Women in Victorian England

Starter: what would the information below mean for women? Before 1870, any money made by a woman either through a wage, from investment, by gift, or through inheritance automatically became the property of her husband once she was married. Once a woman became married her property was no longer her own and her husband could choose to dispose of it whenever he thought suitable: “Thus, a woman, on marrying, relinquished her personal property—moveable property such as money, stocks, furniture, and livestock--- to her husband’s ownership; by law he was permitted to dispose of it at will at any time in the marriage and could even will it away at death”.

Read the extracts in your pack carefully and identify bias Which uphold the traditional role of women? Which challenge it? Extension Research the writers of the passages on your ipads. What can you find out about the writers? How might it explain their position?

Question Time Work in pairs to come up with three questions that you would like to ask a Victorian woman about their life

Surbiton Question Time You are each going to be given a real-life person from 19 th Century Britain to play. You need to find out as much as you can about their views on the role of women so that you can take part in a Question Time event. Each group will consist of: Isabella Beeton Charlotte Bronte Queen Victoria Emmeline Pankhurst