Census day. A hundred years ago, many women were boycotting the census, and Emily Davison had taken it one step further, hiding out in a cupboard of the Houses of Parliament so as to claim it as her place of residence on the form. I'm mooching round at home, hoping that shows how far women's lives have come.
I was rummaging round the 1911 census site (there are two, incidentally) trying to find more information about the boycott, boycott parties, and so on, when it occurred to me to use it for its intended purpose. I looked up my name - not there. I was boycotting, it seems.
There's more information available on the 1901 census. Here are the occupations of Sophie Smiths a hundred and ten years ago:
Five Juveniles (1,7,8 and 11 and 15) - three of them living in London
One Nurse Girl, Domestic, 12
One Elementary Teacher, 12
Five Domestic Servants, 14 and up, from the general to the 'Vegetable Maid'
One Housekeeper (26) and a Domestic Cook (34)
Two Pupil Teachers, 17 and 18
A Shirt and Collar Ironer, a Draper's Assistant, a Millinary Buyer, in their 20s
Mysteriously - a Foreman Brush Works, a Pedlar Hawk
Thirteen women giving no occupation at all, mostly over 30.
Two women 'Living on Own Means.'
Not exactly a statistically valid sample but - four major differences. One, reduction in child labour; two, near disappearance of domestic servants; three, more education needed to become a teacher and four, a wider range of roles for women. For everyone, I suspect.
Right, time to look up my address... enjoy being counted, everyone...
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