English Woman's Journal facts for kids
The English Woman's Journal was a special magazine that focused on important topics for women. It talked about how women could find jobs and be treated fairly, just like men. This magazine started in 1858.
Three amazing women helped create it: Barbara Bodichon, Matilda Mary Hays, and Bessie Rayner Parkes. The magazine came out every month from March 1858 to August 1864. It cost just one shilling, which was a small amount of money back then.
After 1860, the Journal was printed by Victoria Press in London. This printing company was run by Emily Faithfull (1835–1895). What was special about Victoria Press? Emily Faithfull made sure to hire women workers. This was very unusual at that time!
Who Started It and Why?
The English Woman's Journal was started in 1858 by Barbara Bodichon, Matilda Mary Hays, and Bessie Rayner Parkes. They had help from others too. Barbara Bodichon was the main person who invested money in it. Samuel Courtauld also owned some shares.
Bessie Rayner Parkes and Matilda Hays were the main editors. Later, in 1863, Emily Davies (1830–1921) became an editor.
The main goal of the Journal was to discuss jobs for women and how to make things more equal between men and women. They wanted to help women find jobs in factories or in jobs that needed thinking skills. They also wanted to open up more job chances for women. Another important aim was to change laws that were unfair to women. The magazine also had articles about books and culture, even if they weren't directly about jobs or equality.
This magazine was very important for understanding social history and the history of women's rights. Because it was so important, it was chosen to be put online by a project called the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition.
A Group of Friends Working Together
A group of women who thought alike often met at 19 Langham Place in Central London. This was also where the Journal's office was located. This group was called the Langham Place group.
Some other members of this group included Helen Blackburn (1842–1903), Jessie Boucherett (1825–1905), and Emily Faithfull. One of the big things this group did was create the Society for Promoting the Employment of Women (SPEW).
SPEW's goal was to help young women get ready for more job opportunities. They offered apprenticeships, which are like on-the-job training, and technical training. This helped women learn new skills for different kinds of work.
The English Woman's Journal was later followed by another magazine called The Englishwoman's Review. This new magazine started in 1866 and continued to be published until 1910.
See also
In Spanish: English Woman’s Journal para niños
