Final Exhibit- Phillips

Shelley Rose

Phillips

Final Exhibit- Phillips

Mops on the March, 1949 Protest Final Exhibit

1949 Press Photo Government Cleaning Ladies Protesting London Holding Mops

Introduction/overview:

The Mops on the March protest of 1949 was a landmark demonstration in post-war London, led by working-class women demanding better living conditions, fair wages, and expanded social services. Taking place on February 1st, 1949 The march was a reaction to the severe housing shortages, severe economic misery, and sluggish social reform progress that plagued post-World War II Britain. The demonstration, which was named to represent the responsibilities that women bear at home, brought attention to the fact that they are not only strong change agents but also caregivers. During a trying time in British history, this grassroots movement continues to serve as a moving illustration of tenacity and teamwork.

Historiography:

Bose, From Marching With Mops To Burning Cash, Women Have Long Been Protesting For Equal Pay

Historiography Connections- Cultural History, Social History, Political History

Geographic Coverage- The Mops on the March, 1949 happened in London specifically from the Temple Gardens to Lincoln’s Inn Fields

Citation for this secondary source- Bose, Rakhi. “From Marching with Mops to Burning Cash, Women Have Long Been Protesting for Equal Pay.” Outlook India, 18 Jan. 2024, www.outlookindia.com/international/from-marching-with-mops-to-burning-cash-women-have-long-been-protesting-for-equal-pay-news-327544.

Press Release-

Rahki Bose is an Indian journalist and assistant editor at Outlook Publishing. Her work focuses on national news, politics, social issues, and human interest stories, particularly those based in Delhi. Bose writes about a wide array of topics, including gender issues, cultural movements, and government policies, often highlighting the challenges faced by marginalized communities. She is also recognized for her in-depth reporting on issues like mental health, gender-based violence, and religious conflicts.

Content- The content in this source expands on more than just the Mops on the March protest. It looks at significant protests all the way from 1911-2023. I obviously will focus on the Mops on March section, but for the press release I will mention some of the other events mentioned as well. For the Mops on the March section Bose mentions the number of cleaners which is one hundred, and why they were marching. They were marching due to the low wage they were receiving(34c), which could not keep up with inflation post war. They demanded a raise to 40c from Sir Stafford Cripps who was Chancellor of Exchequer. Bose also touches on the posters that were being held quoting one saying “Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Women cleaners are next to starvation”. Now, Bose also touches on other protests which I think is important because it shows the connection of the Mops on the March protest and other protest that followed which all fought for women equal pay. The first one that stood out was the Women’s strike for equality in 1970 which is described as US spearheaded by second-wave feminists like Betty Freidan brought over 50,000 women to New York City on August 26, that year being the 50th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment which gave women voting rights. The protest had three self-stated goals in general: free abortion, equal opportunity in the workforce, and free childcare.[2] Another one touched on is the “Women’s Day Off” protest in 1990 when 90 per cent of women in the country walked out of their jobs to protest wage inequality and other gender disparities.[3]. The last protest I want to highlight is the “Day Without a Women” protest in 2017, Bose says it takes place in the US, inspired by International Women’s Day. Women are encouraged to strike from work and engage in other forms of protest to draw attention to gender inequality, including the wage gap.[3] I believe this is so important to show the ongoing fight for women’s rights around the world. The last key piece of information Bose touches on is the passing of the Equal Pay Act in 1963.[4]Although the act failed it is only 14 years following the Mops on the March protest, although it is in a different part of the world, I think it shows how impactful it was.

Impact on Historiography- I believe this had a very big impact on historiography because it really shows the connection of all of the protest fighting for the same goal. So, the history of women’s rallies for equal pay, ranging from the 1949 “Mops on the March” to more contemporary initiatives. By highlighting the persistence of gendered labor protests and the contribution of women to the fight against economic inequality, this source advances historiography. By showing how women’s efforts—often neglected in traditional labor studies—have played a crucial role in creating both economic and social history, it helps move the focus toward the nexus of gender, labor, and activism.

Analysis:

The Mops on the March protest of 1949 offers a compelling lens through which to examine gender dynamics in post-war Britain. At its core, the protest highlighted the intersection of women’s domestic roles and their political agency. The choice of symbolic tools like mops and brooms emphasized societies expectation that women’s primary domain was at home. However, the act of taking these tools to the streets redefined their role from passive homemakers to active political agents, challenging traditional gender norms. Women’s involvement in the march underscored their disproportionate burden in managing the fallout of the housing crisis and economic hardship, as they were often responsible for maintaining households under increasingly worsening conditions.

Furthermore, the protest illuminated the broader systemic undervaluing of women’s labor, both paid and unpaid. While men were often framed as breadwinners in the post-war narrative, women’s dual contributions to the household and the workforce were largely overlooked. The march served as a critique of this marginalization, calling attention to the gendered consequences of policy failures in housing, wages, and social services. By organizing collectively and asserting their demands in public places, these women not only pushed back against specific economic injustices but also against the broader patriarchal structures that relegated their struggles. The Mops on the March thus exemplified how gendered experiences of poverty and inequality can drive political action, reframing women’s domestic identities as a source of collective power rather than a limitation.

Oral History-

“OFFICE CLEANERS PROTEST (MRS MOPPS MARCH).” British Movietone. July 21, 2015. Video, 0:00:55, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouUZbZVKJ44.

Sourcing:

Who is being interviews:Rose Wasmer

Who is the interviewer:Dorothy Summers

When was the interview created:This interview takes place during the protest on February 1st, 1949

Who is the audience:The audience is made up of other lady protesters and government officials/higher ups that works at the Lincoln Inn Fields

Where is the interview archived:This interview is archived on youtube and on British Pathe

Audio clip starts at 0:55 and ends at 1:38

Summary:There are no interview or audio only clips on this protest, this is the only interview that I could actually find at all. I believe this is an important interview because it shows the leader of the protest Rose Wasmer answer the question “What is the grievance?” And she lets the audience know it is about a pay raise. This is important because it is in front of Lincoln’s Inn Fields where many government figures work.

Map-

This is a map of the route that the Mops on the March, 1949 protest took, it begins in Temple Gardens, London, and ends in Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Timeline of events-

Final Exhibit- Phillips

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