Striking a Light: The Bryant and May Matchwomen and their Place in History

by Louise Raw

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. Louise Raw gives us a challenging new interpretation of events proving that the women themselves, not celebrity socialists like Annie Besant, began it. She provides unequivocal evidence to show that the matchwomen greatly influenced the Dock Strike of 1889, which until now was thought to be the key event of new unionism, and repositions them as the mothers of the modern labour movement. Returning to the stories of the women themselves, and by interviewing their relatives today, Raw is able to construct a new history which challenges existing accounts of the strike itself and radically alters the accepted history of the labour movement in Britain.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Feminism, British Literature, London

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Phil Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb book which properly recounts the strike of the Matchwomen in 1888. For too long this important struggle has either been ignored or misinterpreted as one of docile working class women following the courageous lead of the middle class reformer Annie Besant. Dr Raw shows that the truth was far from this and it was the women themselves who organised and led the action. Besant had many qualities but leading a strike wasn’t one of them. The women move from being followers to leaders in this narrative, as Raw skilfully brings their lives to the light, including their personal histories before and after the strike. Recommended.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I realised that one of the famous bits of history in the East End that I didn't know nearly enough about was the "matchgirls strike" of 1888. Despite being mentioned in Fishman's 1888 book it really didn't go into very much detail. I found a copy of this book in our library and then borrowed a copy from Whitechapel. I have to say it was very good! It was a lovely feminist history questioning the presumed assumptions that it was in fact a middle class woman coming in and organising a strike among the girls that was responsible not only for it happening in the first place but for its success. Raw also questioned the fact that labour historians are always seperating the women's strike from the docker's strike a year later. She was able to show how closely related the women and the dockers were (living together in the same streets and families) and quotes from the dockers themselves about how the women had been an inspiration. She also looked at the chronology of the strike, the companies records as to who they thought the leaders were and talked to the descents of the women who had been responsible for the strike. It was a solid attempt to acknowledge the agency of the working class women themselves and how that has been distorted by time. One of the things that was most interesting to see was the details of the women's lives after the strike and what their different lives were like afterwards, the different businesses they went to and the feelings of pride they had in what they'd been able to do. Reading this book made me realise that labour history isn't really an area I'm terribly interested in but this book was still very interesting in the way it challeneged assumptions. Raw was very clear in her evidence and her historical methods, and the strengths and weaknesses of what she was using. The only point I had an issue with was the way she ignored Bessant's later role with the women. Even if she hadn't started the strike with them she was involved with them later and this wasn't really addressed, indeed it seemed at times her role was downplayed as one instance she was referred to as "the secretary" rather than by her actual name when talking about the later impact of the strike. Still it was a very interesting book and one I'd definitely recommend to people interested in this period, the histor of labour and the lives of working class women.

[Stephen Goldenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louise Raw puts the record straight by showing through research, reinterpretation of original records and reports and interviews with relatives of the striking match women. She debunks the received view of most historians that the strike was led by Annie Besant and other middle class socialists rather than the match women themselves. The point is strongly argued if somewhat repetitious. The book also gives a detailed description of the lives of working women in the East End in the 1880s and shows the supportive nature of the communities and the way that the matchworkers' strike was the inspiration for the subsequent strikes by the gas workers and dockers.

[Michelle Birkby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now obviously I knew about the matchgirls strike - then I read this and realised I knew barely anything. For a start, they're matchwomen - and I only knew the names and stories of the rich and powerful involved - this boo!a talks about those actually involved, the workers themselves, and their stories and their anger

[Martin Empson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Louise Raw's book is a brilliant rescue of the role of ordinary working class women in fighting to improve their lives. It is also a masterpiece of historical study - a model for those of us trying to understand and write about the struggles of the past. I urge you to read it." http://resolutereader.blogspot.co.uk/...

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent information, if a little dry

The information presented in this book is compelling and new to me. The writing style is a tad dry and at times difficult to get through, but well worth the effort.