On This Day

01 November 1907

The first women are elected to borough and county councils

Although women had been able to be elected to a number of public bodies since W.E. Forster’s Education Act of 1870 and, following Henry Fowler’s Local Government Act of 1894, to urban and rural district councils, there remained uncertainty as to the position regarding the principal local authorities. This resulted in several court cases and failed attempts by women to stand for the London County Council. Campbell Bannerman’s Government clarified the situation with the Qualification of Women Act of 1907 which entitled women to stand for election to all councils and to become Mayors.