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Story: Women’s labour organisations

Helping unemployed women help themselves

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Helping unemployed women help themselves

Taken in June 1932 when unemployment was at its height, this photograph shows a shop window in Willis Street, Wellington. The assortment of handcrafts is explained by a sign saying ‘Please help the unemployed women and girls, every article in window is made by them’. The display was organised by the Women's Unemployment Committee, which had opened a workroom for jobless women and ran handcraft classes.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PA-Group-00685)

Reference: 1/2-084162-G

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Megan Cook, Women’s labour organisations – Women and unemployment, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/26370/helping-unemployed-women-help-themselves (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Megan Cook, published 22 March 2011.