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Event    From 2/7/1888  To 16/7/1888

Matchgirls' strike

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

Lady Workers' Homes Ltd

Lady Workers' Homes Ltd

From The Story of Holly Lodge by Margaret Downing March 2009: "Founded in 1914, LWH provided affordable, well managed, conveniently situated small flats for 'educated women of small means'. The Co...

Group, Gender Issues, Social Welfare

2 memorials
Mrs Mallet

Mrs Mallet

Concerned for the poor of Lambeth and was a district visitor in 1864 trying to identify families in need. She organized a refuge for women and then started to prepare penny dinners. She also ran mo...

Person, Gender Issues, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Mary Lowndes

Mary Lowndes

Artist, suffragette and founder of Artist Suffrage League in 1909. Born Dorset. Trained in stained-glass work. Lived and worked in Chelsea. The photo shows Lowndes in 1890.

Person, Art, Craft / Design, Gender Issues

1 memorial
Henry Labouchere

Henry Labouchere

MP and journalist.  Born London of a rich banking family; Baron Taunton was his uncle.  Married an actress.  Responsible for the criminalisation of all male homosexual activity; prior to his effort...

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, Italy

1 memorial
Eva McLaren

Eva McLaren

Suffragist and leading member of Women’s Liberal Federation. Eva Maria McLaren (née Müller;  was an English suffragist, writer and campaigner. She served as Superintendent of the Franchise departm...

Person, Gender Issues, Chile

1 memorial