Pioneers in the 'corridors of power' : women civil servants at the Board of Trade and the Factory Inspectorate, 1893-1919
In the early 1890s university educated women who were considered experts on womenâs issues were appointed to the Home Office and the Board of Trade. This thesis investigates their work, lives and the impact of these appointments with in the political context of the period (1893 - 1919): the expansion of the womenâs movements, the rediscovery of poverty and the development of social conscience. A select group of nine women have been identified. They were pioneers in the establishment of a position for women in the professional grades within the Civil Service. Their numbers expanded during the First World War but contracted sharply afterwards. The study reconstructs the âlife historiesâ of this cohort, their working practices and investigates their legacy for the civil service, for feminism and for the industrial working lives of women. It examines the influence of their work on legislation and on improvements in the working lives of women in industry and workshops throughout Britain. Sources include Parliamentary papers, select committee reports, census returns and directories as well as biographical sources and some private papers to reconstruct their working practices. In improved sanitary conditions,
Wheeldon, Christine
Pioneers in the 'corridors of power' : women civil servants at the Board of Trade and the Factory Inspectorate, 1893-1919. In the early 1890s university educated women who were considered experts on womenâs issues were appointed to the Home Office and the Board of Trade. This thesis investigates their work, lives and the impact of these appointments with in the political context of the period (1893 - 1919): the expansion of the womenâs movements, the rediscovery of poverty and the development of social conscience. A select group of nine women have been identified. They were pioneers in the establishment of a position for women in the professional grades within the Civil Service. Their numbers expanded during the First World War but contracted sharply afterwards. The study reconstructs the âlife historiesâ of this cohort, their working practices and investigates their legacy for the civil service, for feminism and for the industrial working lives of women. It examines the influence of their work on legislation and on improvements in the working lives of women in industry and workshops throughout Britain. Sources include Parliamentary papers, select committee reports, census returns and directories as well as biographical sources and some private papers to reconstruct their working practices. In improved sanitary conditions,
power woman civil_servant board trade factory university educate woman consider expert woman issue appoint home office board_trade investigate work live impact appointment political_context period expansion woman_movement poverty development social conscience select_group woman identify pioneer establishment position_woman professional grade within civil_service number expand first_world_war contract sharply afterwards study reconstruct life_history cohort work practice investigate legacy civil_service feminism industrial work life_woman examines influence work legislation improvement work life_woman industry workshops throughout_britain sources include parliamentary paper select committee report census_return directory well biographical source private_paper reconstruct work practice improve sanitary condition