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

Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners

Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners

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1 memorial
Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett

Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett

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Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration

6 memorials
Emmeline Pankhurst

Emmeline Pankhurst

Born Lancashire. Mother of Christabel, Sylvia, Henry (known as Frank, died aged 4), Adela and Henry (Harry). 1886 the family moved from Manchester to Hampstead Road, London, where she ran a fancy ...

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, Seriously Famous

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Brixton Black Women's Group

Brixton Black Women's Group

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Group, Community / Clubs, Gender Issues, Race Issues

2 memorials
Noël Barclay

Noël Barclay

Central President of the Mothers' Union in 1925. We found reference to a publication probably authored by her: Barclay, E. Noel, Marriage and Divorce (1936).

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration

1 memorial