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In the late nineteenth century and throughout the twentieth, women played an increasingly pivotal role in labour and trade union movements in Britain, frequently spearheading strikes that reshaped industries and advanced workers’ rights. Propelled by dire working conditions and gross inequalities, striking women defied traditional gender roles and societal expectations to fight for justice and equality in the workplace.

Women’s radicalism is nowhere more vividly reflected than in pamphlets, ephemeral publications and photographs that capture the immediacy and fervour of their struggles for fair wages, better working conditions, and gender equality. However, looking for materials related to women-led strikes in libraries and archives presents multiple challenges. 

Researching ephemera in Senate House Library

Contributions of women in labour movements were often marginalised, downplayed or omitted from mainstream narratives, resulting in sparse and fragmentary documentation. Many women who led or participated in these strikes were working-class and lacked the means to document their experiences comprehensively.

Moreover, pamphlets and ephemeral materials, such as leaflets, rally posters, strike bulletins and factory newsletters, were not designed for long-term preservation. These items were produced quickly, distributed widely, and often discarded after their immediate use. Their fragile nature means that they are more susceptible to physical deterioration, loss, or damage over time. Surviving examples are often scattered across different collections, making comprehensive research challenging.

In Senate House Library, the Ron Heisler collection is a treasure trove of radical publications, amounting to about 50,000 nineteenth and twentieth century books, pamphlets and periodicals published by or relating to labour and radical political movements. The John Burns collection covers the history of radicalism, the co-operative movement and socialism, and is rich in materials on labour politics and the trade unions in the United Kingdom. 

Leafing through a small selection of ephemeral and archival materials from these and other collections in the library, we explore some of the most notable strikes led by women in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. 

The Matchgirls Strike of 1888

The Matchgirls Strike was a seminal moment in labour history, marking one of the first successful strikes by unskilled workers. In July 1888, women and girls at the Bryant and May match factory in àËÅöÊÓƵ walked out in protest against deplorable working conditions, including fourteen-hour workdays, poor wages, and the toxic effects of white phosphorus, which caused ‘phossy jaw’, a debilitating disease.

The strike, involving over 1,400 women, garnered substantial public support, largely due to the efforts of social reformer Annie Besant. Charismatic, radical and prolific in her writings and public speeches, Besant passionately supported not only the matchgirls, but the advancement of women’s causes in general. Many of her published pamphlets are held in Senate House Library’s special collections. 

Newspaper campaigns of the 1890s exposed Bryant and May’s cover up of phosphorus necrosis at the factory, which led to Government prosecution in 1898. The matchgirls’ victory not only improved working conditions at Bryant and May but also forced the company to employ more British workers for a fairer wage as the company’s ‘Question of the Hour’ advertising campaign shows.

The Chainmakers’ Strike of 1910

In 1910, the women chainmakers of Cradley Heath in the West Midlands struck for better wages. These women, who worked long hours in forges in their backyards for meagre pay, demanded enforcement of the minimum wage established by the Trade Boards Act. The strike lasted ten weeks and ended in a resounding victory. It doubled the wages for many women and highlighted the importance of union support for female workers.

The strike was led by suffragette Mary Macarthur and the National Federation of Women Workers, which she had founded in 1906 to represent and advocate for the rights of women workers who were overlooked by other unions. Macarthur’s radical activism remains one of the most significant contributions to the history of labour movements and women’s rights in Britain.

The munitions and textile strikes during World War I

During World War I, women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers, particularly in munitions factories and textile mills. In 1918, women munitions workers in Coventry went on strike demanding equal pay for equal work. Similarly, textile workers in various parts of the UK went on strike to protest against poor working conditions and low wages. The strikes challenged the exploitation of wartime labour and underscored the critical role of women in the industrial workforce.

After coming under the influence of trade unionist Mary Macarthur, Susan Lawrence, a radical labour activist, campaigned against the health hazards and exploitation faced by women and children in factories, and for reform in the provision of assistance to the poor. This led to the success in persuading the government to equalise the Poor Law rates in 1929 and to pass the Factory Act in 1937.

The Jarrow March of 1936

The Jarrow March, also known as the Jarrow Crusade, saw 200 unemployed men and women march from Jarrow to àËÅöÊÓƵ to protest against severe unemployment and poverty in the Northeast town. Although not a strike in the traditional sense, it was a radical act of defiance against economic inequality and government inaction. 

Notable activist Ellen Wilkinson, who played a national role in this strike, can be seen in this photograph, leading the petitioners’ 282-mile march to àËÅöÊÓƵ. She later published a book about Jarrow, highlighting the desperation of many working-class communities during the Great Depression and bringing nationwide attention to their plight. 

The Ford Dagenham Strike of 1968

The Ford Dagenham Strike was a landmark event in the fight for gender equality in the workplace. Female sewing machinists at the Ford plant in Dagenham walked out, demanding equal pay for work of equal value. Their strike, which lasted three weeks, was supported by the prominent Labour politician, Barbara Castle, whose campaigns led to the introduction of the Equal Pay Act of 1970 in the UK. The Dagenham women’s determination and courage brought the issue of pay inequality to the forefront of public consciousness and set a precedent for future gender equality legislation.

The fight, however, continued for another 17 years, led by new generations of Dagenham women. In 1978, women joined their male colleagues and led protests at Dagenham as part of the massive strike at Ford to challenge government policies at the start of the Winter of Discontent, also inspiring other marginalised worker communities to support them. 

In 1984, after a seven-week strike, which stopped production at Dagenham, the women finally achieved the demands of their 1968 colleagues to have their skills regraded to a level comparable to that of their male co-workers.

The Grunwick Strike of 1978-79

The Grunwick Strike was one of the most significant labour disputes in the UK, highlighting issues of racial and gender discrimination. Led by Jayaben Desai (seen in this postcard), predominantly female and Asian workers at the Grunwick film processing plant in àËÅöÊÓƵ struck over poor working conditions, low pay, and lack of union recognition. 

The strike drew widespread support from trade unions and the broader public, emphasizing the interconnectedness of labour rights, racial equality, and gender justice. Though the strike did not achieve its immediate goals, it had a lasting impact on the labour movement and the fight against workplace discrimination.

The Miners’ Strike of 1984-85

The Miners’ Strike of 1984-85, while primarily involving male miners, saw significant support and radical activism from women all over the country. Groups like Women Against Pit Closures played a vital role, providing crucial logistical support for the strikers and their families and bringing attention to the broader social and economic issues at stake.

Personal narratives and firsthand accounts are invaluable for understanding experiences and perspectives of women strikers. In most cases, women involved in these movements did not have the opportunity or resources to documents their personal stories, or their writings were not deemed significant enough to be preserved.

Fortunately, many authentic voices of women who took part in the Miners’ Strike were recorded in pamphlets produced and published by women at the time, and since preserved in library collections. One example of this is , a collection of poems, stories and songs by the women of Easington Colliery.

Conclusion

The language and imagery of these publications portray women strikers as fierce and unwavering in their fight against systemic injustice, painting a picture of women at the heart of some of the most radical and transformative campaigns for workers’ rights in history. Ephemeral publications play a crucial role in preserving these stories and ensuring that the radicalism, resilience and solidarity of these women continue to inspire and shape the labour movement today. 

By Mura Ghosh, academic librarian, SHL