Women's History Gallery

Comptometer Room, Stratford Cooperative Society 1914 BL22762

STRATFORD CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY, Maryland Street, Stratford, Greater London. Interior view of the Comptometer Room at Stratford Co-operative Society, showing girls and boys working on model 'E' compometers, manual calculating machines. The comptometer, invented in 1887 by American, Dor Felt, was the first successful manual calculating machine. The children in the photograph could be employed in work, with the school leaving age only being raised to 14 in the Education Act of 1918. Photographed by Harry Bedford Lemere, 1st July 1914

© Historic England

Tulip picking, Lincolnshire AA98_09310

Fulney, Spalding, Lincolnshire. The tulip was introduced into Europe in the 16th century from Turkey and takes its name from the French word for turban. It became an important cash crop. Here two women remove the flower heads manually in order to promote bulb development. Photographed by Hallam Ashley in May 1951

© Historic England

Italian Hospital, London 1903 BL17920_011

ITALIAN HOSPITAL, Holborn, London. Interior view of a ward at the Italian Hospital with a young boy resting in his bed and a nurse in a distinctive uniform. Founded in 1884, the Italian Hospital (also known as the Ospidale Italiano) was established for the benefit of sick Italians living in London who were unable to pay for their own health care. This hospital was designed by architect Thomas W Cutler and built in 1898-9 on Queen Square. Photographed in 1903 by Harry Bedford Lemere

© Historic England