217:
321:
gender equality and fairness at work who through their strike action and formation of the Union of Women Match Makers left a lasting legacy on the trade union movement; believes that Sarah
Chapman's grave is of special historic interest and illustrates important aspects of social, economic and political history; calls on the Government to intervene to stop the imminent loss of an important piece of London's rich and diverse history; and further calls on the Government to inspect the mounding process to ensure that there is no disturbance of early burials when new graves are dug
33:
348:, who "grew up aware of the courage and bravery of these women who against all odds went on strike for better working conditions." Also present at the event was Chapman's great-granddaughter Sam Johnson, a trustee of The Match Girls Memorial, who described the Match Girls as "a huge inspiration for young people in the 21st century, as many of the issues they fought against still resonate so strongly today."
193:, and Chapman would live her whole life in London's East End. By 19, alongside her mother and elder sister, Sarah was employed as a matchmaking machinist at Bryant & May. By the time of the 1888 strike, Sarah Chapman occupied a comparably well-waged position at the Bryant & May factory and was an established member of its workforce.
250:
The next day, 200 women marched to
Bouverie Street, seeking the support of Annie Besant. Chapman was one of three women who met with Besant, securing her assistance in forming a strike committee. Mary Naulls, Mary Cummings, Sarah Chapman, Alice Francis, Kate Slater, Mary Driscoll, Jane Wakeling, and
290:
In 2020, responding to a plan by the Manor Park
Cemetery to mound over the grave of Sarah Chapman, a petition was raised calling for the grave's protection. In July of that year, a motion was tabled in Parliament expressing concern over this planned destruction of Sarah Chapman's burial site. The
320:
That this House is alarmed at the imminent plans to mound the grave of Sarah
Dearman (nee Chapman), a key organiser of the matchgirl's strike in 1888 in Manor Park Cemetery, East London; notes that Sarah Chapman played a leading role in the historic strike and that the matchgirls as pioneers of
270:
Meeting Hall on 27 July. Twelve women were elected to the committee, including
Chapman, who was subsequently made President. It was the largest female union in the country. Chapman was elected as the Union's first representative to the
251:
Eliza Martin were this committee's first members. The women held public meetings, gained sympathetic press coverage, and were able to enlist the support of various MPs. Chapman and the Strike
Committee also received help from
203:
Sarah
Dearman died in Bethnal Green hospital on 27 November 1945, at the age of 83, and was survived by three of her six children. Along with five other elderly people, Sarah Dearman was buried in an unmarked grave in
246:
on 23 June. Although Bryant & May attempted to coerce employees to sign statements rejecting the claims, the workers refused. On 5 July 1888, approximately 1,400 girls and women walked out on strike.
864:
196:
In
December 1891, Sarah married Charles Henry Dearman, a cabinet maker. The couple had their first child, Sarah Elsie, in 1892, going on to have five more. The family later moved to
287:
and its participants. Donations were received for the creation of a headstone for Sarah
Chapman, and the charity aims to erect a statue in commemoration of strikers and organisers.
181:. Chapman and others involved in the strike have since been recognised as "pioneers of sex equality and fairness at work who left a lasting legacy on the trade union movement".
189:
Sarah
Chapman was born on 31 October 1862, the fifth of seven children born to Samuel Chapman, a brewer's servant, and Sarah Ann Mackenzie. Her early life was spent in
461:
338:
at site of the former Bryant and May factory in Bow, London. The plaque was unveiled at Bow Quarter, Fairfield Road, Tower Hamlets on 5 July 2022 by former
810:
1025:
969:
838:
235:, members agreed to a proposed boycott of Bryant & May matches in response to the poor factory conditions and mistreatment of workers.
216:
1030:
555:
411:
370:. The film provides a fictionalized account of the origins of the Matchgirls' Strike, in which both the title character and her brother
786:
275:(TUC), and was among those who attended the 1888 International Trades Union Congress in London, and the 1890 Congress in Liverpool.
499:
259:, and – following a meeting with Bryant & May management – their list of demands was agreed to.
1035:
733:
890:
1045:
667:
1040:
263:
131:
453:
760:
242:
later met with workers outside the factory to learn more, publishing an article, "White Slavery in London" in
283:
Since 2019, a charitable organisation called The Matchgirls Memorial have sought to raise awareness of the
174:; 31 October 1862 – 27 November 1945) was a British trade unionist who was one of the leaders of the 1888
220:
Strike committee of the Matchmakers' Union, showing Sarah Chapman (back row, second from left) alongside
526:
367:
272:
256:
915:
284:
178:
143:
1020:
1015:
327:
In 2021, it was announced that a new housing development in Bow would be named after Sarah Chapman.
865:"Seminal Match Girls' Strike of 1888 commemorated with English Heritage Blue Plaque in East London"
205:
91:
965:
638:
331:
60:
371:
308:
221:
175:
121:
491:
362:
232:
32:
707:
612:
1009:
999:
761:"Sarah Chapman and the unsung working class heroes of the Matchgirls strike campaign"
296:
200:, where Sarah remained for the rest of her life. Charles Henry Dearman died in 1922.
197:
345:
292:
252:
239:
225:
382:
335:
304:
103:
587:
988:
340:
312:
300:
787:"'Matchgirl' descendants call to justice secretary to save Sarah Chapman..."
377:
Chapman also appears as a character in a children's novel about the strike,
839:"Match Girls' Strike of 1888 commemorated with blue plaque in East London"
936:
668:"Debt we owe to working-class girls who walked out of work 133 years ago"
190:
357:
267:
334:
announced that the Matchgirls' Strike would be commemorated with a
994:
215:
945:
613:"Matchgirls strike pioneer Sarah Dearman's grave 'under threat'"
734:"The Matchgirls' Strike of 1888: Sarah Chapman By Sam Johnson"
708:"Bow's brave matchwomen honoured in anniversary celebrations"
639:"Sarah Chapman and the Matchgirl's Strike - inVISIBLEwomen"
527:"Sarah Chapman's grave - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament"
891:"1888 Match Girls' Strike factory marked with blue plaque"
811:"Blue Plaques to tell stories of working class experience"
989:
The Matchgirls Strike of 1888 (Sarah Chapman Perspective)
412:"Sarah Chapman: Matchgirl strike leader and TUC delegate"
142:
Playing a leading role in the organisation of the 1888
941:
and the real life history of the Match Girls' Strike"
556:"Council houses named after Matchgirls Strike leader"
991:
by Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives
157:
149:
138:
127:
117:
109:
98:
87:
67:
42:
23:
916:"A Plaque For The Matchgirls | Spitalfields Life"
266:), the inaugural meeting of which took place at
262:The women subsequently established a union (the
344:actress and patron of The Matchgirls Memorial
8:
356:Chapman appears as a character in the 2022
31:
20:
588:"Sarah Chapman: The Matchgirls Memorial"
454:"Sarah Chapman, Matchgirl Strike Leader"
394:
549:
547:
833:
831:
502:from the original on 19 November 2022
464:from the original on 19 November 2022
113:Matchmaking machinist; trade unionist
7:
759:Rushton, Nicola (26 February 2020).
661:
659:
582:
580:
578:
576:
521:
519:
517:
485:
483:
481:
479:
447:
445:
443:
441:
439:
437:
435:
433:
406:
404:
402:
400:
398:
212:Leadership of the matchgirls' strike
666:Karpazli, Ertan (31 October 2021).
452:Johnson, Samantha (26 June 2018).
231:In June 1888, at a meeting of the
16:English labor activist (1862–1945)
14:
1000:The 1888 London Matchgirls Strike
889:Bartholomew, Emma (5 July 2022).
554:Cox, Michael (7 December 2021).
153:Charles Henry Dearman (m. 1891)
692:"Union of Women Matchmakers".
1:
1026:British women trade unionists
960:Haston, Paul (16 July 2019).
785:Brooke, Mike (29 May 2020).
490:Johnson, Sam (5 July 2020).
1002:, spartacus-educational.com
964:. Independently published.
1062:
264:Union of Women Matchmakers
132:Union of Women Matchmakers
492:"The Match Girls' Strike"
238:Freethinker and reformer
30:
962:Billy and the Match Girl
379:Billy and the Match Girl
1036:English women activists
1031:1888 in women's history
995:The Matchgirls Memorial
496:People's History Museum
416:East End Women's Museum
895:East London Advertiser
790:East London Advertiser
560:East London Advertiser
325:
228:
94:, East London, England
643:invisiblewomen.org.uk
317:
291:motion, sponsored by
273:Trades Union Congress
257:London Trades Council
219:
211:
102:Sarah Chapman House,
1046:People from Mile End
366:, played by actress
738:Whitechapel Society
592:Matchgirls Memorial
206:Manor Park Cemetery
185:About Sarah Chapman
92:Manor Park Cemetery
949:. 4 November 2022.
374:become entangled.
285:matchgirls' strike
229:
179:matchgirls' strike
144:matchgirls' strike
1041:British reformers
971:978-1-0804-1989-0
740:. 20 October 2020
696:. 6 October 1888.
531:edm.parliament.uk
458:Spitalfields Life
165:
164:
1053:
976:
975:
957:
951:
950:
933:
927:
926:
924:
922:
912:
906:
905:
903:
901:
886:
880:
879:
877:
875:
869:English Heritage
861:
855:
854:
852:
850:
835:
826:
825:
823:
821:
815:English Heritage
807:
801:
800:
798:
796:
782:
776:
775:
773:
771:
756:
750:
749:
747:
745:
730:
724:
723:
721:
719:
704:
698:
697:
689:
683:
682:
680:
678:
663:
654:
653:
651:
649:
635:
629:
628:
626:
624:
609:
603:
602:
600:
598:
584:
571:
570:
568:
566:
551:
542:
541:
539:
537:
523:
512:
511:
509:
507:
487:
474:
473:
471:
469:
449:
428:
427:
425:
423:
408:
332:English Heritage
176:Bryant & May
122:Bryant & May
78:
76:
71:27 November 1945
61:Mile End, London
57:
55:
35:
21:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1051:
1050:
1006:
1005:
985:
980:
979:
972:
959:
958:
954:
935:
934:
930:
920:
918:
914:
913:
909:
899:
897:
888:
887:
883:
873:
871:
863:
862:
858:
848:
846:
843:The Independent
837:
836:
829:
819:
817:
809:
808:
804:
794:
792:
784:
783:
779:
769:
767:
758:
757:
753:
743:
741:
732:
731:
727:
717:
715:
706:
705:
701:
691:
690:
686:
676:
674:
665:
664:
657:
647:
645:
637:
636:
632:
622:
620:
611:
610:
606:
596:
594:
586:
585:
574:
564:
562:
553:
552:
545:
535:
533:
525:
524:
515:
505:
503:
489:
488:
477:
467:
465:
451:
450:
431:
421:
419:
418:. 13 March 2018
410:
409:
396:
391:
354:
352:Popular culture
309:Alison Thewliss
281:
222:Herbert Burrows
214:
187:
83:
80:
74:
72:
63:
58:
53:
51:
50:31 October 1862
49:
48:
38:
37:Chapman c. 1900
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1059:
1057:
1049:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1008:
1007:
1004:
1003:
997:
992:
984:
983:External links
981:
978:
977:
970:
952:
939:Enola Holmes 2
928:
907:
881:
856:
827:
802:
777:
765:Roman Road LDN
751:
725:
714:. 22 June 2013
699:
684:
655:
630:
604:
572:
543:
513:
475:
429:
393:
392:
390:
387:
363:Enola Holmes 2
353:
350:
280:
277:
233:Fabian Society
213:
210:
186:
183:
163:
162:
159:
155:
154:
151:
147:
146:
140:
139:Known for
136:
135:
129:
125:
124:
119:
115:
114:
111:
107:
106:
100:
96:
95:
89:
85:
84:
81:
79:(aged 83)
69:
65:
64:
59:
46:
44:
40:
39:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1058:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1013:
1011:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
990:
987:
986:
982:
973:
967:
963:
956:
953:
948:
947:
942:
940:
932:
929:
917:
911:
908:
896:
892:
885:
882:
870:
866:
860:
857:
845:. 5 July 2022
844:
840:
834:
832:
828:
816:
812:
806:
803:
791:
788:
781:
778:
766:
762:
755:
752:
739:
735:
729:
726:
713:
709:
703:
700:
695:
688:
685:
673:
669:
662:
660:
656:
644:
640:
634:
631:
619:. 6 June 2020
618:
614:
608:
605:
593:
589:
583:
581:
579:
577:
573:
561:
557:
550:
548:
544:
532:
528:
522:
520:
518:
514:
501:
497:
493:
486:
484:
482:
480:
476:
463:
459:
455:
448:
446:
444:
442:
440:
438:
436:
434:
430:
417:
413:
407:
405:
403:
401:
399:
395:
388:
386:
384:
380:
375:
373:
369:
365:
364:
359:
351:
349:
347:
343:
342:
337:
333:
328:
324:
322:
316:
314:
310:
306:
302:
298:
297:Rushanara Ali
294:
288:
286:
278:
276:
274:
269:
265:
260:
258:
254:
248:
245:
241:
236:
234:
227:
223:
218:
209:
207:
201:
199:
198:Bethnal Green
194:
192:
184:
182:
180:
177:
173:
169:
168:Sarah Chapman
160:
156:
152:
148:
145:
141:
137:
133:
130:
126:
123:
120:
116:
112:
110:Occupation(s)
108:
105:
101:
97:
93:
90:
88:Resting place
86:
70:
66:
62:
47:Sarah Chapman
45:
41:
34:
29:
25:Sarah Chapman
22:
19:
961:
955:
944:
938:
931:
919:. Retrieved
910:
898:. Retrieved
894:
884:
872:. Retrieved
868:
859:
847:. Retrieved
842:
818:. Retrieved
814:
805:
793:. Retrieved
789:
780:
768:. Retrieved
764:
754:
742:. Retrieved
737:
728:
716:. Retrieved
711:
702:
693:
687:
675:. Retrieved
671:
646:. Retrieved
642:
633:
621:. Retrieved
616:
607:
595:. Retrieved
591:
563:. Retrieved
559:
534:. Retrieved
530:
504:. Retrieved
495:
466:. Retrieved
457:
420:. Retrieved
415:
378:
376:
361:
355:
346:Anita Dobson
339:
329:
326:
319:
318:
293:Apsana Begum
289:
282:
261:
253:Toynbee Hall
249:
243:
240:Annie Besant
237:
230:
226:Annie Besant
202:
195:
188:
171:
167:
166:
128:Organization
18:
1021:1945 deaths
1016:1862 births
820:19 February
795:20 December
770:20 December
744:20 December
718:20 December
677:20 December
648:20 December
623:20 December
597:20 December
565:20 December
536:20 December
506:20 November
468:20 November
422:20 December
383:Paul Haston
368:Hannah Dodd
336:blue plaque
305:Jim Shannon
134:(President)
104:Bow, London
1010:Categories
389:References
341:EastEnders
313:Ian Lavery
301:John Cryer
75:1945-11-28
54:1862-10-31
99:Monuments
712:BBC News
694:The Link
672:MyLondon
617:BBC News
500:Archived
462:Archived
372:Sherlock
330:In 2022
255:and the
244:The Link
191:Mile End
158:Children
118:Employer
358:Netflix
268:Stepney
172:Dearman
170:(later
82:England
73: (
52: (
968:
921:6 July
900:6 July
874:6 July
849:6 July
311:, and
279:Legacy
150:Spouse
381:, by
360:film
315:said:
966:ISBN
946:IMDb
923:2022
902:2022
876:2022
851:2022
822:2022
797:2021
772:2021
746:2021
720:2021
679:2021
650:2021
625:2021
599:2021
567:2021
538:2021
508:2022
470:2022
424:2021
224:and
68:Died
43:Born
1012::
943:.
893:.
867:.
841:.
830:^
813:.
763:.
736:.
710:.
670:.
658:^
641:.
615:.
590:.
575:^
558:.
546:^
529:.
516:^
498:.
494:.
478:^
460:.
456:.
432:^
414:.
397:^
385:.
307:,
303:,
299:,
295:,
208:.
974:.
937:"
925:.
904:.
878:.
853:.
824:.
799:.
774:.
748:.
722:.
681:.
652:.
627:.
601:.
569:.
540:.
510:.
472:.
426:.
323:.
161:6
77:)
56:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
