| Description | This annotated typescript was prepared by Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury for an address about the history of women's involvement in local government and more recent opportunities for women to participate in such work. The typescript is divided into six separate sections entitled 'Introduction', 'Municipal Councils', 'District and Parish Councils', 'London Government', 'Political Influence of Women' and 'Poor Law'.
1. 'Introduction':
Taylor Cadbury's address begins with the following statement:
'In England there is a rooted distrust of extreme measures: it is usual to proceed towards the end desired by gradual stages without ever breaking the link that connects the past with the present'.
She continues with an outline of the structure of central government and local government bodies, explaining the responsibilities of authorities such as county councils. Annotations in pen stating 'women wanted' or 'w.w.' appear next to specific aspects of each authority's work, revealing areas in which she viewed women to be particularly important. These annotations feature in relation to work within the education authority, the provision of asylums, the Housing and Town Planning Act, isolation hospitals and the allocation of old age pensions. Taylor Cadbury also provides a detailed description of the work of county councils in relation to the 1908 Children's Act, suggesting that the contribution of women had been particularly important to this aspect of local government work.
2. 'Municipal Councils':
In this section Taylor Cadbury describes the structure of municipal councils and women's right to vote in municipal elections. She outlines the areas of work in which women were involved, including work with hospitals and housing. Taylor Cadbury also refers to the work of women sanitary inspectors, health visitors and opportunities for women to become involved in work supporting infant welfare through initiatives such as mothering classes and milk depots.
3. 'District & Parish Councils':
In this section Taylor Cadbury explains the structure of urban and rural district councils and parish councils. She describes the work which these councils were involved in as well as remarking on the voting qualifications required to vote in District and Parish Council elections.
4. 'London Government':
Taylor Cadbury explains the structure of the city's government remarking on women's involvement as freemen of the city's livery companies and the role of women serving on London County Council and the Metropolitan Borough Councils. Taylor Cadbury describes the areas of practical work where women were involved such as in 'lunatic asylums' and sanitary inspection.
5. 'Political Influence of Women':
In this section Taylor Cadbury considers women's indirect influence on politics from the Saxon period onwards referring particularly to Boudicca. She also remarks on other prominent women including Selina, Countess of Huntingdon and the Duchess of Devonshire. In addition, Taylor Cadbury considers female petitioners to Parliament and women's involvement in 'election times'. A second part of this section follows entitled 'Le Roi'. This section is written in French and explores the influence of prominent French women.
6. 'Poor Law':
In this largely handwritten section, Taylor Cadbury provides an overview of the history of the poor law remarking that women had been 'essential' to poor relief work with reference to Louisa Twining. She also refers to the work of women relieving officers. These notes include a newscutting relating to Louisa Twining's work and conclude with a short section entitled 'women in times of difficulty, danger government' which includes the names of the women that Taylor Cadbury intended to examine, such as Joan of Arc. |