In July 1888, fourteen hundred women and girls employed by the matchmakers Bryant and May walked out of their East End factory and into the history books. The author gives us a challenging new interpretation of events proving that the women themselves, not celebrity socialists like Annie Besant, began it.
Tells the story of one of the most important strikes in labour history, that of the Bryant and May matchmakers in 1888. 1400 women and girls walked out of their East End factory to demand better working conditions and wages. This book reveals the significance and truth of what actually happened, and how it changed British labour history, influencing other strikes such as the Dock Strike of 1889. With an introduction by Sheila Rowbotham.
The work is a major contribution to labour and social history. Incredibly well researched and written ... an absolute must for serious historians.
