MATCHWOMEN’S FESTIVAL
Saturday 5th July 2014
Mander Hall
Hamilton House, Mabledon Place
London
WC1H 9BD
11AM to 9PM
Nearest stations: Euston and King’s Cross
Website: http://www.matchfest.co.uk/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/matchwomen
The Legacy of the
Matchwomen
In the summer of 1888, 1400 women walked out on strike over
management bullying and appalling, hazardous working conditions. The women and
girls working at Bryant & May’s match factory in London’s East End shocked
the world, and ultimately changed it.
Working-class women at this time were supposed to be seen
and not heard, especially if, like many matchwomen, they were of Irish
heritage. Instead, the matchwomen paraded the streets of the East End, singing
songs and telling the truth about their starvation wages and mistreatment by
the firm.
They marched to Parliament, and their strength and
solidarity won them better pay, safer conditions, and the right to form the
largest union of women and girls in Britain.
They were an inspiration to other groups of workers up and
down the country and throughout the world. The modern movement for workers’
rights had begun, and the matchwomen were at the forefront of it.
Last year's first Matchwomen's Festival marked the 125th
anniversary of the Matchwomen's Strike.
It was a brilliant day with around 700 visitors, including
the late Bob Crow, and was one of Tony Benn's last public engagements.
Since then, the importance of the matchwomen to British
history has been acknowledged in Parliament with a debate devoted to them, and
Labour MPs recommending that the book about them, Striking a Light, should be on the school syllabus. Minister Ed
Vaizey replied that Michael Gove would read it: so far, no word on whether Mr
Gove enjoyed it, but we wait with baited breath.
MPs also wanted to see a properly-worded blue plaque
acknowledging the women’s courage at the old factory site, which Vaizey
supported. Watch this space, or indeed, that space if you live nearby.
This year’s festival is smaller, but still perfectly
formed. We have some wonderful speakers, songs from Tina McKevitt, and spoken
word from Faisal Ali.
We’re excited to have the inspiring Sara Khan on the
importance of making links with Muslim women, Sukhwant Dhaliwal on the work and
history of Women Against Fundamentalism, eminent trade union and human rights
barrister John Hendy QC, and the TUC's Scarlet Harris.
Kate Connelly will speak on her book about the astonishing
life of Sylvia Pankhurst,
Terry McCarthy will speak about the matchwomen-inspired
London Dock Strike of 1889, on which he is an authority. Actor and director
Kate Hardie will talk about her film Shoot Me, and Alex Wall will talk about
working with people with eating disorders, and how they can affect us all.
Heather Wakefield and Caroline Raine have excellent records
on organising trade union women, and will update us on the latest issues and
disputes and how we can support them.
Louise Raw is the author of Striking a Light and speaks and
writes on the Matchwomen, women, unions and history. Diana Johnson MP was
instrumental in bringing the Matchwomen’s legacy to the attention of
parliament.
Special Guest:
Eam Rin
We welcome to the festival a very special guest. Eam is at
the forefront of the dangerous struggle for workers' rights in Cambodia, which
has left 5 people dead this year alone. A garment sewer for 14 years and
secretary of the Cambodian Democratic Union, Eam is visiting the UK to talk
about the current brutal government crackdown on freedom of association.
The Line-up: http://www.matchfest.co.uk/matchfest-line-up.html
Tickets are £2 each for the whole day through Eventbrite,
plus a small booking fee.
**END**
‘Human Herbs’ –
a song by Cold Hands & Quarter Moon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au-vyMtfDAs
Posted here by Glenn
Rikowski
Glenn Rikowski @ Academia: http://independent.academia.edu/GlennRikowski
Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate: http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Glenn_Rikowski?ev=hdr_xprf
Online Publications
at The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk/?page=pub&sub=Online%20Publications%20Glenn%20Rikowski
The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk
All that is Solid
for Glenn Rikowski: http://rikowski.wordpress.com
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment