British History- The Impact of WW1 on Society + Social Change during the IWYs (1918-1939)

How did conscription impact the lives of women during WW1?

Conscription created large gaps in the workforce which meant women entered industry for the first time to fill them-- no more separate spheres

How many men left the workforce during WW1?

4.9 million

How many women joined the workforce during WW1?

1.7 million

What % of the entire workforce was female in 1918?

37%

What % of the entire workforce was female by 1920? How did this stand in comparison to pre-war levels?

28% female workforce in 1920, this was only 4% above pre-war levels

Why did the majority of women leave the workforce after WW1 ended?

Dilution agreements made meant that the conscripted workers were promised their jobs back-- this social change was never intended to be permenant

Which act led to 775,000 women being dismissed from their jobs in industry after WW1?

The Restoration of Pre-War Practices Act

How many women were on the Western Front? (non-combative roles)

100,000 auxiliaries and 100,000 military nurses

Why did women experience unequal pay in work during the war?

Trade unions tried to protect their workers interests and didn't want unskilled workers (women) to be paid equally (trade unions are powerful)-- some women were paid as though teenagers

Which developments to female suffrage occurred during the IWYs?

The 1918 ROTPA gave women suffrage for the first time and the 1928 extended the franchise to all women

What was the issue of the 1918 ROTPA in terms of its enfranchisement of women?

It enfranchised middle class, married women, although these types of women were NOT the ones who helped the war effort

What did the 1919 Sex Disqualification Act do for women in the area of politics?

It allowed women to stand as MPs

By 1929, how many female MPs were there?

Only 15, this was 2.3% of parliament

What % of working women were under 35 and what does this show?

69% of working women were under 35, showing that working women were predominantly unmarried or without children

What % of marriages ended in divorce and what does this show?

Only 6%, showing that divorce was difficult and that the institution of marriage was glorified in society

How did a decline in birth rates benefit women?

It meant that less of their time was spent child rearing and more time could be dedicated to leisure or employment

Which informal practise stopped married women from being employed?

The 'marriage bar' meant that most employers would fire women once they married, this occurred although in contravention of the 1919 Sex Disqualification Act

How many female solicitors were there in 1935?

116 (low)

How many houses were built during the IWYs?

One million -- improvement to living conditions

What did Addison, Wheatley and Greenwood's housing policies do?

They each demolished slums and built more council housing

By 1939 what % of houses being built were owner occupied?

31% were owner occupied, because the Conservatives encouraged private housing over council housing

How many people went on holidays in 1937?

4 million

When was Butlins opened?

1937-- more leisure

The number of working hours reduced by an average of ___ hours per week

6hour decrease

Which forms of leisure were primary during the IWYs?

Pubs, football matches, gambling, alcohol, tobacco, cinema, radio

How many cinema tickets were sold per week?

93 million

What % of recreational spending during the IWYs went on alcohol and tobacco?

20% -- v important to people

What overarching economic issue limited the number of people able to enjoy increased leisure during the IWYs?

The unemployed (intractable million) didn't get to enjoy any of it

How did the middle classes experience improved living standards during the IWYs?

They gained a greater share of national wealth and benefitted from consumerism due to cheap money

Car ownership grew during the IWYs from 140,000 vehicles in 1914 to...?

Over 2 million private vehicles (owned by the middle class)

Between 1921 and 1931, by what % did the amount of women in the workforce increase?

It went up by 0.3%

During the IWYs, what fraction of households had a domestic servant?

1/5 of households, the number of women in domestic service actually went up from its 1911 level

During the IWYs what was divorce still mainly grounded on?

Adultery

Why did illegal abortions endure during the IWYs?

The church condemned contraception

What was achieved by the 1928 TUC Mond-Turner talks?

It increased the understanding between capital and labour

Between 1924-1935, by what % did real wages increase due to a fall in prices?

Real wages increased 17%

What was the major socio-economic issue of the IWYs?

The unemployed intractable million and regional disparities in this

Between 1914 and 1918 by how much did trade union membership rise?

It rose by 2 million-- shows that trade unions were strengthened by the war

How many working days were lost in 1918 vs in 1919?

In 1918 5.8million working days were lost vs 35million in 1919 (strikes increase lots right after WW1)

Which areas in the UK experienced prosperity relative to other areas during the IWYs?

London, Liverpool and Bristol were areas which experienced less unemployment and benefited from new dynamic industries

What fraction of the entire middle class lived in London?

1/2 of the whole middle class-- shows regional disparity

What % of Jarrow was unemployed?

72%

What were the depressed areas during the IWYs?

Glasgow, Newcastle, Belfast, Wigan, Merthyr, South Wales

In 1933, how many people were unemployed?

3 million

Why were pensions insufficient to address poverty?

The pension offered was below the poverty line-- 10s/ week

What % of York was in poverty vs London in 1935?

31% of York was in poverty while 10% of London was in poverty (regional disparity)

Trade union membership ____ during WW1

Doubled

Which area saw rent strikes and riots during WW1 due to increased rents?

Glasgow

When did the government introduce rent control during WW1?

1915

Who pays taxes for the first time during WW1?

The working class pay income tax for the first time-- tax increases during the war