MAJOR EVENTS OF PRE 1930

 By 1913 the British Empire held sway over 412 million people, 23% of the world population at the time, and by 1925 it covered 35,000,000 km2 (13,500,000 sq mi), 24% of the Earth's total land area.  As the century progressed peoples within the Empire naturally demanded independence. The Commonwealth a group of 54 independent and equal countries developed out of the fall of the Empire.

 The Taff Vale Railway Company successfully sued a trade union for the costs of industrial action taken by its members. The Labour Representative Committee, a socialist federation formed in 1900, convinced the trade unions that the political representation of labour was now essential. This organisation later became the Labour party. 

 The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was founded by six women, of whom Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst soon became the most prominent. Their activities soon became more confrontational, and included prison hunger strikes.  In 1918  all men over the age of 21, and propertied women over 30, were given the vote. It was not until 1928 all women aged 21 were given the vote.

 The White Star liner 'Titanic' was the largest vessel in the world at the time of her launch. It was claimed that she was 'practically unsinkable', but on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York she collided with an iceberg and sank within hours, with the loss of 1,503 lives. 

Germany had declared war on Russia who were allied to France.  In order to prevent an attack from France, Germany mounted a surprise invasion through neutral Belgium.  Britain, as guarantor of Belgian neutrality, told Germany to withdraw. The ultimatum expired on 4 August 1914 and Britain duly declared war.

 The 1918-1919 'Spanish flu' epidemic killed more than 200,000 people in Britain and up to 50 million worldwide. Despite its name, the virus seems to have originated in the United States, but quickly spread around the world, infecting up to 30% of the world's population. 

American-born Nancy Astor was not the first British woman member of parliament (MP), but she was the first one to take her seat. Constance Markievicz became the first woman MP in 1918, but as a member of Sinn Fein (a party committed to unification of Ireland) she had refused to take her seat.

 The Sex Disqualification Removal Act made it illegal for women to be excluded from most jobs, and allowed them to hold judicial office and enter the professions. Only now could women could become magistrates, solicitors and barristers. Women were also  allowed to receive degrees! 

The crash of the American Wall Street financial markets in 1929 crippled the economies of the US and Europe, resulting in the Great Depression. In Britain, Unemployment had peaked just below three million by 1932. It was only with rearmament in the period immediately before the outbreak of World War Two that the worst of the Depression could be said to be over.