Sidenius, Jean Hilary (1993) A woman's place in the village : an oral history study of working class women's lives between 1890 and 1940 in and around Broadway, Worcestershire. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This thesis on the role of the rural working class woman, centred on the village of Broadway, Worcestershire and surrounding villages in the period 1890 - 1940, examines and develops the hypothesis that they played a key role in the social and economic functioning of their families. While they were conditioned and educated to provide a reservoir of cheap labour in a very limited variety of gender specific employments - domestic service, sewing, and some forms of field work, this study demonstrates that village women did not perceive themselves as powerless. Their housekeeping role included the power of the purse and in contrast to middle class women they, in addition to their men, were earners and providers. Their managerial role within the family and their pivotal role within the extended family provided the means by which their families could cope with low incomes and harsh living conditions. This thesis examines all aspects of rural women's lives from the formative influences of the home, church, class, and school, to work experience, and marriage. The family's income, including men's, women's and children's contributions is examined, together with its outgoings, including housing, food and clothing, the use and avoidance of debt, and family leisure. The extent of the role of women as providers and receivers of mutual aid within the extended family is researched. Finally, a comparison is made between this research into the role of rural working class woman and research into that of her urban counterpart.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Broadway (England) -- Social conditions -- 19th century, Broadway (England) -- Social conditions -- 20th century, Broadway (England) -- Economic conditions -- 19th century, Broadway (England) -- Economic conditions -- 20th century, Working class women -- England -- Broadway -- History -- 19th century, Working class women -- England -- Broadway -- History -- 20th century, Rural women -- England -- History -- 19th century, Rural women -- England -- History -- 20th century
Date:	September 1993
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Social History
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Mason, Tony, 1938-
Extent:	xvi, 426 leaves
Language:	eng
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/36093

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