Roman Catholic Nuns in England and Wales 1800-1937
A Social History
Roman Catholic Nuns in England and Wales 1800-1937 : A Social History
(Irish Academic Press, 2002) presented a ground-breaking definitive text for students studying the social history of nineteenth and early twentieth century women in England and Wales.
An unprecedented rise in the number and growing influence of
women who developed professional careers in education, health and social care, while at the same time dedicating themselves to a religious life in communities of like-minded women was the first of several ‘neglected’ topics which this researcher subsequently uncovered to reveal a wealth of un-tapped sources for social historians keen to unravel pre-conceived assumptions surrounding the radical changes that were re-shaping society at that time.
The study explored the down-to-earth socio-economic origins and pressures on the young women who were recruited into religious life - many of whom were Irish women migrants - and the importance of the contribution made by these professionals to educational and social development in England and Wales and the provision of welfare services by non-state agencies.