Attitudes towards women and their right to vote had changed by 1918. How important was the First World War in bringing about this change?
Most women traditionally worked in domestic service until they got married when they became housewives to bring up the children. Other women were able to work as secretaries, in factories in the north and in small shops. There had been small changes to women’s rights before 1914, for example, mothers were given access to their children when they got divorced, schooling was introduced for girls up to 13 and women could even stand as counsellors at local levels. On the whole, traditional attitudes remained unchanged in 1914. Women over 30 did get the vote in 1918, partly due to their work in the war. However this was unfair as most of the work done by women in the war, was by women under 30.
During the war, women’s roles had to change. With the men away at war, women were needed to fill in their roles to keep the country running. Women drove buses, delivered the post, worked as mechanics, window cleaners, fire fighters and did much heavier work in shipbuilding and steel making. This made women gain confidence, and they believed in themselves more. They knew that they could do just as much work as men. They now had independence, freedom and money and many enjoyed this. Their efforts were highly praised by the Government and press, and munitions workers won a huge amount of public sympathy because their work was so dangerous. This showed great determination, strength, intelligence and willing, which helped to changed public opinion, and the attitudes of politicians because they were impressed with the work that women had done.
