Married Women's Association

The Married Women's Association (MWA) was a British women's organisation founded by Edith Summerskill and Juanita Frances in 1938.[1]

Summerskill became the association's first president. Its original aims were to promote financial equality between husband and wife, to give mothers and children a legal right to a share in the family home, to secure equal guardianship rights for both parents, and to extend the National Insurance Act to give equal provision for women.[1]

The association published Wife and Citizen from 1945 to 1951. Prominent members included Vera Brittain, Juanita Frances, Doreen Gorsky, Helena Normanton, Hazel Hunkins Hallinan[2] and Lady Helen Nutting. In 1952 Helena Normanton's evidence to the Royal Commission on Marriage and Divorce precipitated a split in the association, leading to the establishment of the Council of Married Women.[1]

Its papers are held at the Women's Library.[3]

References
  1. David Doughan; Peter Gordon (2014). Dictionary of British Women's Organisations, 1825-1960. Routledge. p. 91. ISBN 978-1-136-89770-2.
  2. "Hallinan, Hazel Hunkins (1890–1982), campaigner for women's rights". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/63871. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 7 May 2022. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  3. Married Women's Association
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