What did women do on the home front in World War One? | History for Year 6 PDF Download

How did women's jobs change?

The absence of men during the war significantly transformed women's roles, with many entering the paid workforce for the first time. By 1918, five million women were employed in Britain, earning money that supported family budgets and forming new friendships in workplaces like factories, offices, and shops.

What jobs did women do in towns?

Many women took up roles in shops and offices. Some became so skilled at typing that they were called 'typewriters,' after the machines they operated. 
Clerks handled tasks such as managing correspondence, filing, and typing. As more women joined office work, they were trained in bookkeeping (tracking financial records) and operating switchboards (telephone control systems).

What was the Land Army?

The Women's Land Army was an organization formed during World War I to address food shortages caused by the war. Women, known as "Land Girls," took on various agricultural roles, including operating machinery like ploughs to prepare soil for crops. By 1917, the Women's Land Army Forage Corps was established, where women worked on British farms, feeding livestock and stacking hay bales to support food production efforts.

What jobs did women do to help the war effort?

Women played a vital role in supporting the war effort beyond frontline contributions. The war created new job opportunities, including roles focused on public safety. Nearly a million women were employed in munitions factories by 1918, producing weapons. This work, which involved handling explosives, often caused health issues, including yellowing skin. Tasks included cutting copper bands on shell cases and maintaining machinery. Women in munitions factories were employed nationwide.

Unequal pay and voting rights

Despite performing the same jobs as men, women faced lower wages. Shop workers earned about half of what men made, while female teachers received less than 80% of a man's salary. Voting rights were also restricted to men, prompting women to protest for equality. In 1918, women over 30 who owned property gained the right to vote, and by 1928, this was extended to all women over 21. Women's contributions on the home front during the war demonstrated their ability to work as effectively as men across various roles, justifying their demand for equal rights.