Bloody Brilliant Women shines a light on some of the unsung women whose contributions to British history are just as important as any man’s. Through a series of reforms in the mid- to late 1940s, the government aimed to provide for its people. It was Beatrice Shilling and her Rolls-Royce team who developed a simple brass restrictor that would solve the problem. The war left many Britons facing poverty, health-care and housing problems, and the government was expected to deal with these issues. For women, one of the most important developments was the National Health Service Act of 1948, which guaranteed universal health care.

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In this episode we’ll meet Jane Drew, a visionary architect of the mid-20th century; and the better-known novelists Iris Murdoch, Agatha Christie, and Muriel Spark. My history teaching at school was a bit patchy, to say the least, so I devour history books as an adult now. They might not agree on their politics but they’re passionate about speaking as one on women’s rights. You can get more health news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.You’ll learn how – within a matter of decades – women went from being the property of men to independent citizens with a vote and control over their bodies. Then my co-presenter Jon Snow once advised me that the key challenge was to ask the filthiest possible question in the nicest possible way. Our aim is to break the taboo around periods by encouraging conversation on one of the most normal, natural topics that half the world’s population experience. The 1997 Labour influx of female MPs – or “ Blair’s babes”, as they became known, thanks chiefly to the Daily Mail – is analysed. Her book, Bloody Brilliant Women delves into the colorful histories of lesser-known—but no less outstanding—women who’ve left a lasting impact on the world.

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She also corrects further historical wrongs in including diverse women often sidelined: women of colour, trans women and those with disabilities. Despite gradual progress, wives were still considered the rightful property of their husbands in the early 1900s.The marriage also allowed Margaret to study law and hire a nanny to look after the couple’s young son and daughter. It is an excellent addition to volumes such as Modern Women: 52 Pioneers by the Guardian’s Kira Cochrane; Zing Tsjeng’s Forgotten Women series; and Hannah Jewell’s riposte to Trump, 100 Nasty Women of History.