ABSTRACT
A great deal has been written on the sexuality – or, more precisely lack of sexuality - of the Victorian lady. Strong sexual appetites ill became the Angel in the Home: they were the province of whores and wanton women. Less has been written on the same topic with regard to working-class women. What information is available on this subject must be set in the context of poverty, overcrowded housing, lack of sanitary facilities and large families. But the question of women’s sexual desires, regardless of class, is an extremely difficult area to investigate and so cannot be a central issue in a guide to the local sources of women’s history. It is necessary for me to confine myself to certain issues where it is possible to conduct local research and to achieve some degree of success.
