Join us this Wednesday 2.30pm at LSE Library for our hybrid talk by Sheena Evans on 'One family, two centuries, two careers: lessons learnt by Dr (Dame) Janet Vaughan (1899-1993) from the example of her aunt, Dame Katharine Furse (1875-1952)'.

Email friendsofthewomenslibrary@gmail.com for link.

The Victorian sex abuse scandal that shocked Britain and changed the law – long before Epstein MPs were forced to respond, passing legislation which raised the age at which girls could consent to sexual intercourse from 13 to 16.

@carolinederry.bsky.social and I have written about our research for @theconversation.com
doi.org/10.64628/AB....

The Victorian sex abuse scandal that shocked Britain and changed the law – long before Epstein MPs were forced to respond, passing legislation which raised the age at which girls could consent to sexual intercourse from 13 to 16.

The new piece by me and @drcisme.bsky.social in @theconversation.com isn't a cheerful topic for weekend reading - but it is an important one.

Legal Temporalities of Sexual Consent Legal Temporalities of Sexual Consent

My book Legal Temporalities of Sexual Consent is out with @edinburghup.bsky.social later this month!

The law on sexual consent is notoriously problematic – but why focus on time? 🧵(1/7)

🌈🎓

Many thanks to The Women's Library who hold and care for the archives of St Joan's International Alliance. @fotwl.bsky.social @gillianmurphy.bsky.social @lselibrary.bsky.social . This research couldn't happen without them!

The Archives holds a number of Women’s Institute records, ranging from the papers of individual branches to the Gwent Federation. Records include photographs, minutes, and references to quirky competitions such as “best valentine”, “homemade sweets” and “most articles in a handbag."

Working from home set up with rubber suffragette duck on desk, New Dawn colourful print on wall behind and a suffrage teatowel hanging over a monitor

Exciting news! I've signed a contract to write my first solo book - on women, politics and the battle for equal franchise between 1918 and 1928. It will be published for the centenary of the Equal Franchise Act in 2028 by @yalebooks.bsky.social Suffraduck is on my desk waiting for me to start! 🗃️

Congratulations Mari! Look forward to reading this book.

I have a new article in @historyworkshop.org.uk that explores the resourcing of feminist activism in the 1970s. Come for the rants about typing, stay for the study of jumble sales as feminist praxis! 🗃️

academic.oup.com/hwj/advance-...

LSE Library is celebrating 100 years of The Women’s Library and will hold a talk by Clara Jones (Kings College London) on 14 May about Virginia Stephen’s link to suffrage campaigning – you might know her better as Virginia Woolf!

More info is here: friendsofthewomenslibrary.org.uk/2026/04/02/v...

Become a Friend – Friends of the Women's Library Support the preservation and growth of The Women’s Library by becoming a Friend. As a Friend, you will be making an important contribution towards documenting and preserving the history of women’s activism and campaigning to the present day.

Keep the history of women's activism alive. Become a Friend of The Women's Library:
friendsofthewomenslibrary.org.uk/become-a-fri...

The Guardian view on the Women’s Library at 100: a cause for celebration but not complacency | Editorial Editorial: The ups and downs of the collection launched by Millicent Fawcett make it an apt symbol of an ongoing struggle

@theguardian.com editotrial on our co-curated Exhibition at @lselibrary.bsky.social, led by @gillianmurphy.bsky.social. "The curators also highlight...the work of...internationalist feminists who opposed imperialism and championed women’s rights around the world".
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The Guardian view on the Women’s Library at 100: a cause for celebration but not complacency | Editorial Editorial: The ups and downs of the collection launched by Millicent Fawcett make it an apt symbol of an ongoing struggle

'The Guardian' view on the Women's Library at 100: a cause of celebration but not complacency
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The Women's Library holds the archives of Gingerbread and some images are on display in the current exhibition celebrating 100 years of the Library.

Purple conference poster.

FINAL CALL FOR PAPERS: Celebrating the Centenary of the Women’s Library and 100 Years of Women’s History (1926-2026).

3-4 September 2026, LSE & Friends House (Euston Road)

More information is on our website: womenshistorynetwork.org/whn-annual-c...

Seminar Klaxon: ‘A minority within a minority: The role of women in the Protestant Associations of Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan, 1920-2016’ – Dr Samuel Beckton The penultimate session of our Spring Seminar Series will take place on Tuesday, 7 April at 7pm GMT. Our speaker for the session is Dr Samuel Beckton, who will be talking about his research on &#82…

Join us on Tuesday, 7th April at 7pm BST for the penultimate session of the Spring Series, feat. Dr Samuel Beckton's paper: 'A minority within a minority: The role of women in the Protestant Associations of Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan, 1920-2016'. Sign-up: womenshistorynetwork.org/seminar-klax...

‘The Finding Katherine Project’: a window into the life of Scottish suffragist, Katherine Walker Lindsay – Katherine Ingram I first learned of Katherine Walker Lindsay in early 2025 when I was examining the letter books of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Society for Women’s Suffrage (GWSSWS), a branch of the National U…

New on the blog!

@kating03.bsky.social explores the life of Scottish suffragist Katherine Walker Lindsay, piecing together her story through extensive archival research, including newspaper and census records #suffrage #votesforwomen #womenshistory

womenshistorynetwork.org/scottish-suf...

Editing Women in Archives project is an exciting project supported by the Pakistan Association of Women Publishers and Editors (PAWPE) and Teesside University. A talk about the project is tomorrow at 2pm. Lots about women's magazines. More details here: englishassociation.ac.uk/thinking-for...

A book called Feminist Librarianship : principles, practices and provocations. Foreword by Amina Shah. Edited by Kirsten MacQuarrie.

Exciting book post today! Nice to see so many pals, old and new, writing in it.

I've just published Follow the Colours: A Play in Two Acts, a historical drama set during the women's suffrage campaign in the 1900s.

'Seizing The Day' Company Seizing the Day Company Presents Wearing The Trousers The true story of Vesta Tilley, one of the most successful cross-dressing music hall stars that you’ve probably never heard of… Written b…

If you're in Bristol, don't miss this briliant play at Alma Theatre by Seizing the Day theatre company - Wearing the Trousers: The story of Vesta Tilley. I saw it last night and loved it! seizingthedaycompany.co.uk/395-2/ #theatre #VestaTilley #musichall

🎉 2025 Leah Leneman Essay Prize Winner 🎉

We are delighted to announce @historyfinn.bsky.social as the winner of the 2025 Leah Leneman Essay Prize for “In her Tyme”: Temporal-Literacy, Work and Scottish Noblewomen (1630–1710)

womenshistoryscotland.org/2026/03/22/2...

Congratulations, Finn! 👏

Sign up for our next seminar, ‘Activism for Married Lesbian Mothers in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s’ with Dr Ellen Hope Durban We are thrilled to welcome Dr Ellen Hope Durban on Tuesday, 24 March 2026 at 4pm UK time to talk about ‘Activism for Married Lesbian Mothers in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s’. Married …

Join us on Tuesday, 24 March at 4pm UK time for our next online seminar. We will be hosting Dr Ellen Hope Durban who is going to discuss her research on 'Activism for Married Lesbian Mothers in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s'. Read more and sign up here: womenshistorynetwork.org/sign-up-for-...

The Women's Library at 100 Find out about the activities planned to celebrate 100 years since The Women's Library was founded.

Thank you to everyone who joined us last night for a very special and memorable evening launching our exhibition, The Women’s Library at 100: celebrating a century of collections.

See more on upcoming events and explore the stories within this historic collection - www.lse.ac.uk/library/twl100

A zine cover with a purple monochrome photo and orange images and text: 'The Women's Library at 100: Celebrating a Century of Collections'

Tonight, the Friends of the Women's Library @fotwl.bsky.social were also there, along with archives including @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy @thelondonarchives.bsky.social @tharchives.bsky.social
And there's a brilliant exhibition zine!

The Women’s Library at 100: Celebrating a Century of Collections Join us as we open our new exhibition with a reception and gathering of representatives from archival institutions!

Looking forward to meeting everyone at LSE Library event to launch a new exhibition and celebrate a 100 years of The Women's Library. Come and say hello.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-womens...

So pleased the wonderful @newsouthpublishing.bsky.social will publish ‘The Book that Taught the World to Orgasm and then Disappeared’ in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
& what a gorgeous cover!

unsw.press/books/the-bo...

Black and white image of women and girls studying.

We are pleased to announce the annual WHN book prize which awards £500 for an author’s first single-authored monograph in women’s or gender history. Entries close on 31 July 2026. More information: womenshistorynetwork.org/23238-2/

Group of young women studying, Washington. c. 1899.

#WomenHistory