This began to change when, in 1874, Emma Paterson founded the Women’s Protective and Provident League (WPPA) to help create women’s trade unions. They tried to get women a more equal role in society. Women started to demand an equal education and many high schools were founded for girls. In 1870 girls were allowed to go to Cambridge University. At first they lived 26 miles away and tutors came to teach them but that soon changed. Also in the 1870’s medical schools were opened for women in Edinburgh and London.
In the late 19th century it was popular for women to become teachers and nurses. These jobs required extra education. As more shops and department stores opened up, women started to become shop assistants. The hours were as long as 80 or 90 a week. Another popular job for women was as a telephonist or typist.
From as early as 1834 women did have some right to vote. They had the same rights as men for Poor Law Guardians. This meant that they could vote and stand for elections on school boards after they were set up in 1870 and other local council elections.
Many women’s suffrage committees were set up around the country. In 1897 over 500 committees became united into a national organisation. They were called the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies. A woman called Millicent Fawcett was their leader. They protested peacefully by handing out pamphlets and sending letters to politicians.
Queen Victoria called women having equal voting rights a “mad wicked folly”. There were mixed feelings about it. The leaders of the party in power at the time, the Conservatives, approved of the idea but most of their party members didn’t. The Liberal leaders, who were the main opposition of the Conservatives at the time, disapproved but most of their party did. There was a small, new party called the Labour party who also approved of the idea.