Women and Employment

Question 1

What kind of work did women do in the early 1900s?

Answer 1

Textiles, shop assistants, teachers, Tip Girl in Welsh mines, domestic service, ‘outwork’

Question 2

What was the state of early women’s work?

Answer 2

• Worst paid and unpleasant jobs
• No jobs with high power or status
• Poor working conditions
• Give up work once married

Question 3

How did WW1 change women in work?

Answer 3

• Women needed to fill vacant jobs, 4M to 6M
• Dilution meant women couldn’t keep jobs
• 1918 60% of munitions workers were female
• ‘Munitionettes’ were the main labour force in Wales
• 3K women worked in the Navy
• 32K worked in the air force aka ‘penguins’

Question 4

Did WW1 lead to equality for women?

Answer 4

✓ Confidence in work
✓ Made them independent
✓ Earnt their own living
✓ Break away from traditional role, short skirts etc
✓ Khaki fever

x Women paid less than men
x Forced to leave jobs so only short term
x Laws after the war prevented women from working (48hr max)
x Women still expected to give up work after marriage
x Domestic service still most common after war

Question 5

How did WW2 change women in work?

Answer 5

• Women conscripted 1943 into work, 5M to 7M
• Nurseries were setup so more women could work
• Bridgend munitions factors, 65% female
• 475K women in air armed forces (WRENS & WAAF)
• There was also the land army, voluntary service etc

Question 6

Did WW2 lead to equality for women?

Answer 6

✓ Proof that women could do men’s work
✓ More women working than ever before
✓ More married women working
✓ Conscious of inequality

x Paid less than men
x Nurseries shut down
x Enforcement of housewife ideal to restore population

Question 7

What was education for women like throughout the 1900s?

Answer 7

• 1944 Education Act made P&S school free
• Girls’ grammar schools weren’t as good as boys’ especially in science departments
• Secondary modern schools enforced stereotypical subjects
• Only 30% of graduates were female
• 1976 grammaer schools abolished
• 1988 Education Reform Act made it so girls had access to all subjects

Question 8

Why were there fewer housewives and more working women in the late 1900s?

Answer 8

• Dual role was enforced (1956 ‘Women’s Two Roles)
• Contraceptive pill
• Labour saving devices
• Unemployment was 2% so no accusations
• Changes to school system

Question 9

Describe women in the light industry

Answer 9

• People had more money in the 50s so there was a consumer boom
• Involved making lipsticks, zips, radios etc
• Ford car factory assembly line in Dagenham
• Hoover factory in Merthyr Tydfil
• By the 60s, 85% of light workers were female

Question 10

Describe women in the service industry

Answer 10

• After the war, domestic service was discontinued
• Initially there were more service jobs due to the Welfare State i.e. administrations and office
• Women seen as having the right characteristics
• In the 50s, service became the most popular job leading to the ‘white blouse revolution’
• Now, Wales makes 3B per year on tourism

Question 11

Give examples of women who broke through the glass ceiling

Answer 11

• Anna Ford was a news reader for ITN and did BBC’s ^ o’clock news
• Moira Stewart was the first Afro-caribbean news reader. She did every BBC show except News at 10
• Menna Richards controlled the BBC from 2002-9

Question 12

Describe a woman’s success in business

Answer 12

• Founded the Body Shop in 1976
• Set up business to support family when husband away
• First socially and environmentally responsible store
• Talked about fair trade before it was common
• 77M customers
• 25 languages