The ''English Woman's Journal'' was a

periodical Periodical literature (singularly called a periodical publication or simply a periodical) consists of Publication, published works that appear in new releases on a regular schedule (''issues'' or ''numbers'', often numerically divided into annu ...

dealing primarily with female

employment Employment is a relationship between two party (law), parties Regulation, regulating the provision of paid Labour (human activity), labour services. Usually based on a employment contract, contract, one party, the employer, which might be a cor ...

and

equality Equality generally refers to the fact of being equal, of having the same value. In specific contexts, equality may refer to: Society * Egalitarianism, a trend of thought that favors equality for all people ** Political egalitarianism, in which ...

issues. It was established in 1858 by Barbara Bodichon, Matilda Mary Hays and Bessie Rayner Parkes. Published monthly between March 1858 and August 1864, it cost 1 shilling. After 1860 the ''Journal'' was published by Victoria Press in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, which was run by Emily Faithfull (1835–1895). She employed women workers, contrary to current practice in that period.

Founders and aims

The ''Journal'' was established in 1858 by Barbara Bodichon, Matilda Mary Hays and Bessie Rayner Parkes, with others, Bodichon being the major shareholder and Samuel Courtauld also held shares. Parkes was the chief editor with Hays. Emily Davies (1830–1921) was editor of the ''Journal'' in 1863. The ''Journal'' was intended as an organ for discussing female employment and equality issues concerning, in particular, manual or intellectual industrial employment, expansion of employment opportunities, and the reform of laws pertaining to the sexes. The journal also included literary and cultural reviews not directly related to its central interests. It was "an important publication in social and feminist history", and so was chosen as one of six periodicals and newspapers to be digitised by the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition project, funded by the

Arts and Humanities Research Council The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), formerly Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB), is a British research council, established in 1998, supporting research and postgraduate study in the arts and humanities. History The Arts a ...

Like-minded women

The Langham Place group was the circle of like-minded women who gathered at 19 Langham Place, the ''Journal's'' office in Central London; it also included Helen Blackburn (1842–1903), Jessie Boucherett (1825–1905) and Emily Faithfull. Among the group's activities was the establishment of the Society for Promoting the Employment of Women (SPEW). SPEW aimed at preparing young women for wider employment opportunities, providing apprenticeships and technical training. The ''English Woman's Journal'' was succeeded by '' The Englishwoman's Review'', which started publication in 1866 and continued till 1910.

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

''English Woman's Journal (1858-1864)''
1858 establishments in England 1864 disestablishments in England Defunct feminist magazines published in the United Kingdom Feminism in England Independent magazines Magazines established in 1858 Magazines disestablished in 1864 Magazines published in London Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom