Division in the Lords on its composition, 27 July 1949

In 1949 a vote established for the first time that the House of Lords was in favour of the principle of admitting women. A motion in favour was agreed, 45 votes to 27.

One of the tellers against was Viscount St. Davids. His mother later became the first hereditary woman peer to take her seat in 1963, as Baroness Strange of Knokin.

No legislation followed this vote, however, mainly because Labour governments were not in favour of doing anything to increase the hereditary element of the House of Lords.