Women have been consistently excluded from all manner of clubs and associations over the years, whether as the direct result of an anti-woman policy or indirectly through prohibitive entry requirements, social constraints, or conflict of interests and tastes. Retaliation from women has taken two directions: some women have set up their own exclusive clubs that reflect their own interests and aims, while others have taken on the men and striven to break down resistance to their joining ‘men’s’ clubs on an equal footing. This book traces the development of the current situation, drawing from a wide range of sources, some of which have never been published before. Looking at the different types of clubs and associations that include women and girls from the WI to the Girl Guides, this book is a rich social history full of fascinating observations and stories, and will be absorbing reading for anyone interested in sociology, women’s history or the transformation of Britain’s social life.

Louisa Mary, Lady Knightley of Fawnsley, was a woman of unusually wide interests, especially in the field of public affairs. In an age when few opportunities arose for women to make a contribution to political and feminist matters, Lady Knightley was an early pioneer of both causes. Denied the vote as a woman, she was a leading advocate of the campaign for constitutional, non-militant action to achieve the franchise, a cause which she continued to espouse until her death in 1913. Her later journals, written with warmth and humour, provide a fascinating picture of politics and society in England at a time of crucial change. Her journals provide many insights into rural politics following the Reform Acts of 1884 and 1885.

Focusing on the historical development of the British women's magazine, this book begins with descriptions of different kinds of magazines. This is followed by an exploration of elements that made up the mix of ingredients and a comprehensive listing.

Bush (arts and social sciences, Nene University College, Northampton) analyzes aristocratic and upper-middle-class women's involvement in imperialist associations, and investigates their relationship with male imperialist leaders and the male-dominated patriotic leagues during the early 20th century. She also looks at their work with female emigration, education, colonial hospitality, and imperial race- thinking. She concludes that personal motivation, organizational methods, and patriotic faith were embedded in a social and political context that empowered elite women in selective, gender-related ways.