Alice Clark (historian)

Alice Clark (1874-1934) was a British economic and social historian, and a leading figure in the study of women's economic history. Born into a Quaker family with a strong tradition of social reform, she was educated at home and later attended Newnham College, Cambridge, although she did not take a degree.

Clark is best known for her seminal work, Working Life of Women in the Seventeenth Century (1919). This book challenged prevailing assumptions about women's roles in pre-industrial England, arguing that women were actively involved in a wide range of economic activities, including agriculture, manufacturing, and trade. She demonstrated that the shift from a household economy to a capitalist system led to a decline in women's economic independence and a narrowing of their opportunities.

Clark's research drew on a wide range of primary sources, including parish records, court documents, and household accounts. Her work was groundbreaking in its focus on women's experiences and its analysis of the social and economic forces that shaped their lives.

Beyond Working Life of Women, Clark was also involved in various social and political movements, including the women's suffrage movement and the Fabian Society. She contributed to the development of feminist scholarship and continues to be an important figure in the field of women's history. Her work helped to establish the field and inspired subsequent generations of historians to explore the lives and experiences of women in the past. Her legacy remains significant for its challenge to traditional historical narratives and its insightful analysis of gender and economic change.