The Employment Opportunities of Women in Britain Between 1914 and 1918

The Employment Opportunities of Women in Britain Between 1914 and 1918

Before 1915 there were high unemployment rates as trade with the

Triple Alliance had ceased, many servants and maids were dismissed and

some employees shut down their factories in the initial war panic. In

September 1914 44% of working women were unemployed. In 1915 the

situation changed. The shortage of armaments and supplies for the army

and navy meant that there was a shortage of supplies in the munitions

industry. There was a growing need for more people to take up posts in

the army such as clerks and nurses as it was growing larger. As those

who worked in farms were going out to fight there was a shortage of

people to work on the land and in the public services.

At first there was hostility towards women in most areas that they

started to work in. Men argued that it was wrong for women to be paid

as much as a man who was working to support his family. Trade unions

were worried that if women took up men's jobs now then after the war

they would not be able to return to their jobs. Although soon most

women were working along side men on a friendly basis some men refused

to help them as they feared their employees would cut their wages as

women were cheaper to employ. Many women joined trade unions. In 1914

433,679 women belonged to trade unions and by 1918 this figure had

almost trebled to 1,209,278. Women left the traditional working areas

like cotton, silk and tailoring to move to better paid jobs that were

traditionally taken up by men.

Around 900,000 women became involved in making shells, guns and

aircraft in factories for the British forces. These women were

generally from a working class background as it was dangerous work.

The shells had to be filled with TNT a substance (trinitrotoluene)

which was used to make explosives. Although there were simple safety

precautions taken like respirators and veils there were often cases of

hair and skin turning yellow.