The Match Girls' Strike Flashcards
What was one of the most prominent factories making matches in London?
The Bryant & May factory.
Who did the Bryant & May factory employ?
Women, many of them young girls.
What were the conditions like in the factory?
Very poor and many of the girls and women working there became very ill, some even died.
What was the most common illness at the factory?
‘Phossy jaw’.
What caused ‘phossy jaw’?
The white phosphorus that was used to make the matches light. The chemical caused their jaws to rot, meaning their teeth fell out. Those who survived were left with disfigured faces.
What were the wages like at the factory?
Very poor: around 20 pence a week for a girl and 40 pence for a woman.
Why were the women at the factory often fined?
For not working fast enough or for being late to work.
Give an example of wages being deducted from the women for no good reason:
In 1882, money was deducted from their wages to fund a new statue of Prime Minister William Gladstone.
When did the workers decide to go on strike?
July 1888.
Who was Annie Besant?
A journalist who had become aware of the conditions that women worked in. She helped to organise the strike actions, and supported the workers.
Who sympathised for the workers?
The public.
Besant organised the grievances of the women in a publication called what?
‘White Slaves of London’.
What did Besant call regarding Bryant & May?
A boycott of the matches made there.
What did the factory owners pressure the women who were not striking to do?
To deny the claims made by Besant.
What happened when one worker refused to deny the claims made by Besant?
What happened as a result?
She was dismissed from her job.
As a result, a further 1400 workers came out in support of the strike.
