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.

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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

Minnie Baldock

Minnie Baldock

Born in Bromley-by-Bow as Lucy Minnie Rogers. She worked in sweated labour shirt factory, married Harry Baldock in 1888, and they had two children. Joined the Independent Labour Party. Worked with ...

Person, Gender Issues

1 memorial
Suffragettes

Suffragettes

The wonderful Spitalfields Life published a map on the East End Suffragette activities.  And London Historians has a post 'Parliament and Votes for Women'.

Group, Gender Issues

4 memorials
Lilian Faithfull

Lilian Faithfull

English teacher, headmistress, women's rights advocate, magistrate, social worker and humanitarian. Born Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, she graduated with a first in English at Oxford University in 188...

Person, Education, Gender Issues, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Friendly Female Society

Friendly Female Society

From Bridge to Nowhere: "The Female Friendly Society {sic} was started in 1802, by and for women, operating “by love, kindness, and absence of humbug”. It gave small grants to “poor, aged women of ...

Group, Gender Issues, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Peter Tatchell

Peter Tatchell

Campaigner for human rights, gay freedom and social justice. Co-founder of Outrage!. Born Australia and began his campaigning there. To avoid conscription he moved to London in 1971 and here began ...

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, Australia

1 memorial