The war created new opportunities for women's employment outside the home as traditional male jobs became available due to labor shortages from conscription. While women faced resistance initially, by 1915 thousands worked in munitions factories and other industries. After the war, women were expected to return to traditional roles but had gained some independence, and their participation in the workforce helped pave the way for women's suffrage and rights in the early 20th century.

1. The impact of the
war on women

2. Key points
Before the war, the most common
employment for a woman was as a
domestic servant. However, unmarried
women were also employed in what
were seen to be suitable occupations
e.g.teaching, nursing, office work.

3. Key points
When war broke out in August 1914,
the idea of women working was met
with resistance due to the
widespread belief that “women’s
place as in the home”.

4. Suffragettes,
who had been
agitating for
female rights,
stopped all
militant
action in order
to support the
war

5. Key points
Much of the opposition to female
participation in the workforce came from
trade unions. Due to this,the employment
of women had not increased significantly
before the middle of 1915. In July 1915, a
‘Right to Work’ ,march was organised by
a leading suffragette,
Christabel Pankhurst.

6. Key points
The shell shortage crisis in 1915 began to change the
situation. Women were taken on to work in munitions
factories. The government did a deal with the trade
unions, known as the Treasury Agreements. The
unions agreed to accept female labour in place of men
‘for the duration of the war’.

8. Key points
The introduction of
conscription in 1916
led to an increase
in the number of
women employed in
all sectors of the
economy.

9. Key points
Many women were paid good wages,
especially in munitions factories, but
in most cases they were paid lower
rates than men.
Improved wages did permit greater
independence for some women.

10. Key points
Women became more visible in the
world of work. They were seen to be
doing important jobs.

11. The armed forces also employed women and an
estimated 80,000 British women worked for the armed
forces, 250,000 worked in agriculture

13. Women were in great demand for the ‘caring’ side of
employment and became nurses in the First Aid
Nursing Yeomanry, and drivers and clerks in Voluntary
Aid Detachments.

14. Voting
Women over 30 were granted the
right to vote in 1918 with the
Representation of the People Act.
The significance of the war in
helping women attain the vote
may be overstated.
It is more likely that female
suffrage was an extension of
democratisation of western
societies as occurred earlier in
New Zealand and Australia.

15. The impact of the war on women’s
lives and experiences in Britain
New Roles for Women:
Long term nature of the war demanded
that women play a new role in the economy
As the total war of attrition demanded the
mobilisation of all of society’s resources,
many women moved into traditional male
roles
The first organised attempts for women to
do ‘war work’ was rebuffed
Recruitment drives of 1914 and 1915
changed official attitudes. Absence of men
began to impact on various industries.

16. Early 1915: women were employed as
nurses, ambulance drivers, postal workers,
bus conductors, police women and fire
fighters
Mid 1915: women were employed as tram
conductors, drivers, lift attendants, milk
deliverers, shell makers, shop floorwalkers,
railway cleaners, bookstall clerks, window
cleaners, ticket collectors and dairy workers
Late 1918: more then 7 million women
employed in ‘war work’
Largest single employer for women was
the Ministry of Munitions

17. Women served as nurses from late 1914
Women’s Land Army – formed in 1916
to attract women to work on the land ->
food production had become a priority
Woman’s Armed Forces – in the war
zone women drove ambulances, operated
food canteens, entertained soldiers,
worked as cooks, waitresses, clerks,
typists, telegraphists, telephonists,
packers, drivers and mechanics

18. After the War The Impact on Women’s Lives:
Women were expected to give way to men returning
from the forces and return to pre-war ‘women’s
work’.
The assumption that ‘a woman’s place is in the home’
returned
Different impact on different social classes
Young working class women were largely the ones
who moved into traditional male working class jobs -
> significant impact on their social and economic
independence
Middle and upper class women tended to do more
volunteer work or join one of the uniformed services
-> gave them “war experience” but had less of an
impact on their place in society

19. After the War The
Impact on Women’s Lives:
Women no longer needed escorts to maintain
their reputations
New sexual freedom
For practicality in the workplace and due to a
shortages of fabrics, skirts became shorter,
women wore trousers, bras replaced the corset
There were significant changes in fashion:
women wore short hair, smoked and wore make
up in public

20. Lasting
impact
Women retained some of the social independence they had
acquired during the war
The change in women’s fashion became more or less
permanent
Employment: little permanent change – in most cases, women
had to give up the “male jobs” they had taken on. Secretarial
work was one area that women retained but at less pay than
men who had previously done these jobs
In 1919: being female or married was no longer allowed to
disqualify someone from holding a job in the professions or civil
service.

21. Lasting
impact
Women retained some of the social independence they had
acquired during the war
The change in women’s fashion became more or less
permanent
Employment: little permanent change – in most cases, women
had to give up the “male jobs” they had taken on. Secretarial
work was one area that women retained but at less pay than
men who had previously done these jobs
In 1919: being female or married was no longer allowed to
disqualify someone from holding a job in the professions or civil
service.