During the Cumberland election in 1768 Lady Mary Coke (1723-1811), together with a group of women, visited the Commons at least eight times. Elite women, often related to English politicians, were...Show moreDuring the Cumberland election in 1768 Lady Mary Coke (1723-1811), together with a group of women, visited the Commons at least eight times. Elite women, often related to English politicians, were active in the socio-political world, although there is no historiographic consensus about the intensity of their actions in the second half of the eighteenth century. This thesis challenges the view of some historians; namely that women were cut off from the political world in the period. Unlike most scholars, this research adopts a broader definition of the term ‘politics’ in which the social side is included because women were able to express their opinions more easily within the social realm. This paper aims to find out whether elite women’s political actions became more limited and less effective throughout the century or not. This will be assessed by looking at different women throughout the century, including the insufficiently researched women of the first half of the century. Furthermore, unlike other studies, this thesis will evaluate the obstacles that women encountered by examining society’s reaction to these activities through printed sources, like prints and magazines. It will show how women dealt with these obstacles in three socio-political activities within the public and private spheres: politicized gatherings, political patronage, and publications. This thesis argues that women were not only politically active throughout the century, but also that their activities increased, and that their influence can be easily perceived in the more local and personal levels of society.Show less
