The Home Front in the ‘Westminster Village': women staff in Parliament during the Second World War

During World War II, women played pivotal roles in Parliament, replacing male staff in bombed areas and taking on unprecedented administrative tasks. Over 40 women worked in a munitions factory beneath Central Lobby, while six served in the Palace of Westminster Home Guard. Key figures like Kay Midwinter, the first female Clerk in the House of Commons (1940), and Jean Winder, the first female Hansard reporter (1944), broke barriers, with Midwinter transitioning to post-war roles at the League of Nations and the UN. Despite their contributions, Winder faced persistent battles for equal pay. This study reveals how Parliament's wartime adaptation mirrored broader Home Front dynamics while highlighting gender disparities in recognition.

Takayanagi, M. (2016). The Home Front in the ‘Westminster Village’: women staff in Parliament during the Second World War. Women’s History Review, 26(4), 608–620. https://doi.org/10.1080/09612025.2016.1148509