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.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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. 

Read More

Bowler plaque - Match Girls

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

Read More

Fairfield Works

Fairfield Works Fairfield Road. The scene of the match girls strike of 1888. ...

Read More

Hanbury Hall - blue oval plaque

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

Read More

Hanbury Hall - white plaque - removed

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

Read More

Other Subjects

Margaret Haig Thomas, Viscountess Rhondda

Margaret Haig Thomas, Viscountess Rhondda

The Women's Social and Political Union, secretary of Newport branch, founder of Time and Tide and the Six Point Group. Institute of Directors' first female president in 1926. Born as Margaret Haig...

Person, Gender Issues, Wales

1 memorial
Lady Frances Balfour

Lady Frances Balfour

Liberal Women’s Suffrage Society and was on the executive committee of the NUWSS. Born as Frances Campbell at Argyll Lodge in Kensington, her father being the 8th Duke of Argyll. Her brother, John...

Person, Gender Issues

1 memorial
Helen Blackburn

Helen Blackburn

Early campaigner for women’s rights, particularly the rights of workers. An editor of the Englishwoman's Review. Born County Kerry, Ireland.

Person, Gender Issues, Ireland

1 memorial
Mary Macarthur

Mary Macarthur

Suffragist and trades unionist. Born Mary Reid Macarthur in Glasgow. She was the general secretary of the Women's Trade Union League and was involved in the formation of the National Federation of ...

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, Scotland

2 memorials
Flora Drummond

Flora Drummond

Suffragette. Nicknamed 'The General' for her habit of leading Women's Rights marches wearing a military style uniform 'with an officers cap and epaulettes' and riding on a large horse. Drummond was...

Person, Gender Issues, Scotland

1 memorial

Previously viewed

First synagogue after resettlement

First synagogue after resettlement

A house in Creechurch Lane was converted to a synagogue for the Sephardi Jews (Spanish and Portuguese) which opened in 1657. This was enlarged but the increase in numbers quickly made a purpose-bui...

Building, Religion

1 memorial