first 28 weeks of pregnancy
Family Planning Act: allows local health authorizes to provide birth-control devices
1969
Divorce Act: allows divorce to be granted after two years of separation if both parties want it, and after five years if one party wants it
1970
Equal Pay Act: prohibits different pay or working conditions according to gender, it comes in force 1975
Matrimonial Property Act: takes into account women’s domestic work to ensure they get fair division of wealth in divorce
1975
Sex Discrimination Act: establishes the Equal Opportunities Commission to enforce Equal Pay Act
1979
Margaret Thatcher becomes first female prime minister
