During the Victorian time period, if a womans husband died what would be her status?

Question

Also, if he had a say or position in politics, buissnesses, or any of the unoins, would she be able to take over his job or standing, or at least have some say in it?

Answer 1

There were no trade unions during the Victorian Era.

You asked about Victorian England, so here you go:  http://www.umd.umich.edu/casl/hum/eng/cl...

"Property Rights of Women in Nineteenth-Century England"

"...the property which women took into marriage, whether in goods, money, or land, passed into the ownership of their husbands, which was dictated by common law doctrine of coverture. This law also dictated that when women married, their legal personalities were subsumed into their husbands' (Shanley 8). Therefore, after marriage, women had no control of property disposal or distribution."

Interestingly, it paid to remain single:  

"Women who never married maintained control over all their property, including their inheritance. These women could own freehold land and had complete control of property disposal".

Answer 2

No for politics.  No for unions.  As the widow, she would have control of her finances, and could give over-all direction and decisions through her attorney or "man of business".  (If she had an adult son he of course would run things.)  If not:  in running land holdings, rents, etc she would have pretty direct control.  If her holdings were in industry, then no, she could not go into the office and run things.

Remember, the Victorian period covers a long period of time, and a lot changed from the 1830s to the 1890s.  And there were always exceptions, some individual women with unusual characters.

Answer 3

I doubt it. I'm sure responsibilities would go to the second in command, and that, in Victorian times, was certainly not the wife. Unless she were royalty.

Answer 4

No she wouldn't be able to take over his business. Her status would be a widow. Typically, widows in that time period had to rely on any money their husbands left for them.

As for politics, women didn't get the full right to vote until after the Victorian period.

Answer 5

During the Victorian times, it really depended on the status of her late husband.  If he was a peer, she would remain so, keeping the name and title that she acquired during her marriage.  If her late husband's will dictated specifically that she was to have control over certain business interests that had been owned by him, then she would be able to have input in that arena.  However, as to politics and unions, she would have no say in that arena, barring her late husband having been the king (although even then, it would be her child who would become monarch- not herself).  A widow relied on provisions made for her in her late husband's will for survival.  If there were none, she would most likely have to remarry in very short order.

Answer 6

she will be the next online to his husband  throng  

Answer 7

She would just be a widow, I believe. Also, no, she definitely would not have any say in his job or standing. Another male would take it over, and possibly gain her as well (remember that women were possessions back then).