Not for Want of Trying

A podcast exploring the landmark cases, campaigns and legislation that have shaped women's rights in the UK and Ireland.

Episodes

23 minutes ago

31 min

In this episode, we speak to Professor Fiona de Londras about the 'Repeal the 8th' campaign in Ireland, which led to the abolition of the constitutional ban on abortion. We’ll be asking what happened next, and its ongoing impact on reproductive autonomy and other social justice campaigns today.
You can find out more about women’s legal landmarks in the UK and Ireland in the Women’s Legal Landmarks books
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-9781782259794/ 
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-in-the-interwar-years-9781509969746/ 
Instagram: @womenslegallandmarks
Website: https://womenslegallandmarks.com/ 
Sponsored by Hart Publishing, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing @hart_publishing
Artwork: Alex Ciciric
Music credit: Goldfinch: Flight to the North, Axletree, Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Axletree/erthe/goldfinch-flight-to-the-north/ 

Aug 5, 2026

19 min

In this episode, we speak to Professor Jonathan Herring about how a case decided at the turn of the 21st century sent a powerful message about fairness, equality, and gender discrimination when assets are divided on divorce.
You can find out more about women’s legal landmarks in the UK and Ireland in the Women’s Legal Landmarks books
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-9781782259794/ 
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-in-the-interwar-years-9781509969746/ 
Instagram: @womenslegallandmarks
Website: https://womenslegallandmarks.com/ 
Sponsored by Hart Publishing, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing @hart_publishing
Artwork: Alex Ciciric
Music credit: Goldfinch: Flight to the North, Axletree, Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Axletree/erthe/goldfinch-flight-to-the-north/ 

Jul 29, 2026

32 min

In this episode, we speak to Anne Morris (Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Law School at the University of Liverpool) about the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, and what can be achieved when campaigners and law-makers are united in the desire to produce social change.
You can find out more about women’s legal landmarks in the UK and Ireland in the Women’s Legal Landmarks books
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-9781782259794/ 
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-in-the-interwar-years-9781509969746/ 
Instagram: @womenslegallandmarks
Website: https://womenslegallandmarks.com/ 
Sponsored by Hart Publishing, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing @hart_publishing
Artwork: Alex Ciciric
Music credit: Goldfinch: Flight to the North, Axletree, Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Axletree/erthe/goldfinch-flight-to-the-north/ 

Jul 22, 2026

18 min

In this episode, we speak to Professor Rosemary Auchmuty about why conveyancing and home ownership is such a critical part of women’s liberation, and how these issues were confronted in the courtroom.
You can find out more about women’s legal landmarks in the UK and Ireland in the Women’s Legal Landmarks books
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-9781782259794/ 
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-in-the-interwar-years-9781509969746/ 
Instagram: @womenslegallandmarks
Website: https://womenslegallandmarks.com/ 
Sponsored by Hart Publishing, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing @hart_publishing
Artwork: Alex Ciciric
Music credit: Goldfinch: Flight to the North, Axletree, Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Axletree/erthe/goldfinch-flight-to-the-north/ 

Jul 15, 2026

42 min

In this episode, we speak to Professor Katharine Cockin about how theatre - and especially one suffrage play - served both as a powerful tool of feminist activism and as a lasting record of feminist history.
You can find out more about women’s legal landmarks in the UK and Ireland in the Women’s Legal Landmarks books
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-9781782259794/ 
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-in-the-interwar-years-9781509969746/ 
Instagram: @womenslegallandmarks
Website: https://womenslegallandmarks.com/ 
Sponsored by Hart Publishing, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing @hart_publishing
Artwork: Alex Ciciric
Music credit: Goldfinch: Flight to the North, Axletree, Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Axletree/erthe/goldfinch-flight-to-the-north/ 

Jul 8, 2026

25 min

In this episode, we speak to Andy Hayward - Professor of Law at Durham University about the importance of the Married Women’s Property Act 1882, and the ways in which marriage constrained women legally, socially and civilly.
You can find out more about women’s legal landmarks in the UK and Ireland in the Women’s Legal Landmarks books
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-9781782259794/ 
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-in-the-interwar-years-9781509969746/ 
Instagram: @womenslegallandmarks
Website: https://womenslegallandmarks.com/ 
Sponsored by Hart Publishing, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing @hart_publishing
Artwork: Alex Ciciric
Music credit: Goldfinch: Flight to the North, Axletree, Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Axletree/erthe/goldfinch-flight-to-the-north/ 

Jul 1, 2026

19 min

In this episode, we speak to Professor Joanne Conaghan about the power of information, and of how an 18-page pamphlet written by a 27 year old from the small village of Robertsbridge in Sussex led to a revolution in women’s legal rights.
You can find out more about women’s legal landmarks in the UK and Ireland in the Women’s Legal Landmarks books
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-9781782259794/ 
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-in-the-interwar-years-9781509969746/ 
Instagram: @womenslegallandmarks
Website: https://womenslegallandmarks.com/ 
Sponsored by Hart Publishing, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing @hart_publishing
Artwork: Alex Ciciric
Music credit: Goldfinch: Flight to the North, Axletree, Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Axletree/erthe/goldfinch-flight-to-the-north/ 

Jun 24, 2026

27 min

In this episode, we speak to Alison Diduck – Professor of Law at University College London – about the founding of the first rape crisis centre and how the commitment of the original London Rape Crisis Collective continues to inspire today.
You can find out more about women’s legal landmarks in the UK and Ireland in the Women’s Legal Landmarks books
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-9781782259794/ 
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-in-the-interwar-years-9781509969746/ 
Instagram: @womenslegallandmarks
Website: https://womenslegallandmarks.com/ 
Sponsored by Hart Publishing, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing @hart_publishing
Artwork: Alex Ciciric
Music credit: Goldfinch: Flight to the North, Axletree, Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Axletree/erthe/goldfinch-flight-to-the-north/ 
Additional music credit: We are very grateful to Lorraine Segato of The Parachute Club for granting us permission to use a clip from the song Rise Up.

Jun 17, 2026

39 min

Women and the Law – published in 1984 – was the first book in the UK to examine comprehensively the law’s treatment of women. In this episode, we speak to the book's authors – Dr Susan Atkins and Lady Hale – about structural inequalities based on sex and whether a feminist focus on law and its reform remains as necessary today. 
You can find out more about women’s legal landmarks in the UK and Ireland in the Women’s Legal Landmarks books
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-9781782259794/ 
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-in-the-interwar-years-9781509969746/ 
Women and the law is available to read for free here: https://uolpress.co.uk/book/women-and-the-law/ 
Instagram: @womenslegallandmarks
Website: https://womenslegallandmarks.com/ 
Sponsored by Hart Publishing, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing @hart_publishing
Artwork: Alex Ciciric
Music credit: Goldfinch: Flight to the North, Axletree, Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Axletree/erthe/goldfinch-flight-to-the-north/ 

Jun 10, 2026

42 min

Welcome to series 2 of Not for Want of Trying, a podcast exploring the landmark cases, campaigns and legislation that have shaped women's rights in the UK and Ireland. 
In this episode, we speak to Pragna Patel (founding member and former chair and director of Southall Black Sisters) about how campaigners pushed for the recognition of forced marriage as a specific form of violence against women.
You can find out more about women’s legal landmarks in the UK and Ireland in the Women’s Legal Landmarks books
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-9781782259794/ 
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-legal-landmarks-in-the-interwar-years-9781509969746/ 
Instagram: @womenslegallandmarks
Website: https://womenslegallandmarks.com/ 
Sponsored by Hart Publishing, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing @hart_publishing
Artwork: Alex Ciciric
Music credit: Goldfinch: Flight to the North, Axletree, Free Music Archive, CC BY 4.0 https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Axletree/erthe/goldfinch-flight-to-the-north/ 

Not for Want of Trying

What are the key legal landmarks for women? What role did women and feminists play in bringing them about? And what impact are they having on women today?

What do women’s toilets, botched building work, and Queen Victoria have in common? They’re all featured on our new podcast series – 'Not for Want of Trying'. A history podcast that uncovers key events in women’s legal history during the Interwar period.

Erika Rackley and Sharon Thompson talk to leading historians and lawyers to find out the answer to these questions and more!

Find out more by visiting our website: www.womenslegallandmarks.com  

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