Call for Papers: Homes fit for Heroines?

Homes fit for Heroines?

Saturday 16 March, 2019

A conference organized by the Women’s History Network: Midlands Region, University of Worcester, Avoncroft Museum and the Voices of War and Peace WWI Engagement Centre

Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings,

Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove, Midlands B60 4JR

In 1918, the day after the armistice, the Prime Minister Lloyd George promised ‘homes fit for heroes’ would be built for the returning soldiers. But behind this slogan lie many controversies: who would provide these homes, who would decide what a ‘fit’ home was, and would they be suitable working environments for women who heroically carried on with the grind of everyday life. This conference seeks to explore the debates, designs and experiences of twentieth century homes and housing in Britain.

The keynote speaker will be Professor Deborah Sugg Ryan whose most recent book Ideal Homes: Design, Architecture and Suburban Modernity in England, 1918-39 has recently been published by Manchester University Press.

We invite you to either submit a proposal for a paper or an exhibition based on your current research in this field of Women’s History. Either provide an abstract of 300 words for a paper or the title and space requirements for an exhibition via email to Prof Maggie Andrews, maggie.andrews@worc.ac.uk by 30 January 2019.