Unemployed women in inter-war Britain: The case of the Lancashire weaving district

Women made up a high proportion of the inter-war workforce of the Lancashir e weaving district but were concentrated in a cotton industry seriously aff ected by a collapse in exports. Consequently, in contrast with national exp erience, they had higher levels of recorded unemployment than men. Exceptio nally high levels among married women led to suggestions that many such app licants for benefit were manipulating unemployment insurance regulations. H owever, evidence suggests that this resulted from difficulties in re-enteri ng a tight labour market after necessary withdrawal, reinforced by employer and trade union practice and discriminatory social policies. Moreover, all women suffered from limited local diversification of women's employment op portunity while multi-income domestic economies inhibited migration.