Women's Legal Landmarks in the Interwar Years - by Rosemary Auchmuty & Erika Rackley & Mari Takayanagi (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This book focuses on the often forgotten legal landmark' that benefited, or aimed to benefit, women in England and Wales between 1918 and 1938. The book follows campaigns by key women's organisations, including the Six-Point Group and the Married Women's Association, while assessing the impact of early women lawyers and politicians. Bringing together 30 academics and scholars, the book uncovers an era marked by feminist activists to provoke legal reforms and advances impacting every area of life - including property, family relationships, access to health care, criminal law, employment opportunities, pay, pensions and political representation"--

Book Synopsis

Women's Legal Landmarks in the Interwar Years shines new light on 33 legal landmarks, many forgotten today, that affected women in England and Wales between 1918 and 1939.

It considers the work of feminist activists to bring about legal change which benefited - or aimed to benefit - women. Areas explored include property, inheritance, adoption, marriage, access to health care, criminal law, employment opportunities, pay, pensions and political representation. It also examines campaigns by key women's organisations, and assesses the impact of early women lawyers and politicians.

While some of the landmarks effected change during this period, others provided the foundation for measures in later decades. Together the landmarks demonstrate that far from being a relatively quiet period of British feminism, the interwar period played a key role in ongoing fights for recognition, representation and justice.

About the Author

Rosemary Auchmuty is Professor of Law at the University of Reading, UK.
Erika Rackley is Professor of Law at the University of Kent, UK.
Mari Takayanagi is Senior Archivist at the Parliamentary Archives, UK.