Web Timeline - Social & Political Change

1832 First Reform Act. About 650,000 men have the vote. Women denied the right to vote.

1833-38 Abolition of Slavery in the British Empire

1835 Municipal Corporations Act

1848 Public Health Act: aim to improve sanitation

1867 Second Reform Act: right to vote extended to about one third of men

1870 Foster's Education Act - establishes local school boards

1872 Introduction of secret ballot for general elections

1884 Third Reform Act: right to vote extended to two thirds of men

1894 Women allowed to vote in local council elections

1903 Women's Social & Political Union - the Suffragettes

1918 All men over 21 and women over 30 allowed to vote

1926 The General Strike

1928 Women over 21 get the vote

1944 Butler Education Act - free secondary education

1947 Nationalisation of the coal industry

1948 Foundation of the National Health Service

1963 Robbins Report - free university education

1967 Welsh Language Act

1969 Voting age lowered to 18

1970 & 1975 Equal Pay Act and Sexual Discrimination Act - establishes idea of equality for men and women at work

1976 Race Relations Act - establishes Commission for Racial Equality

1982 S4C - Welsh Language television

1993 Welsh Language Act - Welsh given equal status to English in public life in Wales

1995 Disability Discrimination Act

1998 Human Rights Act

The Timelines are available to download in the following format:

The Timelines Part 1 - PDF format 2.2Mb

The Timelines Part 2 - PDF format 2.3Mb

The Timelines Part 3 - PDF format 2.3Mb

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