Welcome to the Woman's History Timeline. Click on a decade above to open a list of key events. Click on a key event to find out more about what happened. Click on LISTEN icons to hear interviews and special archive content about the period.
Victorian Times: for background on women's history during the Victorian era visit BBC Women's History and you can test your knowledge with the women's rights game.
Listen again to the Balloon debate that launched the Woman's Hour Time line and hear why the availability of contraception won the title of most influental event to impact on the lives of women.
Comments: If you have specialist knowledge of one of the events we have chosen, or would like to suggest an addition, please let us know with the form below.
This photograph is of my maternal grandmother, Hilda Ososki (1888 - 1935). It was taken in London, in February 1915 as a momento for my grandfather and her future mother-in-law on becoming engaged.
Hilda was a graphic designer and illustrator. Her elegance, style and beauty were legendary within the family and I believe this picture captures something of an era that had disappeared by the end of the Great War.
