This book shines a light on the many areas of female activity in and
around Watford, both 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 lives
of those employed in domestic service, the impact of poor housing and
terrible poverty on women's lives and the efforts to redress the
situation and the changes in social hierarchy. Within the broad spectrum
of life, individual stories show that there were still 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, but also in the sciences, such as Harriette Chick, who
worked in the Lister Institute in Elstree.
Education became of increasing importance and this was reflected in the
growth of the number of schools taken female pupils and employing women
as teachers, a number of which were set up philanthropically
specifically for girls. Schooling for girls improved their opportunities
and in times of crisis, the country came to rely on the varied
contribution women could make - from skilled and devoted nurses staffing
the hospitals to technicians in the factories in times of war - leading
to the reappraisal of the role of women in postwar Britain.
