The employment of working class women in Leeds, 1880-1914
Between 1880 and 1914 women's industrial employment in Leeds was transformed by the introduction of the factory system in the consumer-goods trades. Women came to predominate in ready-made tailoring, but have been neglected in histories of the city. Recent studies have argued that a. focus on the sex division of labour in social production challenges conventional interpretations of working-class history. This thesis contributes to current debates by examining women's work in Leeds. It argues that the sex division of labour and the tensions between sex and class had a critical impact on the development of the local labour movement. Studies of women's work have shown the importance of regional variations in the pattern of female employment. Leeds provides the opportunity to study a hitherto neglected group, - female factory workers employed outside cotton textiles. Wonen's subordinate role within industry and their attitudes to work were structured by the experience of work itself as well as by their early socialisatjon and role in the family. The first section examines the conditions of women's industrial employment. It suggests that job segregation by sex structured the specific features of women's work in
Hannam, June B.
Women's employment in Leeds
The employment of working class women in Leeds, 1880-1914. Between 1880 and 1914 women's industrial employment in Leeds was transformed by the introduction of the factory system in the consumer-goods trades. Women came to predominate in ready-made tailoring, but have been neglected in histories of the city. Recent studies have argued that a. focus on the sex division of labour in social production challenges conventional interpretations of working-class history. This thesis contributes to current debates by examining women's work in Leeds. It argues that the sex division of labour and the tensions between sex and class had a critical impact on the development of the local labour movement. Studies of women's work have shown the importance of regional variations in the pattern of female employment. Leeds provides the opportunity to study a hitherto neglected group, - female factory workers employed outside cotton textiles. Wonen's subordinate role within industry and their attitudes to work were structured by the experience of work itself as well as by their early socialisatjon and role in the family. The first section examines the conditions of women's industrial employment. It suggests that job segregation by sex structured the specific features of women's work in
employment work_class woman leeds woman industrial employment leeds transform introduction factory system consumer goods trade women come predominate ready made neglected history city recent_study argue focus sex division_labour social production challenge_conventional interpretation working_class history contributes current_debate examine woman_work leeds argues sex division_labour tension sex class critical impact development local_labour movement studies woman_work show importance regional_variation pattern female employment leeds provide_opportunity study hitherto_neglect group female factory worker employ outside cotton textile subordinate role_within industry attitude work structured experience work well early role family first_section examines condition woman industrial employment suggests job segregation sex structure specific_feature woman_work