Our Daily Struggle by Nura
We are making matches for the men . . . and for what?
Just so that they can burn our freedom away?
Just so that they can burn our dreams away?
In 1888 women worked for very little pay . . . hours and
hours each day.
If you were late . . . FINED!.
If you made a sound . . . FINED!.
Until one faithful day . . . there was a change . . . .
Annie Besant - a free woman - heard of the match girls
and their phossy cage.
She thought that the world should hear
their story.
And so, Annie Besant became the match girls'
voice!
But there was still one thing left to do . . . STRIKE!
During the match girls working hours, the match girls
went on STRIKE!
If they were going to work, they were going to get
fair pay!
If they were going to work, it would be in
safe conditions!
And so . . . the strike of 1888 changed the lives of
present and future women and young girls . . .
!FOREVER!"
July 2026 saw the 138th anniversary of the Matchgirls Strike. On 10th July, to mark the occasion, The Matchgirls Memorial were hosted at the Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives to present prizes of the annual Schools Matchgirls Poetry Competition.
Prizes were presented to the winners of this years school poetry competition from both Blue Gate Fields Junior School and William Patten Primary School. Our judges this year were Dr Anna Robinson and Fawzia Kane.
Beatrix won Third ,Prize in the Year 6 category with the poem, 'The Strike'.