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

Maud Palmer, Countess of Selborne

Maud Palmer, Countess of Selborne

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1 memorial
Chevalier d'Eon

Chevalier d'Eon

Diplomat and transvestite. Born Tonnerre, Burgundy, France. Full name: D'Éon de Beaumont, Charles Geneviève Louis Auguste André Timothée, born of the French nobility. Up until 1763 he had a disting...

Person, Espionage, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, France

3 memorials
Nora Maude

Nora Maude

Central Secretary of the Mothers' Union in 1925.  In 1926 was quoted in newspapers as opposed to divorce, supporting a MU decision to deny membership to a divorced woman.

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Dr Annie McCall

Dr Annie McCall

One of the first women to qualify as a doctor, in 1885. Born Manchester. She studied abroad and in London. Once qualified she quickly started a clinic and school of midwifery in her own home at 165...

Person, Gender Issues, Medicine

1 memorial
Association of Women Pharmacists

Association of Women Pharmacists

The Pharmaceutical Journal has "a short history of pharmacy and women".

Group, Gender Issues, Medicine

1 memorial