South Govan Women's Housing Association was established in 1915 under the leadership by

Mary Barbour Mary Barbour ( Rough; 20 February 1875 – 2 April 1958) was a Scottish political activist, local councillor, bailie and magistrate. Barbour was closely associated with the Red Clydeside movement in the early 20th century and especially for h ...

Govan Govan ( ; Cumbric?: ''Gwovan'?''; Scots: ''Gouan''; Scottish Gaelic: ''Baile a' Ghobhainn'') is a district, parish, and former burgh now part of south-west City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south ba ...

on the south side of

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

in Scotland. The Glasgow Rent strikes began in response to rent increases in Glasgow during the First World War. Many thought the landlords in Glasgow were taking advantage of households whose men were away fighting as part of the war effort; thus, working-class women formed tenants associations such as the South Govan Women's Housing Association. Led by

Helen Crawfurd Helen Crawfurd ( Jack, later Anderson; 9 November 1877 – 18 April 1954) was a Scottish suffragette, rent strike organiser, Communist activist and politician. Born in Glasgow, she was brought up there and in London. Biography Born Helen Jack ...

Agnes Dollan Agnes Johnston Dollan MBE ( Moir; 16 August 1887 – 16 July 1966), also known as Agnes, Lady Dollan, was a Scottish suffragette and political activist. She was a leading campaigner during the Glasgow Rent Strikes, and a founding organi ...

and

Jessie Stephen Jessie Stephen, Order of the British Empire, MBE (19 April 1893 12 June 1979) was a twentieth-century British suffragette, labour activist and local councillor. She grew up in Scotland and won a scholarship to train as a teacher. Family financ ...

, the South Govan Women's Housing Association sought to prevent evictions from tenants who could not afford the rent increase and campaigned for subsidized housing. Their efforts led to the �
Rents and Mortgage Interest Restriction Bill
�� as well as the Housing, Town Planning, & c. Act, which saw 213,000 Government subsidized �
Homes Fit For Heroes
�� being built soon after the war.

References

Red Clydeside Organizations established in 1915 1915 establishments in Scotland Organisations based in Glasgow Women in Scotland Housing associations based in Scotland Govan {{Scotland-org-stub