Widows Poverty, Power and Politics

The unlikely history of women's empowerment through widowhood

Historically seen as figures of pity and foreboding—poverty stricken receivers of charity, tragic figures dressed in black, and even sometimes sexually voracious predators or witches—widows have been subject to powerful stereotypes that have endured for centuries. But for many women, widowhood unfolded into a vastly more complex story. From being property of men and housekeepers—the owners of nothing—they found themselves suddenly enfranchised, empowered, and free to conduct themselves however they wished. From suffrage campaigners and politicians, to entrepreneurs and newly self-made women, the effect of widows’ might can be seen throughout history. In Widows historians Maggie Andrews and Janis Lomas pull together the stories of fascinating women, both famous and unknown, and their exploits after being widowed. They show how throughout history widows have carried on with everyday life in the face of poverty or isolation, their struggles for political power, and the ways that many of them have contributed to improving the lives of women today.

MAGGIE ANDREWS is Professor of Cultural History at the University of Worcester, whose wide range of research and publications focus on femininity and domesticity. She is an active member of the Women's History Network and lives in Pershore, Worcestershire. JANIS LOMAS completed her PhD on war widows at the University of Staffordshire and later worked as a lecturer in women's history at the University of Birmingham. She was a founding member of the Women's History Network and founded the WHN Midlands Region.