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

Bedford College for Women, University of London

Bedford College for Women, University of London

Founded by Elizabeth Jesser Reid as the Ladies College, the first higher education college for women.  In 1900 it became part of the University of London and in 1913 moved to larger purpose built p...

Group, Education, Gender Issues

2 memorials
Mary Gawthorpe

Mary Gawthorpe

Mary Eleanor Gawthorpe was a suffragette, socialist, trade unionist and editor. Women’s Labour League then Women's Social and Political Union. Co-founder of radical newspaper The Freewoman. She was...

Person, Gender Issues, Journalism / Publishing, USA

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
Olive Schreiner

Olive Schreiner

Author, campaigner against war, against racism and for womans' vote.  Best remembered for her 1883 novel, 'The Story of an African Farm'.  Born in South Africa.  Named Olive Emilie Albertina Schrei...

Person, Gender Issues, Literature, Peace, Race Issues, South Africa

1 memorial
Eva Gore-Booth

Eva Gore-Booth

Poet and dramatist, and a committed suffragist, social worker and labour activist. Born as Eva Selina Laura Gore-Booth in County Sligo, the younger sister of Constance Gore-Booth, who was later kn...

Person, Gender Issues, Poetry, Ireland

1 memorial