Society for Promoting the Employment of Women founded

Background. SPEW was one of the earliest British women's organizations, established in 1859 to promote the training and employment of women. The society was linked to the Langham Place group, a circle of like-minded women who gathered at the English Woman's Journal office in Central London. This group included key figures such as Jessie Boucherett, Barbara Bodichon, and Emily Faithfull.

Founders. The society was established by Jessie Boucherett, Barbara Bodichon, Adelaide Anne Procter, and Lydia Becker. Maria Rye is also cited as a founding member by the Dictionary of Canadian Biography. These founders were part of the broader Langham Place circle, which included Matilda Mary Hays and Bessie Rayner Parkes, who had established the English Woman's Journal in 1858.

Publication. The society's journal was the English Woman's Journal, published by Emily Faithfull's Victoria Press in London. The journal dealt primarily with female employment and equality issues. It was established in 1858 and published monthly until 1864, costing 1 shilling per issue. The Langham Place group, which included the society's founders, was central to the journal's operations.