An inspiring and startling centenary history of the first professional women whose determination to have successful careers shaped the personal and working lives of women today.

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It is a myth that the First World War liberated women.

The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act of 1919 was one of the most significant pieces of legislation in modern Britain. It should have marked a social revolution, opening the doors of the traditional professions to women who had worked so hard during the War, and welcoming them inside as equals.

But what really happened? Ladies Can’t Climb Ladders focuses on the lives of pioneering women forging careers in the fields of medicine, law, academia, architecture, engineering and the church. In her startling study into the public and private worlds of these unsung heroines, Jane Robinson sheds light on their desires and ambitions, and how family and society responded to this emerging class of working women.

This book is written in their honour. Their shared vision, sacrifice and spirited perseverance began a process we have yet to finish. Their experiences raise live questions about equal opportunity, the gender pay gap, the work/life balance - and whether it is possible for women to have it all.

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‘A wonderful celebration of female pioneers’ Sunday Times

‘A crackingly good read’ Telegraph

‘A stirring testament to unsung heroes’ Observer

‘A lesson in how unthinkingly we wear our freedom’ The Times