My thesis explores the experiences of socialist women throughout south Wales and south-west England across a period of rapid political, social, and economic change (c.1920s-1969). Local histories of Labour Party politics have long demonstrated the importance of exploring the grassroots and have been vital in uncovering the role and experiences of women. While historians have covered substantial ground in this area, particularly when exploring interwar political activity, histories of post-war labour women have largely had a national and institutional approach, highlighting women’s political exclusion and individuals who had success navigating institutional restrictions. The underdeveloped historiography for grassroots Labour women following the Second World War has resulted in the assumption it lacked the vibrant activism and political participation of the interwar period; the same is true for geographical regions outside of socialist hotbeds, such as rural areas in south-west England.

Building on recent scholarship, my thesis complicates traditional periodisation, by spanning across artificial boundaries, and the geography of women’s socialist organisation. Focusing upon a historiographically neglected region, south-west England, and a region renowned for socialist activism, south Wales, allows for an exploration of commonalities and local everyday experiences, highlighting both the fluidity of political ideologies, networks, and shared experiences across a wide geographical area.

Thanks to the support of the Society, I have visited archives across the UK, including Bristol Archive, Kresen Kernow, the Southwest Heritage Centre, the Labour History Archive at the Manchester People’s History Museum, and the Co-operative Archive.

These visits have hugely advanced my research, allowing me to explore the experiences and activities of Labour women in the south-west of England. On these research trips I worked with a vast range of materials, such as the records of local Labour Party Women’s Sections, Women’s Co-operative Guild minute books, conference reports, correspondence, and interviews.

A key highlight was listening to the Labour Movement and Little Moscow Audio Projects held at Kresen Kernow. These valuable resources gave fascinating and rare insights into women’s everyday experiences of Labour Party activism, and most importantly in their own words. The collection consisted of interviews with working-class Cornish women who were active in their local parties throughout the twentieth century. They covered a range of themes from the foundation of their political beliefs, their work for the Party, and their thoughts on contemporary campaigns and policies; together giving a glimpse into party life for politically active women in areas not traditionally considered strong for the Labour Party.

In addition to archival visits, the SSLH supported me in purchasing a Findmypast subscription. Through Findmypast I have been able to delve deeper into the lives of the local activists uncovered in the archival material through use of censuses; birth, marriage, and death records; and the press. This additional resource has allowed me to establish a picture of women’s backgrounds, adding greater depth to my analysis of their identities and lived experiences, which I hope will shed further light on individuals’ motivations for becoming engaged in political activism. Through this subscription I also gained access to online newspapers which provided a wealth of interesting stories and details from local political organisations and women from across the geographical areas I am exploring.

As a self-funded PhD student, conducting this research would have been very difficult without the support of the SSLH. I am immensely grateful to the SSLH for making this research possible; it has been fundamental to developing my understanding of Labour women’s political activity in south-west England.

Find out more about bursaries on offer from the Society for the Study of Labour History.