Event    From 2/7/1888  To 16/7/1888

Matchgirls' strike

A strike of the women and teenage girls working at the Bryant and May Factory. Annie Besant had published an article about the poor working conditions at the factory, 'White Slavery in London'. This angered the management who tried to get the workers to formally refute the article. When they refused the management sacked one of them and the strike was on. They held meetings at Christ Church Hall and were supported by Eleanor Marx, Annie Besant and members of the Fabian Society including Shaw and Sidney Webb.

Diamond Geezer has a much fuller account.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Matchgirls' strike

Commemorated ati

Annie Besant - E3

This plaque was lost sometime July 2021 - August 2022. 

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Bowler plaque - Match Girls

The plaque punningly represents "match girls" - very nice. Hanbury Hall is wh...

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Fairfield Works

This plaque was lost sometime July 2021 - August 2022.

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Hanbury Hall - blue oval plaque

This plaque has a shortened version of the text on the old white plaque.

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Hanbury Hall - white plaque - removed

Christ Church Hall Built in 1719 as a French Hugeonot {sic} church it stood b...

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Other Subjects

Radclyffe Hall

Radclyffe Hall

Novelist and poet.  Born as Marguerite Radclyffe Hall in Bournemouth into a wealthy family. From 1917 until her death Hall lived with Una Troubridge but had a number of affairs with other women.  T...

Person, Gender Issues, Literature, Poetry

1 memorial
Daisy Parsons

Daisy Parsons

Marguerite "Daisy" Parsons was born in Poplar as Marguerite Lena Millo. When she was young her parents moved to Canning Town, part of West Ham. Working in a factory showed her how men and women wer...

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Edith Garrud

Edith Garrud

Suffragette and martial arts instructor. Born Edith Margaret Williams in Bath. She married William Garrud, a physical culture instructor and in 1899 they were introduced to the art of jiu-jitsu. In...

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, Sport / Games

2 memorials
Gay Liberation Front

Gay Liberation Front

By 1973, GLF had effectively dissipated and had given way to its spin-off organisations.

Group, Gender Issues

2 memorials
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

Born in Whitechapel. She was the first female doctor to be trained in Britain and went on to promote the medical training of women at a time when medicine was an all-male profession.  Elder sister ...

Person, Gender Issues, Medicine

3 memorials

Previously viewed

Foyles - David Attenborough

Foyles - David Attenborough

W1, Tottenham Court Road, Foyles bookshop

We found these two plaques in the basement, near the lift and stairwell.  There may be others elsewhere in the store - if you find any pl...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Stephen and Matilda

Stephen and Matilda

E1, St Katharine's Way, Matilda House

The plaque seems to have been erected to celebrate 34 years which seems odd.

1 subject commemorated
Astley's Amphitheatre

Astley's Amphitheatre

Considered to be the world's first circus ring. Erected in 1769 on the site of what is now St Thomas's Hospital on the south side of Westminster Bridge Road. The showman Philip Astley, (from Britis...

Building, Theatre

1 memorial
Public Record Office - Queen Anne

Public Record Office - Queen Anne

WC2, Chancery Lane, Maughan Library of King's College, ex-PRO

The first buildings to occupy this site were built in 1232 by Henry III.  The building was known as the Domus Conversorum (the House of C...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Thomas Hancock

Thomas Hancock

N4, Banstead Court, Green Lanes

From the Scott Bader website: "Marble, granite or stone can be produced using specially developed Crystic resins and gelcoats in combinat...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators