Surplus women facts for kids
Surplus women is a phrase first used during the Industrial Revolution in Britain. It described a time when people thought there were too many unmarried women compared to men. This idea caused some worry in society.
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Why Were There "Surplus Women"?
During the 1800s, big changes happened in farming and factories. More food meant more people, but fewer farm jobs were needed. Many men found work in new industries or moved to other countries like America. They also joined the military. Women had fewer choices for jobs, especially good-paying ones, both at home and abroad.
By the mid-1800s, many women in Britain between the ages of 20 and 45 were not married. It was also hard for them to find ways to earn money.
The table below shows the difference in population between females and males in the UK:
| Year | Females | Males | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 19.75 | 18.49 | 1.26 |
| 1911 | 21.73 | 20.39 | 1.35 |
| 1921 | 19.80 | 18.08 | 1.72 |
| 1931 | 23.98 | 22.06 | 1.92 |
The 1851 United Kingdom census showed that there were between 500,000 and 1 million more women than men. This made people worried about women living in poverty.
Between 1850 and 1900, more job opportunities opened up for women beyond working as housekeepers. At one point, women made up almost 40% of the British workforce. However, these jobs often paid low wages and offered little chance for promotion. Many women worked in factories, especially in the textile industry.
When World War I began, many of these industries struggled. For example, cotton exports stopped. This led to high unemployment for women, sometimes as high as 44%.
Women and World War I
Before World War I, most children in Britain had to leave school at age 14 to start working. In 1901, more than half of all women workers were under 25. By 1911, most working women were single.
The war made the difference between the number of men and women even bigger. Nearly one million men died during the war. This increased the gap from 670,000 to 1.7 million more women than men. Many unmarried women needed to find ways to earn money.
During the war, many women found jobs in factories. People worried about their health because they were doing hard work they weren't used to. There were concerns that factory work could harm women's health and well-being. People especially worried about women's reproductive health, as Britain needed healthy workers for the future. New health rules were put in place for young women in the workforce. There were also efforts to create a national health service for workers.
Another concern was that women might focus too much on work and less on their homes. Society still expected women to keep a clean house and manage their families. Some men believed that mothers should stay home full-time to raise children. They thought this was best for the future generation of workers. At this time, women were not seen as equal to men in the workplace. They often faced unfair treatment in their jobs. Many women also remained unmarried because there were simply more women than men in Britain.
Women and World War II
World War II created even more job opportunities for women. Some women used their geography skills to make accurate maps for the war effort. These talents were highly valued.
After World War II, many wartime nurseries (daycares) closed. This made it harder for mothers who worked or wanted to work. The government's decision to close nurseries suggested they wanted women to stay home. However, working mothers found other ways to get childcare, often leaving children with family or neighbors.
Women still faced low wages and high unemployment, partly because of a shortage of workers in the 1950s. Employers often treated women unfairly. Women in the workforce were sometimes seen as neglecting their duties as mothers. Society put pressure on women to fit certain roles as wives and mothers. This might have led some women to choose not to pursue a career. After World War II, more women were married with children compared to the time after World War I.
What Happened After the Wars?
After the wars, it was still hard for women to earn money. Many jobs had a "marriage bar," meaning married women were not allowed to work. Also, women lived longer, but if their husbands died, they lost their husband's pension money. This added to the issue of "surplus women" who struggled financially. Florence White was an important person who campaigned for pensions for women to help with this problem.
