Women of Wolverhampton

Timeline of events c. 935 - 1984
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c. 935
Birth of Lady Wulfruna. Click here for more  
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985
Aethelred, King of Mercia, gives ten cassati of land at a place called Heantune to a noblewoman by the name of Wulfrun. Click here for more  
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994
Endowment of a church by Wulfrun  
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1005
Death of Wulfruna. Click here for more  
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1792
Mary Wollstonecraft writes her Vindication of the Rights of Women.
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1792
Wolverhampton Rate Book lists 74 women as paying rates.
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1802
Wolverhampton Rate Book lists women in such employment as boxmaker, butcher, hingemaker, joiner, keymaker, lacemaker, publican, farmer, huckster, bailiff and "Martha" the prostitute. Click here for more  
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1842
The Mines Act prohibits women, girls, and boys under the ten years of age from working underground. Click here for more  
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1846
In the Wolverhampton district out of 1,133 marriages that took place not less than 833 women signed the register with their marks The number of illegitimate births was 188  
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1847
Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire Building Society is founded  
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1860
Birth of Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler. Click here for more  
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1867
Birth of Emma Lloyd Sproson (Red Emma). Click here for more  
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1876
2,918 births in Wolverhampton  
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1878
Demolition of Carribbee Island. Click here for more  
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1878
New houses built at Springfields Wolverhampton. Click here for more  
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1880
Wolverhampton Orphan Asylum builds a training home where girls are educated and fitted for domestic service. Click here for more  
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1880
Town gas supply begins  
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1886
Birth of Emma Dorothea Barcroft - Aunty Dorothy.
2,803 births in Wolverhampton. Click here for more
 
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1888
Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler has several volumes of poetry published.
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1888
Birth of Maggie Teyte; born Margaret Tate. Click here for more  
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1890
Wolverhampton Steam Laundry opens. Click here for more  
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1895
Emma Lloyd joins the Independent Labour Party (ILP).
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1896
Emma Lloyd marries Frank Sproson. Click here for more  
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1898
Margaret Tate moves to London. Click here for more  
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c.1900
Birth of Mary Pointon. Click here for more  
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1901
The census for Wolverhampton shows that almost 1/3rd of women engaged in one occupation or another. Click here for more  
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1903
Margaret Tate sings in a charity concert. Click here for more  
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1904
Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler marries Alfred Felkin. The couple move to Eltham. Click here for more  
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1904
Margaret Tate moves to Paris to study under Jean de Reske.
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1906
Emmeline Pankhurst visits Wolverhampton. Click here for more  
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1906
Margaret Tate makes her first public appearance in Paris.
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1907
Emma Sproson joins the Women's Freedom League (WFL).
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1907
Margaret Tate makes her professional debut at the Opera House, Monte Carlo. Click here for more  
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1907
Margaret Tate changes her name to Maggie Teyte. Click here for more  
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1907
Emma Sproson is jailed following march to Parliament Square London.
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1908
Emma Sproson and Mrs Elizabeth Price arrested in further protest at the House of Commons. Click here for more  
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1907-1908
Wolverhampton Branch of National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies publishes its annual report.
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1908
Setback for Wolverhampton Suffragettes as preferred candidate in bye-election loses by eight votes. Click here for more  
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1908
Woman votes in bye-election. Click here for more  
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1908
Maggie Teyte joins the Opera-Comique in Paris. Click here for more  
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1909
Maggie Teyte marries Eugene de Plumon. Click here for more  
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1910
Maggie Teyte's debut in London. Click here for more  
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1911
Emma Sproson is jailed for taking part in "No Vote, No Tax" protest.
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1911-1914
Maggie Teyte a member of the Chicago Opera Company.
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1914-1917
Maggie Teyte a member of the Boston Opera Company.
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1914-1918
First World war brings increase in women in employment.
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1915
Maggie Teyte divorced. Click here for more  
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1916
Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler and her husband move to Bournemouth.
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1918
Emma Sproson is involved in the setting up of a 'National Kitchen' in Darlington Street, Wolverhampton, providing food for the poor and needy.
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1919
Many women aged over thirty are given the vote - and the ban on women sitting on town councils lifted. Click here for more  
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1919

1920

Emma Sproson stands unsuccessfully as Labour candidate for Park Ward. Click here for more  
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1921
Maggie Teyte marries Canadian millionaire Sherwin Cottingham.
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1921
Emma Sproson is elected to Wolverhampton Council.
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1923
BBC broadcasts the Africa Suite composed by E Dorothea Barcroft.
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1924
E Dorothea Barcroft joins the BBC. Click here for more  
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1924-1927
E Dorothea Barcroft produces women's programmes on the BBC.
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1924-1935
E Dorothea Barcroft - Aunty Dorothy - produces and presents Childrens Programmes on the BBC. Click here for more  
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1925
The Staffordshire Women's Welfare Centre is established  
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1926
Courtaulds opens new factory in Wolverhampton.
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1926
Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler's last published novel Signs and Wonders  
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1927
Emma Sproson leaves Labour Party. Click here for more  
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1928
All women over the age of 21 given the right to vote.
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1929
Death of Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler. Click here for more  
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1929
Courtaulds builds second plant at Wolverhampton.
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1931
Maggie Teyte divorced. Click here for more  
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1935
E Dorothea Barcroft resigns from the BBC and opens a music studio in Queen Street, Wolverhampton. Click here for more  
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1936
Death of Emma Sproson. Click here for more  
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1939-1945
Courtaulds on war production. Click here for more  
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1946
Mary Pointon is elected to Coseley Council. Click here for more  
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1951
Maggie Teyte makes her final appearance in opera.
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1953
Mary Pointon first woman chairman of Coseley Council.
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1956
Maggie Teyte makes her farewell concert. Click here for more  
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1958
Death of Emma Dorothea Barcroft
Maggie Teyte awarded DBE. Click here for more
 
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1966
Mary Pointon elected to Wolverhampton Counci. Click here for more  
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1970
Mary Pointon becomes agent and constituency secretary for Mr Bob Edwards the Labour Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South East. Click here for more  
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1970
Courtaulds - a major employer of women closes.
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1972
Courtaulds factory demolished Click here for more  
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1976
Death of Dame Maggie Teyte. Click here for more  
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1983
Death of Mary Pointon. Click here for more  
 
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