SEX AND GENDER

Manuscript Sources from the Public Record Office

Parts 1 and 2: Empire and Suffrage

Contents of Reels - Part 2

REEL 19

FO 371/3715 Nationalist Disturbances in Egypt in 1919; Madame Saad Zaghlul Pasha; Reports and Papers for 1919

FO 371/17883 Palestine and Transjordan, 1934: including a Protest of the Jewish Women Workers of Palestine against the New Municipal Ordinance which deprived the Women of Palestine of their Civic Rights, May 1934 (see especially E3421 – folios 139-146)

REEL 20

FO 371/21875 Palestine: Internal Matters, 1938: including material on Arab ladies of Jerusalem

FO 371/23966 Dominions and the war effort; intelligence matters; telegrams; Inter-Dominion co-operation; papers relating to Canada, India, Rhodesia, New Zealand and China, 1939

FO 371/67488B UN: Status of Women Commission, 1947

FO 371/67615 UN: Status of Women Commission, 1947: Resolutions and statistics

FO 371/67616 UN: Status of Women Commission, 1947: Questionnaire results: UK and Burma

REEL 21

FO 371/67617 UN: Status of Women Commission, 1947: Questionnaire results from all colonial territories

FO 371/67618A UN: Status of Women Commission, 1947: Questionnaire results from all colonial territories

FO 371/67827 Liberia: female suffrage in Liberia, 1947

FO 371/72816 UN: Status of Women Commission, 1948: general papers

FO 371/72817 UN: Status of Women Commission, 1948: general papers; includes pamphlet on the History of the Liaison Committee of Women’s International Organisations, 1925-1945, with chronological index and subject index of work done in this period

FO 371/72818 UN: Status of Women Commission, 1948: UK and the Colonies: Nationality and Status of Women

REEL 22

FO 371/72819 UN: Status of Women Commission, 1948: marriage, education and pay

FO 371/72820 UN: Status of Women Commission, 1948: marriage, nationality and taxes

FO 371/72821 UN: Status of Women Commission, 1948: civil liberties, civil service, military, taxation

FO 371/78924 UN: Status of Women Commission, 1949: including questionnaires covering the Colonies

FO 371/78925 UN: Status of Women Commission, 1949: including memorandum on the status of women in the Colonies

FO 371/88773 UN questionnaire on the status of women, 1950

REEL 23

FO 371/88774 UN questionnaire on the status of women, 1950

FO 371/90795 Cuba: Law concerning equal civil rights of women in Cuba, 1951

FO 371/97702 Bolivia: establishment of universal suffrage, 1952

FO 371/107134 UN Commission on the Status of Women; opening of Convention on the Political Rights of Women for signature, March 1953; Draft Convention on Nationality of Married Women, 1953 (Folder 1)

FO 371/107135 UN Commission on the Status of Women; opening of Convention on the Political Rights of Women for signature, March 1953; Draft Convention on Nationality of Married Women, 1953 (Folder 2)

FO 371/107143 Notes on the Proceedings in the UN General Assembly
Third Committee dealing with self-determination, political rights of women, freedom of information, refugees and the Report of the ECOSOC; papers of the Commission on the Status of Women; opening of Convention on the Political Rights of Women for signature, March 1953; Draft Convention on Nationality of Married Women, 1953

FO 371/109261 Paraguay: Legislation according civil rights to women in Paraguay, 1954; Women’s Political Rights in Latin America, 1954

FO 371/112484 Work of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, 1954

FO 371/119713 Libya: Position of women in Cyrenaica, 1956

FO 371/123797 UK ratification of the UN Convention on Political Rights of Women, 1956

FO 371/129968 UN Convention on Political Rights of Women, 1957

REEL 24

FO 371/129972 UN Commission on the Status of Women, 1957 and UN Draft Convention on Nationality of Married Women, 1957

FO 371/129973 UN Commission on the Status of Women, 1957: much material on Latin America

FO 371/129974 UN Commission on the Status of Women, 1957

FO 371/129975 UN Commission on the Status of Women, 1957

FO 371/129976 UN Commission on the Status of Women, 1957

FO 371/145417 UN Convention on Political Rights of Women, 1959; Thirteenth Session of UNGA; UN Commission on the Status of Women, 1959

FO 371/145419 UN Commission on the Status of Women, 1959, general papers (Folder 1)

REEL 25

FO 371/145420 UN: Commission on the Status of Women, 1959, general papers (Folder 2)

FO 371/145421 UN: Commission on the Status of Women, 1959, general papers (Folder 3)

FO 371/145422 UN: Commission on the Status of Women, 1959, general papers (Folder 4)

FO 371/145423 UN: Commission on the Status of Women, 1959, especially replies to questionnaires; good responses regarding Tanganyika, Gambia, Nigeria and the Cameroons (Folder 5)

FO 371/145424 UN: Commission on the Status of Women, 1959, especially replies to questionnaires (Folder 6)

FO 371/172744 UN: Commission on the Status of Women, 1963 (Folder 1)

FO 371/172745 UN: Commission on the Status of Women, 1963 (Folder 2)

FO 371/172746 UN: Commission on the Status of Women, 1963 (Folder 3)

FO 371/178305 UN: Human Rights: political freedom for women, 1964

REEL 26

FO 371/178310 Future of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, 1964; questions regarding UK representation, 1964

FO 371/178442 UN: Human Rights; Status of Women; Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 1964

FO 371/183659 UN: Commission on the Status of Women: Meeting in Tehran, 1965 (Folder 1)

FO 371/183660 UN: Commission on the Status of Women: Meeting in Tehran, 1965 (Folder 2)

FO 371/183661 UN: Commission on the Status of Women: Meeting in Tehran, 1965 (Folder 3)

REEL 27

FO 371/189941 UN: Convention on Political Rights for Women, 1966

FO 371/189948 UN seminars on Human Rights in Developing Countries: papers on women in public life, human rights and apartheid. (Folder 1)

FO 371/189949 UN seminars on Human Rights in Developing Countries: papers on women in public life, human rights and apartheid. (Folder 2)

REEL 28

FO 371/189950 UN seminars on Human Rights in Developing Countries: papers on women in public life, human rights and apartheid. This file has particularly good material on Apartheid. (Folder 3)

FO 371/189951 UN Commission on Status of Women, 1966. (Folder 1)

FO 371/189952 UN Commission on Status of Women, 1966. (Folder 2)

FO 371/189953 UN Commission on Status of Women, 1966. (Folder 3)

HO 44/34 London Society for the Protection of Young Females and Prevention of Juvenile Prostitution: Printed pamphlet on the Society, February 1839. J B Talbot, Secretary. [folios 223-230 only]

HO 45/1892 Police: Apprehension of Prostitutes, 1847

HO 45/5166 Police: Annoyance by Prostitutes in the street, 1853-1854

REEL 29

HO 45/6628 Prostitution: London street prostitution and brothels, 1857-1858

HO 45/7370 Prostitution: Nightly prostitution in refreshment houses, 1862

HO 45/9547/59343L Prostitution and White Slave Traffic; Contagious Diseases Act (Women): Reports of Local Government Board Inspectors, 1885

HO 45/9575/80993 Prostitution and White Slave Traffic; Contagious Diseases Act (Women); Police authority to prevent use of Music and Dancing Rooms by prostitutes, 1879

HO 45/9740/A55536 Prostitution and White Slave Traffic; Contagious Diseases Act (Women): Vice in Garrison Towns; Proposed Legislation, 1893-1896; includes pamphlet with “An Analysis of the Evidence in Seventy Consecutive Cases made under the New Criminal Law Amendment Act”

HO 45/9745/A56729 Prostitution and White Slave Traffic; Contagious Diseases Act (Women): Proposed bill of 1895 to amend Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1885

HO 45/9784/B2917 Prostitution and White Slave Traffic; Contagious Diseases Act (Women): Vagrant Act Amendment Bill, 1888-1889 (folder 1)

HO 45/9785/B2917A Prostitution and White Slave Traffic; Contagious Diseases Act (Women): Vagrant Act Amendment Bill, 1888-1889 (folder 2)

HO 45/9964/X15663 Prostitution and White Slave Traffic; Contagious Diseases Act (Women): Difficulty experienced by Police in obtaining convictions of prostitutes unless supported by persons annoyed, 1887-1889

REEL 30

HO 45/10390/171419 Aliens: Expulsion of alien prostitutes, 1908

HO 45/11072/387653 Prostitution and Allied Offences: League of Nations: International Convention on the Traffic in women and children, 1919-1922

HO 45/11574/419359 Elections: Women's Enfranchisement Bill, 1922; Representation of the People's Bills, 1922-1924; Papers for 1920-1924

HO 45/12998/437063 Elections: Wives of persons residing in a University College or Hall: Entitlement to parliamentary franchise, 1922-1928

REEL 31

HO 45/13020/474274 Equal Franchise Committee, 1924-1928 (Parts I and II; 2 folders)

Equal Franchise Committee: Part I: Papers 1924-1927, with complete run of 18 sub-files as follows:

474274/3 Equal Franchise for Men and Women. Memorandum, 21 January 1925.

474274/5 Equal Franchise for Men and Women. Papers regarding deputations to the Equal Franchise Committee, 29 January 1925 - 19 February 1925.

474274/12 Representation of the People Bill, 1925, introduced by Mr Whitely.

474274/16a Parliamentary Question from Mr Crawford asking about a Government Conference on the Franchise, 7 May 1925.

474274/18 Equal Franchise. Papers expressing the hope that some reference to intentions of the Government will be made in the King’s Speech, 21 January 1926.

474274/20 Parliamentary Question from Mr Briant asking what countries have placed women on an equality of franchise with men, 4 February 1926.

474274/24 Equalisation of the Franchise Bill, 1926. Introduced by Captain Wedgwood Benn

474274/23 Equal Franchise. Cuttings from the Sunday Times, 2 March 1926 and 28 February 1926.

474274/28 Equal Franchise: Private Bill by Mr Grundy to call attention to the question of equal franchise as between men and women; and to move, that, in the opinion of the House, the right to vote should be conferred upon all citizens, male and female alike, on reaching the age of 21. 25 March 1926.

474274/37 Votes for Women at 21. Request that MPs should have timely information to enable them to estimate addition to the electorate which would result if vote is accorded to women at the age of 21. From Colonel Vaughan Morgan, MP. 29 October 1926.

474274/41 Equal Franchise for Men and Women. Extract from Conclusions of Meeting of Cabinet. Composition of Cabinet Committee to consider this subject and its terms of reference, November 1926.

474274/42 Parliamentary Question from Mr Hayes. Is it proposed to introduce the Bill granting the franchise to women on the same terms as men before the next general election? 23 November 1926.

474274/43 Extension of Franchise to Women: Appointment of Advisory Committee. 19 November 1926.

474274/48 Equal Franchise for Men & Women. Report of first meeting of Cabinet Committee on 15 December 1926 and related papers.

474274/48a Equal Franchise Committee. Memoranda and correspondence from Lord Eustace Percy at the Board of Education, December 1926.

474274/48b Cabinet Committee on Equal Franchise: Minutes of Meetings held on 15 December 1926, 14 February 1927, and 21 February 1927.

474274/49 Equal Franchise Committee. January 1927. Reports on the laws in the Dominions and in Foreign Countries (especially Australia, Canada, Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Jugoslavia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Roumania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States of America).

474274/55 Parliamentary Question by Mr Thurtle, 16 December 1924, about Government intentions regarding legislation on Equal Franchise for men and women.

Equal Franchise Committee:

Part II: Papers 1927-1928, with complete run of 18 sub-files as follows:

474274/91 Notes for girls of twenty-one. News cutting from the Daily Mail, 3 November 1927.

474274/104D Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Bill, 1928. Memoranda and correspondence.

474274/104C Equal Franchise Bill. Extracts from Conclusions of Cabinet Meetings held on 21 and 29 February and 7 March 1928. With relevant memoranda and papers.

474274/104B Equal Franchise Bill. Observations from Ministry of Health on question of Poor Relief disqualification. February 1928.

474274/104A Equal Franchise Bill. Drafts. January 1928.

474274/101 Equal Franchise Bill. Request for free vote in the House of Commons, from Sir William Davison, 7 December 1927.

474274/100 Parliamentary Question from Colonel Sir Arthur Holbrook asking Secretary of State how many voters will be added to the parliamentary lists when women of 21 years of age and upwards are included on the same basis as men voters; and asking if he can state the additional cost to the taxpayer, if any, of the proposed increase in the registers. 5 December 1927.

474274/94 Equal Franchise Bill. Statement of views from Conservative Central Office. 18 November 1927.

474274/90 Votes for all women at age of 21. Copy of resolution passed at Annual Conference of Conservative Associations in Cardiff calling on Government to pass a measure without delay. 14 October 1927.

474274/89 Equal Franchise. Resolutions to be moved at the Annual Conference of Conservative Associations in Cardiff, 5-7 October 1927.

474274/88 Women Voters. Effect of New Franchise Bill. Extract from the Morning Post,
13 September 1927.

474274/83 Parliamentary Question from Sir Evelyn Cecil asking Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in what countries having parliamentary government does the age for qualification as a voter exceed 21; what is the qualifying age in each of these countries; and whether there is a differentiation between the sexes. 18 May 1927.

474274/80A Representation of the People (Equal Franchise). Draft memorandum from the Registrar General in response to an enquiry by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, dealing with the probable increase of the electorate resulting from amendment of basis of qualification of women. 3 May 1927.

474274/80 Franchise Bill. Note from Conservative Central Office on suggestion that distinction should be made between those over 30 and those under 30, by giving 2 votes to the former and one to the latter. This proposal was put forward by Basil Peto and Hugh Stucley. April - May 1927.

474274/78 New Women Voters. Estimated Number. Parliamentary Question from Sir Samuel Chapman, 28 April 1927. Asks Home Secretary about estimated number of women voters in different age ranges and what proportion of the electorate such numbers represent.

474274/67 Representation of the People Bill, 1927. Introduced by Mr Haden Guest, April 1927, with relevant supporting papers from Cabinet and Home Office.

474274/55A Equal Franchise Committee. Memorandum by Home Secretary circulated to Cabinet, March 1927.

474274/51 Equal Franchise Committee. Memorandum by Home Secretary, 11 February 1927.

REEL 32

HO 45/16914 Prostitution and Allied Offences: White Slave Traffic Convention, Paris 1910: extradition of offenders, 3 April 1913 - 7 January 1929

HO 45/16915 Prostitution and Allied Offences: White Slave Traffic Convention, Paris 1910: extradition of offenders, 30 October 1929 - 4 March 1937

REEL 33

HO 45/17510 Prostitution and Allied Offences: Traffic in women and children: International Convention, Geneva, 1933

HO 45/20163 Nationality and Naturalisation: Home Office representation on Conference on the operation of Dominion Legislation and Merchant Shipping Legislation, 1929: Memoranda in connection with nationality matters; extra territorial effect of British Nationality Law; papers for 1927-1930, including Minutes of Meetings of the Conference on the Operation of Dominion Legislation, 1929

HO 291/122 Foreign laws and practice; prostitution in India, 1919-1954

LAB 11/864 Linen and cotton handkerchiefs: manufacturing shawls or quilts for native women from fents and tabs of cotton, 1929

REEL 34

LAB 13/2106 United Nations: Draft declaration on Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 1963-1967

LAB 13/2415 United Nations: Convention on the Political Rights of Women, notes and papers, 1965-1968

LAB 13/2422 United Nations: seminar in Mongolia on the Participation of Women in the Field of Public Life, Ulan Bator, 1965: Note by Ministry of Labour

LAB 13/2429 United Nations: Commission on the Status of Women: notes and papers, 1965-1967

LO 3/411 Suffragette prisoners, May 1912

LO 3/439 Forcible feeding of suffragettes, March 1913

LO 3/1151 The Government of India Act, November 1936 (S.292)

PREM 1/14 India: Sir Austen Chamberlain’s correspondence with Sir Michael O’Dwyer on the Punjab, 1921

PREM 1/40 India: Deputation on Dominion Status for India: material by Annie Besant, 1924

PREM 1/58 India: Statutory Commission and legislation involved, 1927

REEL 35

PREM 1/216 India: Discussion with Secretary of State for India on British policy, 1937

PREM 1/270 India: Memorandum by Lord Lothian on India, 1938

PREM 1/271 India: Viceroy of India’s views on situation in India, 1938

PREM 8/58 India: Talks with Sir Evan Jenkins (Private Secretary to the Viceroy) about the situation in India, 1945

PREM 8/59 India: Consideration of sending a plenipotentiary to India, 1945

PREM 8/247 India: Manuscript letters from Lord Pethwick Lawrence reporting progress made by Cabinet in India, 1946

PREM 8/549 Governors General for India and Pakistan: Lord Mountbatten’s appointment as Governor General of India, 1947

PRO 30/69/1817 Papers of Ramsay MacDonald: Pamphlet [just the one item; pamphlet numbered “333.12”] The Relation of Women to Municipal Reform: An Address made by Herbert Welsh at a meeting of the Friday Morning Class, February 23, 1894, printed by the Civic Club of Philadelphia.

PRO 30/69/1834 Papers of Ramsay MacDonald: Printed Pamphlets on the Suffrage Question, c1832-1936

Comprised as follows:

Women’s Labour League . Report of the Second Annual Conference, 18 May 1907. (24pp)

Women’s Labour League . Report of the Third Annual Conference, 18 and 20 January 1908. (24pp)

Women’s Labour League . Central London Branch. Report for year ending 31 March 1909. (4pp)

Women’s Labour League . Demonstration concerning Unemployed Women, 21 January 1909. (1p)

The League Leaflet. Being a Paper to interest and to help Members of the Women’s Labour League and other friends of the Labour Party.
No 13: January 1912 (4pp)
No 17: May 1912 (4pp)

Women’s Labour League. Annual Report for the Year 1912 together with Report of Proceedings at the Eighth Annual Conference, 27 January 1913. (71pp)

Women’s Labour League. Annual Report for the Year 1913 together with Report of Proceedings at the Ninth Annual Conference, 26 January 1914. (71pp)

Women’s Labour League. Central London Branch. Annual Report for the year ending 31 March 1914. (4pp)

The Labour Woman. Vol XXIV No:5. May 1936. (pp65-80. The cover carries a photograph of the first Conference of the Women’s Labour League, 18 May 1907.)

The Women’s Social and Political Union. Circular letter about the Women’s Enfranchisement Bill. nd. (3pp)
Women Workers. The Papers read at the Conference arranged by the National Union of Women Workers of Great Britain and Ireland in conjunction with the Committee of the Brighton Branch of the NUWW. 23-26 October 1900. (216pp)

Women Workers. The Papers read at the Conference arranged by the National Union of Women Workers of Great Britain and Ireland in conjunction with the Joint Committee of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Branches of the NUWW.
3-6 November 1903. (152pp)

Woman in the Past, Present, and Future, by August Bebel, translated from the German by H B Adams Walther. (London 1893). (264pp)

The Future of Woman, by Herbert Burrows. A lecture delivered to the South Place Ethical Society, London, 14 February 1909. (16pp)

A Brief Review of the Women’s Suffrage Movement since its beginning in 1832.
April 1911. (11pp)

Woman Suffrage and Electoral Reform, by the Right Hon. Sir Charles Dilke, MP, nd. (20pp)
Speech of the late John Stuart Mill at the Great Meeting in favour of Women’s Suffrage, held in the Music Hall, Edinburgh, 12 January 1871. (8pp)

The Trial of the Suffragette Leaders. (The Woman’s Press, London, nd.) (48pp)

Anti-Suffragist Anxieties by Bertrand Russell. nd. (26pp)

Reports to the first International Conference of Socialist Women, Stuttgart, 17 August 1907. (41pp)

Women and Socialism by Isabella O Ford. (15pp)

The Citizenship of Women: A Plea for Women’s Suffrage by J Keir Hardie, MP. (Fourth Edition, 1906?) (15pp)

Women and the Labour Party by Mrs J. R. MacDonald. January 1909. (8pp)

[some corners are torn and damaged].

Women’s Industries in Scotland. By Miss Margaret H Irwin, Assistant Commissioner, late Royal Commission on Labour, read before the Philosophical Society of Glasgow, 18 March 1896. (22pp)

The Women’s Industrial News. June 1907. (pp619-642)

Women’s Industrial Council. Circular letter. nd. (1p)

The Women’s Industrial News. Index, 1905-1907. (7pp)

Memorandum on the Factory and Workshop Act (Amendment) Bill. Issued by the Women’s Industrial Council (London) and the Scottish Council for Women’s Trades (Glasgow). 10 June 1901. (4pp)

Memorandum of the Women’s Industrial Council of London, the Industrial Committee of the National Union of Women Workers, the Women’s Co-operative Guild, and the Manchester Women’s Trade Union Council. This also relates to the Bill to amend the Factory and Workshop Acts. nd. (4pp)

Women and War, by H M Swanwick. (London 1915?) (14pp)

The Union of Democratic Control. nd. (4pp)

The Polish Problem. nd. (published by the Union of Democratic Control). (20pp)

REEL 36

T 161/88/S.6661 Medical: Diseases: Contribution by Colonies to the Tropical Diseases Research Fund, 1920-1930 [just the sub-file numbered “S.6661”]

T 161/232/S.23957/04 Emigration: Empire Settlement Act, 1922: memorandum of decisions of Imperial Conference on Australia, November 1926 - June 1927
[just the sub-file numbered “S.23957/04”]

T 161/232/S.23957/06 Emigration: Empire Settlement Act, 1922: Domestic Training Centre in England for women intending to settle in Australia as household workers, June 1927 - February 1930
[just the sub-file numbered “S.23957/06”]

T 172/106 Deputations from Women’s Tax Resistance League, 1913

T 172/110 Women’s Suffrage: Deputation from Working Women Suffragists, 1913

T 172/968B Miscellaneous memoranda including deputations on women's enfranchisement, 1910-1914

T 172/1574 Deputation from the Equal Political Rights Campaign Committee to discuss the Enfranchisement of Women, 1927

WO 32/5940 Medical: Compulsory prophylactic treatment for venereal disease for troops in India, 1925

WO 32/11401 Medical: Measures to reduce incidence of venereal disease among overseas troops in the United Kingdom. Copies of Reports of Imperial Conference and Minutes of Conference at the Home Office on this subject, 1917-1918

WO 33/12 Report of the Committee upon venereal disease in the army and navy, 1863 [Part of volume only; just folios 87-99]

WO 33/17A Report of Committee to inquire into treatment and prevention of venereal disease in the army and navy, 1863 [Part of volume only; just folios 76-95]

WO 33/40 Remarks on, and précis of various suggestions for the prevention of contagious venereal diseases, 1883 [Part of volume only; just item (21); folios 241-254]

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