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

Christabel Pankhurst

Christabel Pankhurst

Suffragette. Born Manchester, daughter of Emmeline, her eldest child and her favourite. Moved to America in 1939 and died in California.

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, USA

5 memorials
Annot Robinson

Annot Robinson

Suffragette and pacifist. Born as Annot Erskine Wilkie in Scotland. Nicknamed Annie. Trained and worked as a teacher. She was sentenced to six months for trying to break in to the House of Commons....

Person, Gender Issues, Peace, Scotland

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
Suffragette Fellowship

Suffragette Fellowship

Founded by Edith How-Martyn to "perpetuate the memory of the pioneers and outstanding events connected with women's emancipation and especially with the militant suffrage campaign, 1905-14, and thu...

Group, Gender Issues

1 memorial
Catherine Marshall

Catherine Marshall

Catherine Elizabeth Marshall was a suffragist and campaigner against conscription during WW1. She moved her interests from women's votes to peace and worked in Geneva supporting the League of Natio...

Person, Gender Issues, Peace

1 memorial