Rare first book on women's rights to be sold

A COPY of the first book in English to compile laws on the rights of women is to be sold on Tyneside.

- TONY HENDERSON

The book, titled The Lawes of Resolutions of Women's Rights: or the Lawes, Provision for Women, was compiled by Thomas Edgar and was sold by John Grove in 1632. It will be auctioned by Anderson and Garland in Newcastle on August 20 with an estimate of £2,000-£3,000.

The earliest work in English devoted to laws relating exclusively to women, it was the first to use the phrase "women's rights".

It outlines in detail, the laws and rights at a time when women had little direct control over marriage, property ownership or access to justice.