Book launch - Trailblazers: The First Women Elected to Parliament

Book launch- Trailblazers: The First Women Elected to Parliament
Talk and Reception - 27 May 6-8pm
Venue: Church of Saint Magnus-the-Martyr, London Bridge

In this talk to launch her latest book, Dr Paula Bartley reveals how Finland shook world politics, with Trailblazer Hilda Käkikoski.

Description: Finland shakes world politics

Does it surprise you that Finnish women sparked a political fire that spread democracy across the world? At the beginning of the twentieth century, unless they were of royal blood, there were no women – not one – in any government, in any country, in any part of the globe. This was set to change.

In 1907, the country elected nineteen women to its 200 strong Parliament, the Eduskunta. These new female parliamentarians represented all social classes: from maids and factory workers to schoolteachers and noblewomen. One of those elected was Hilda Käkikoski, a lesbian, vegetarian feminist. Using images, Paula will focus her talk on Hilda partly because she was intrigued to find out how and why such an unusual figure became one of the first women in the world to enter government.

Everything about Hilda Käkikoski shouted liberalism. She seemed very woke. Paradoxically, she stood as a Conservative candidate. She was a member of the Old Finnish Party, (FP) This was a party which promoted the Finnish language and Finnish ideals.

Finland forged the path to an age of democracy. The twentieth century was marked by extensive global, social, technological and political transformations. Revolutions, two world wars, the Cold War, the decolonisation of Africa and Asia, the increasing power of America and the formation and collapse of the United Soviet Socialist Republic reshaped global politics. Women all over the world, at different times, in different jurisdictions and in different circumstances took advantage of the power vacuums created by these upheavals and demanded their rights to participate in governing bodies.

More and more countries adopted systems of government that gave citizens the right to vote and stand for government. In 2000, women were represented in most governments across the world. And it was Finland that trailblazed the way.

About the author and speaker

Dr Paula Bartley has been committed to women’s history since she began her teaching career. In 1982 she co-edited and co-authored the path-breaking series Women In History for Cambridge University Press. Since then, she has written The Changing Role of Women (1996), Emmeline Pankhurst (2002), Votes for Women (3rd edition, 2007), Ellen Wilkinson, (2014), Queen Victoria (2016), Labour Women in Power (2019), and Women’s Activism in 20th Century Britain (2022), Her latest book is Trailblazers: The First Women Elected to Parliament (2026).

Paula is currently Honorary Research Fellow, University of Warwick. She has been awarded prizes and grants from the Society of Authors, the British Association for Canadian Studies, the Harry Ransom Centre, Texas and Vassar College, New York to help further her research.

Paula loves talking about women’s history. She can be heard discussing Ellen Wilkinson, the Mighty Atom (parliamentary YouTube) and Queen Victoria (Historic Royal Palaces Podcast).

She is an active member of the Women’s History Network (WHN) and has organised many conferences and was a judge of WHN’s annual book prize.

Recently, thanks to a DNA test, Paula discovered she is 48% Scandinavian, mostly Norwegian. She lives in Stratford-upon-Avon with her husband Jonathan Dudley.

Reception: Drinks and light bites will be provided.

Venue: Church of St Magnus the Martyr

Address: London Bridge, Lower Thames Street, EC3R 6DN (nearest Tube: Monument, London Bridge, Bank)

The setting is the historic Grade 1 listed Church of St Magnus the Martyr, one of Wren’s finest post-fire churches. Its Nordic connections run deep- St Magnus was Earl of Orkney when the islands formed part of the Kingdom of Norway.

Cost and booking

The event is FREE, but please only book if you intend to come, so catering can be planned accordingly.

​If booking more than one place, please provide all the names of attendees (either by booking separately with each name from whichever email address or by emailing the names to secretary@anglofinnishsociety.org.uk - you do not need to produce any codes or tickets when you attend, only your name if asked at entry.)