Women at Work in Australia

Women at Work in Australia looks at the work undertaken by women in the period of Australian history between the gold rushes and World War II. In this time the economic and social changes were great, including the affluent years of bouyant economic growth to the depth of two depressions. It examines the different areas of work women were involved in during this period - domestic service, manufacturing, commerce, public administration and the arts. Women in various employment areas found success and failure, often the work they were forced to take was for survival. This book highlights the varied work experiences of women in this period. It combines first hand experiences through historical documents and photographs; the reconstruction of past events as told through literature and carefully selected diagrams which reinforce the strong message that in so many cases women's work was for survival. Students will feel and appreciate the problems women encountered from their personal writing. The stories of their lives and the description of the working conditions of an industry will awaken the student to the reality of Australia's past, and in particular the role women played in that past.