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1918

America

 ..... the US Woman Suffrage Amendment resolution was rejected by the Senate despite being passed in the House of Representatives

..... the Pulitzer prize was won by Sara Teasdale for Love Songs

United Kingdom

..... the Women's Royal Navy Service (WRNS) was formed as was the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF). These were disbanded when peace came but the WRNS (Wrens) was reformed in March 1939 and in July the WRAF emerged under the new name of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)

..... Sadie Bonnell was the first woman to be awarded the Military in the Field (FANYs)

..... French woman Suzanne Lenglen won the Wimbledon Tennis competition six times between 1918 and 1926 and in the process discarded the long skirts, formal blouse and bow tie that female tennis players had previously worn. She replaced them with functional short skirts and sleeveless tops

Around The World

..... women gained the vote in  ..... Austria ..... Canada (most states) ..... Germany ..... Poland

Dated items

January 8th ..... UNITED KINGDOM ..... recruiting began for the WRNS

February 6th ..... UNITED KINGDOM  ..... the Royal Assent was given to the British Representation of the People Act which was designed to prohibit the exercise of anyone of more than 2 votes and to accord a Parliamentary vote to all women 30 years and over who were entitled to the municipal franchise, the basis of this being that to obtain a vote one had to be an owner or tenant for six months for men and women to be 21 years and over

July 1st ..... UNITED KINGDOM  ..... "Married Love" the book on sex and marriage by Marie Stopes was published. In it she called for contraceptive advice to be made more available declaring that sex has an importance beyond procreation of children

October 21st ..... AMERICA ..... the highest recorded speed attained with a 10 word penalty per error on a manual machine was of 170 words in one minute by Margaret Owen in New York.

October 23rd ..... UNITED KINGDOM  ..... the House of commons voted by 274-25 to allow women to become MPs

November 21st ..... UNITED KINGDOM  ..... the Parliamentary Qualification of Women Act was passed and enabled women to become MPs . The Act, which was the shortest statute on record read " A woman shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage from being elected to or sitting or voting as a Member of the Commons House of Parliament. 17 candidates contested seats in the general election of 14th December and the first and only woman Constance Markievicz was elected but did not take her seat

November 22nd ..... UNITED KINGDOM  ..... 100 women police patrols were appointed in London

December 14th ..... UNITED KINGDOM  ..... women voted in the General Election for the first time