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

Edith How-Martyn

Edith How-Martyn

Suffragist and birth control campaigner. Born Edith How in London. 1899 married George Herbert Martyn. Member of the Women's Social and Political Union. She was arrested in 1906 for attempting to ...

Person, Gender Issues, Social Welfare, Australia, India

1 memorial
Lady Mary Coke

Lady Mary Coke

Letter writer and noblewoman. Born Lady Mary Campbell at either Sudbrook, Surrey or 27 Bruton Street, London. After a strained courtship, she married Edward, Viscount Coke in 1747. He retaliated by...

Person, Gender Issues

1 memorial
Barbara Harmer

Barbara Harmer

The first qualified female supersonic pilot and the first to fly Concorde. Born at the house with the plaque, she was raised in Bognor Regis and left school aged 15 to become a hairdresser but the...

Person, Gender Issues, Transport

1 memorial
Elsie Inglis

Elsie Inglis

Elsie Maud Inglis was an innovative doctor, pioneering surgeon, inspiring teacher, suffragist, and founder of the Scottish Women's Hospitals. Member of Women’s Liberal Federation and Federation of ...

Person, Gender Issues, Medicine, India, Scotland, Serbia

1 memorial
Hertha Ayrton

Hertha Ayrton

Electrical engineer and suffragist.  Born Phoebe Sarah Marks in Portsmouth.  Aged 16 began teaching in London.  Studied maths at Girton College Cambridge.  Married William Ayrton in 1885.  Elected ...

Person, Gender Issues, Science

1 memorial