“The thing all women hate is to be thought dull,” says the title character of sylvia Townsend WarnerS 1926 novel, Lolly Willowesan early feminist classic about a middle-aged woman who moves to the countryside, sells her soul to the devil and becomes a witch.
Though their lives are so limited by society, Lolly observes, women “know they are dynamite … know in their hearts how risky, how incalculable, how extraordinary they are”.
Warner herself was anything but dull: a writer,translator,musicologist and political activist who wrote seven novels,extensive poetry and contributed more than 150 short stories to the New Yorker, more than any other female writer. She was also a communist who volunteered for the Red Cross during the Spanish civil war and an LGBTQ+ pioneer, living with the poet Valentine Ackland for decades in a quiet Dorset village, in a partnership they described as a marriage.
In the 1930s, Warner was described as “famous in two continents for numerous and brilliant contributions to literature”, but though many of her works remain in print, her name has faded from widespread recognition, even in the county where she lived.
That is due to change this weekend, when a new statue of Warner will be revealed in Dorchester. The sculpture by Denise dutton shows Warner sitting on a bench accompanied by a cat, in a nod to the creatures she loved and the witch’s companion in her best-known novel.
Campaign for Statue Honors Courage of 1888 Match girls Strike
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A campaign is underway to erect a statue commemorating the courageous women who participated in the 1888 Match Girls strike in London’s East End. Led by activists Sam Johnson and Nicola Pearson, the effort aims to create a lasting tribute to the workers who bravely protested exploitative labor practices at the Bryant & May match factory. The proposed statue will differ from customary monuments,designed to be approachable and inspiring,particularly for young people.
The 1888 Match Girls Strike: A Fight for Dignity
In the summer of 1888, over 1,600 women and girls working at the Bryant & May factory in Bow, east London, went on strike. Their working conditions were appalling. the women, many of them young, faced long hours – often 14 hours a day, six days a week – for extremely low wages. Crucially, they suffered from “phossy jaw,” a debilitating and disfiguring bone disease caused by the white phosphorus used in match production. The factory imposed fines for even minor infractions, further reducing their already meager earnings.
As detailed by the Museum of London, the strike wasn’t initially organized by a trade union, but rather spontaneously ignited by the women themselves, fueled by years of simmering resentment. Annie Besant,a prominent socialist and journalist,played a pivotal role in publicizing their plight in her newspaper,The Link,and providing crucial support to the strikers.
Key Figures and Descendants Fueling the Campaign
The current campaign to honour the match girls has been spurred by personal connections to the past event. Sam johnson discovered her great-grandmother, Sarah Chapman, was a key leader in the 1888 strike. Chapman, along with other prominent figures like Jette Mary Clarke and Ada Nield Chew, helped galvanize the workforce and negotiate for better conditions.
These women weren’t isolated cases. Across the country, women in factories faced similar hardships. As reported by the BBC,women like those in Crewe were also fighting for better working conditions during this period.
A Statue for the Future
The factory site itself is now a residential progress, but its history is marked by an English Heritage blue plaque. However, Johnson and Pearson believe a statue is needed to provide a more impactful and accessible memorial.
Johnson envisions a ground-level sculpture featuring three or four figures, deliberately avoiding a traditional plinth. “I don’t want anything on a plinth because they’ve got to be personable and approachable,” she explained.”I like the idea of school kids going to visit them … as a reminder that, actually, this thing happened just down the road from where you live. And you can be that brave and courageous and wonderful as well.”
Legacy and Ongoing Relevance
The 1888 Match Girls Strike was a landmark victory for the burgeoning labor movement in Britain. It led to improvements in working conditions at Bryant & May and inspired other workers to fight for their rights. The strike also highlighted the dangers of white phosphorus and contributed to its eventual ban in match production.
Key Takeaways:
* The 1888 match Girls Strike was a pivotal moment in British labor history.
* The strike was sparked by dangerous working conditions and exploitative wages at the Bryant & May factory.
* Key figures like Sarah Chapman, Jette Mary Clarke, and Ada Nield Chew led the protest.
* A campaign is underway to erect a statue honoring the match girls, aiming for an approachable and inspiring memorial.
The campaign for a statue serves as a powerful reminder of the courage and determination of these women and their enduring legacy in the fight for workers’ rights. It also underscores the importance of remembering and learning from the past to build a more just and equitable future.
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