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.

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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

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

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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

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
Lolita Roy

Lolita Roy

Also known as Mrs. P. L. Roy. Indian social reformer and suffragist who played an active role in the social life of Indians in London, as well as in campaigns for women's suffrage in Britain and In...

Person, Gender Issues, India

1 memorial
Lord Alfred Douglas

Lord Alfred Douglas

Journalist and poet. Son of the Marquess of Queensbury and lover of Oscar Wilde. Known as Bosie (a nickname given to him by his mother as a derivation of 'boysie'). After Wilde's release from priso...

Person, Gender Issues, Journalism / Publishing, Poetry

1 memorial
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
Lady Workers' Homes Ltd

Lady Workers' Homes Ltd

From The Story of Holly Lodge by Margaret Downing March 2009: "Founded in 1914, LWH provided affordable, well managed, conveniently situated small flats for 'educated women of small means'. The Co...

Group, Gender Issues, Social Welfare

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Reeves & Sons Ltd

Reeves & Sons Ltd

Artists' colour manufacturer. Established by William Reeves (1739–1803). It has had a number of names, always including "Reeves" until ownership passed to Wilhelm Becker, through Colart Fine Art an...

Group, Art, Commerce, Industry

1 memorial
Margery Allingham

Margery Allingham

Writer. Born Margery Louise Allingham in Ealing. Initially she studied drama and speech-training to cure a stammer. She turned to writing, and in 1929 published her first successful novel, 'The Cri...

Person, Literature

1 memorial
Corporation of the City of London

Corporation of the City of London

The municipal governing body of the City of London. Officially the 'Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London'. In 2006 the name was changed from just 'Corporation of London' to disti...

Group, Commerce, Politics & Administration

184 memorials
Mary Abbots Church wall

Mary Abbots Church wall

W8, Kensington Church Walk, Mary Abbots Church

There has been a church on this site since 1262. The current building was designed by George Gilbert Scott and erected in 1872.

4 subjects commemorated
Stocks Market

Stocks Market

The Stocks Market was where fishmongers and butchers sold their victuals. It took its name from a pair of stocks erected there in 1281 for the punishment of offenders. In 1738 the Mansion House was...

Building, Commerce

1 memorial