A Brief Summary Of The London Match Girl Strike Of 1888

This podcast discusses the London Match Girl Strike in 1888, in response to the poor working conditions at Bryant and May match company. These girls, ladies, and women were considered the lowest of the low in East London, the part of the country that was synonymous with poverty and crime. In the Victorian era, women were expected to do as they were told and not make a fuss over their situations. They were supposed to focus their lives on finding a husband and having kids instead of working. Speaking of the kids, because they were living in poverty children as young as eight were working in this factory to help. As Nelson discusses, the working-class women were criticized because they were not at home taking care of their children. They were exploring the boundaries to take care of their family, …show more content…
This was a serious disease that led to osteonecrosis with symptoms like swelling, tooth pain, festering sores, swollen cheeks and gums, and could even lead to death 20% of the time. As a result of these conditions and the insane number of fines that were assessed over the most ridiculous reasons, the women, with support from Annie Besant, led a strike on July 5, 1888. During this time, strikes usually did not work and resulted in no change for those involved. However, this strike, was significant to labor rights history in Britain and it led to the establishment of the independent labor party. Along with this movement, advocating for women and their rights to work in a safe and suitable workplace, pushed the bounds of what the Victorian Era believed. The idea of the angel of the house is being challenged as these women were working to keep themselves and their families off the streets. This can be seen as the transition into the more modern era where a woman can be independent and make decisions for herself instead of having to rely on a