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The Women's Library at 100

This year, we are celebrating the centenary of The Women’s Library, the UK’s oldest and largest book, archive and museum collection on the history of feminism, campaigning and activism from the late 19th century.

Join us for an exhibition and a year of FREE special events, or browse through our online resources and collection guides to learn more about the stories this historic collection holds.

What's on

Find out what we are doing to celebrate 100 years!

Exhibition

Youngsters dressed in costumes and dancing around a room

Upcoming events

A graphic with the text 'The Women's Library At 100".

Share your memories

A graphic including a child sat writing at a makeshift table

Online resources

Access content from The Women's Library online

The Women's Library digital collections

A group of protestors with placards

The Women's Library on Flickr

A collage of portraits of 3 leading suffrage campaigners.

The Women's Library on YouTube

The YouTube symbol overlayed on a busy lecture theatre

LSE Digital Library

Access a growing collection of digital content from The Women's Library

The Women's Library posters

A yellow and red poster including women with raised fists and the words "So long as women are not free the people are not free"

Movement for the Ordination of Women: oral histories

A woman stood with a placard reading "Women Priests Now" and a dog.

The Women's Library journals

A glass panel with a feature photo of suffragettes marching

Suffrage banners

A banner including Britannia and words including NO VOTE NO TAX

Women's Resource Centre

Women's Resource Centre logo

Autograph letters

A pile of handwritten letters

Greenham Women Everywhere

A green logo with Greenham Women Everywhere and a woman with bolt cutters.

Collection guides

Learn about the themes in The Women's Library collection

The Women's Library

Millicent Fawcett at Hyde Park in London talking to a crowd of suffrage supporters.

Women's suffrage

A woman talking to a crowd at Trafalgar Square in London.

Women's Liberation Movement

A group of 5 women working on and discussing something related to design.

Women's print media

A red-headed girl wearing a dress looking upwards toward a flower she is holding in her hand

Women and sport

A group of people doing aerobics in the street. There is a bus behind them with Women in the Community written on it.

Women and work

A large group of women all lined up at different levels ready for a big group photograph.

Feminism and religion

A group of women with placards.

Upcoming events

Stories and more

Explore our Google Arts exhibits

Portrait of Emily Wilding Davison.

History of The Women's Library

A painting of Vera Douie sat in an armchair

Making Modern Women

An extract of the masthead of Opportunity magazine

The Women's Library on LSE History Blog

A group of women marching holding a banner reading 'WAGES FOR HOUSEWORK COMMITTEE LONDON'

The Friends of The Women's Library

A group of suffrage women marching with umbrellas and placards

Photos from The Women's Library

A group of women marching holding a banner reading 'WAGES FOR HOUSEWORK COMMITTEE LONDON'
1/20 Anti-immigration laws march, Nov 197: a group of women marching holding a banner reading 'WAGES FOR HOUSEWORK COMMITTEE LONDON', Anti-immigration laws march, Nov 1979. Taken by Gisela Norman.
A group of women marching holding a banner reading 'WAGES FOR HOUSEWORK COMMITTEE LONDON'
1/20 Anti-immigration laws march, Nov 197: a group of women marching holding a banner reading 'WAGES FOR HOUSEWORK COMMITTEE LONDON', Anti-immigration laws march, Nov 1979. Taken by Gisela Norman.
A group portrait of four delegates at the World Congress of Women, Moscow, Jun 1963, standing in a line, embracing.
2/20 World Congress of Women: Moscow: a group portrait of four delegates at the World Congress of Women, Moscow, Jun 1963, standing in a line, embracing.
Delegates at the World Congress of Women, Moscow, Jun 1963, standing rows, on stairs in the lobby area of a building.
3/20 World Congress of Women: Moscow: a group portrait of [mainly African] delegates at the World Congress of Women, Moscow, Jun 1963, standing rows, on stairs in the lobby area of a building.
Members of the Church League for Women's Suffrage at a General Council meeting in Brighton on 2 July 1913.
4/20 Church League for Women's Suffrage, 1913: a group portrait of members of the Church League for Women's Suffrage taken by Muriel Darton, at a General Council meeting in Brighton on 2 July 1913.
Dame Vera Laughton Mathews, Begum Ikramullah and other members of The International Kitchen Club.
5/20 International Kitchen Club: a group portrait of Dame Vera Laughton Mathews, Begum Ikramullah and other members of The International Kitchen Club, group gathered, standing, some holding plates of food.
Attendees at a 'Meeting of the Board of the [International] Alliance [of Women] Jul 1959. Berlin'.
6/20 International Alliance of Women: a group portrait of attendees at a 'Meeting of the Board of the [International] Alliance [of Women] Jul 1959. Berlin', group of fifteen women standing on steps leading from a building
A group of people with placards stood in front of a bus.
7/20 Pay Women Not the Military, Dec 1985. From the Greenham Common Women archives.
A group seated with banners 'International Wages for Housework Campaign, International Black Women for Wages for Housework.
8/20 Greenham Common event with banners 'International Wages for Housework Campaign, International Black Women for Wages for Housework. Pay Women Not the Military, Dec 1985.
Three women stood at a gate reading 'Welcome to Argyle Square Women's Peace Camp, London, England 19-19 Oct 1986.
9/20 Kings Cross Women's Committee, 1986
People sat around outside a tent.
10/20 Arrested in Whitehall, Dec 1985 [??????]
A group of people gathered outside for a group photo. Most have clenched fists in the air.
11/20 Greenham Common Women
A child sat at a makeshift desk using a board and an armchair with an adult stood leaning on the armchair
12/20 Greenham Common Women
A group fo omen holding candles and smiling at each other.
13/20 Greenham Common Women
A group of women say at a peace camp with a banner behind them.
14/20 Greenham Common Women with a banner reading 'Yellow Gate, Greenham Common Here to stay Here to Verify' [also in Greek?] stamped on reverse 'King's Cross Women's Centre'
Three people stood together in front of banners.
15/20 Greenham Common Women stood in front of banners, 1985
A persn sat outside cooking on a fire with a banner hanging behind.
16/20 Greenham Common Women sat outside cooking on a fire with a banner hanging behind.
The 300 Group logo
17/20 The 300 Group logo
Spare Rib tea towel designed by Pat Kahn
18/20 Spare Rib tea towel designed by Pat Kahn
Black and white badge designs
19/20 Black and white badge designs
Sheba Feminist Press logo
20/20 Sheba Feminist Press logo

Suffrage Interview clips

Leonora Cohen on Mrs Pankhurst

Leonora Cohen remembers speaking at a rally after her arrest and the one thing that mattered to her most was that Mrs Pankhurst supported her actions at the Tower of London.
Leonora Cohen on Mrs Pankhurst
Leonora Cohen on Mrs Pankhurst
The Greatest Revolution: Lady Pethick Lawrence on the suffrage campaign
The Greatest Revolution: Lady Pethick Lawrence on the suffrage campaign
Beatrice Ricardo on Christabel Pankhurst
Beatrice Ricardo on Christabel Pankhurst
Jessie Stephen on Class and Violence
Jessie Stephen on Class and Violence