Women, War & Society, 1914–1918

The First World War had a revolutionary and permanent impact on the personal, social and professional lives of women. Their essential contribution to the war in Europe is fully documented in Women, War and Society, 1914–1918. 

Women, War and Society, 1914–1918 reproduces primary source material brought together in the Imperial War Museum, London, and originally published by the Air Ministry, League of Mercy and War Fund, Purple Cross Service, Russian Relief Fund and many other organizations.  This definitive digital collection of charity and international relief reports, pamphlets, photographs, press cuttings and more is fully searchable.

Women, War and Society, 1914–1918 is an indispensable resource for the study of 20th century social, political, military and gender history, allowing researchers to study:  

• The day-to-day life in wartime hospitals
• Women's activities in Canada, Australia, South Africa and other regions of the world
• Accounts of hardship, heroism and loyalty
• And more

Summary:  Existing reference sources on World War I cover the period, politics and major players of the conflict, but typically fail to explore the contributions of women in detail. Women, War and Society, 1914–1918 fully documents the essential contribution of women during the Great War as well as the revolutionary and permanent impact the War had on the personal, social and professional lives of these women. The collection is indispensable for research into 20th century social, political, military and gender history.

This definitive collection of primary source materials comes from the Women at Work Collection at the Imperial War Museum, London, and includes:

• Photographs
• Posters
• Newspaper cuttings
• Magazines
• Correspondence
• Diaries
• Leaflets and pamphlets
• Reports
• Lists
• Instructions
• Memoranda
• Agenda
• Programs
• Statistics
• Circulars
• Balance sheets
• Regulations
• Invitations
• And more

Included are documents from more than 1,200 organizations, including:

• Air Ministry
• Australian Imperial Force
• British Refugees from Turkey Fund
• Canadian Army Medical Corps
• Daily Express Scheme
• First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
• Ilford Women’s War Help Society
• League of Mercy and War Fund
• Mine Sweepers’ Fund
• New Zealand War Contingent Association
• Purple Cross Service
• Razors Fund
• Russian Relief Fund
• Silver Thimble Fund
• South African Hospital
• Comforts Fund  

Women, War and Society, 1914–1918 is the most comprehensive primary source record of women’s role in Britain’s war effort during the Great War. These added features make the archive a complete research environment:

• An introductory essay and nine interpretive essays by leading scholars providing insight, access and historical background to the material
• A resources section containing four information sheets (with service records, casualty records, medical records, corps collections, further reading and more) on four important women's organizations: The Women's Royal Naval Service, Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps, Voluntary Aid Detachments and Members of the Women's Work Subcommittee
• A gallery of color images, including posters

Significance: The First World War is extensively studied throughout the world and there is growing interest in the actions of women during this time. Women, War and Society, 1914–1918 fulfills the need for primary sources documenting the role of women during the Great War. The collection also allows researchers to examine the First World War from the point of view of the auxiliary services, women’s units, medical services, refugees and the running of the home front (including the provision of food and munitions for the front line).

Source:  Women, War and Society, 1914–1918 was sourced from The Women at Work Collection at the Imperial War Museum, London. The Women at Work Collection was first compiled by the Women's Work Subcommittee that was set up in April 1917 as part of the new Imperial War Museum. The main objective of this committee was to provide a thorough record of women's activities during the war.

Structure: Women, War and Society, 1914–1918 is grouped under the following section headings, which may be searched separately:

• Armenia
• Army
• Belgium
• Benevolent Organizations
• British Red Cross Society
• Colonies
• Czechoslovakia
• Decoration
• Education
• Employment
• Food
• France
• India
• Italy
• Journals
• Land
• Local Records
• Maternity & Child Welfare
• Montenegro
• Munitions
• Poland
• Prisoners
• Relief
• Romania
• Russia
• Serbia
• Suffrage & Politics
• Supplementary Material
• Switzerland
• Syria
• United States of America
• Volunteer Corp
• Women's Royal Air Force
• Women's Royal Naval Service

For more information, download a Product Fact Sheet [pdf, 568 KB]

Download Sample Documents [zip, 3.3 MB]