Struggle and Suffrage in Watford

A study of the many changes in women’s lives in an English town over the course of a century.

This book shines a light on women’s lives in and around the English town of Watford, in the home and at work, in traditional rural employment or in dressmaking, textiles, and the silk industry. The lives of local women are put into the context of the national movement to address inequality and injustice, highlighting the often difficult existences of those employed in domestic service; the impact of poor housing and terrible poverty on women; efforts to redress the situation; and changes in social hierarchy. Individual stories show that there were opportunities for women to take control of their lives, some excelling as entrepreneurs—owning shops, pubs, and other businesses.

During this time of immense social change, pioneering women within the community set the example for others to follow, whether as political activists and suffragettes connecting with the feminist issues of their times or as prominent members of the community dedicating their lives to the needs of others. The region was notable for fostering the talents of numerous prominent artists, Lucy Kemp-Welch, the illustrator of Black Beauty and creator of many recognizable war propaganda posters being the most famous, and women in the sciences, such as Harriette Chick, who worked in the Lister Institute in Elstree. Also addressed in this book are the growth of education for girls, and how contributions during times of crisis—from nursing to wartime factory work—led to the reappraisal of the role of women in postwar Britain.