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

Queer Heritage

Queer Heritage

An appellation used on plaques erected by Sexual Avengers commemorating sites of gay events/interest.

Group, Community / Clubs, Gender Issues

1 memorial
Anna Haslam

Anna Haslam

Co-founder of the Irishwomen’s Suffrage and Local Government Association. Born Anna Maria Fisher in County Cork, Ireland, to a large Quaker family already involved in social welfare and reform. Mar...

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, Ireland

1 memorial
Catherine Courtauld Osler

Catherine Courtauld Osler

Catherine Courtauld Taylor was a social reformer and suffragist. President of Birmingham Women’s Suffrage Society. Born in Bridgwater to parents who supported women's suffrage. Married Alfred Osle...

Person, Gender Issues

1 memorial
Leonard Montefiore

Leonard Montefiore

Author and philanthropist. Leonard Abraham Montefiore was born Kensington.  Grand nephew to Moses.  Was a friend of Oscar Wilde when they were both at Oxford University.  Chief assistant to Samuel ...

Person, Gender Issues, Philanthropy, USA

1 memorial
Elizabeth Croll

Elizabeth Croll

Born New Zealand. Scholar at SOAS specialising in the role of women in China. Vice Principal of SOAS. 2007 awarded CMG.

Person, Education, Gender Issues, China/Hong Kong, New Zealand

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Hospital of St Anthony

Hospital of St Anthony

Henry III granted this site to the brotherhood of St. Anthony of Vienna to set up a hospital, which over time consisted of almshouses for the poor, a church and a school. After the dissolution of t...

Building, Education, Religion, Social Welfare

1 memorial