Were women largely peripheral actors in the history of the East End in late 19th-early 20th century

By Antonia Pyke

Edited by Mark Potter

Women were not peripheral actors of the early nineteenth and late twentieth century as they

were consistently at the forefront of political ideals, leading the battle of reform needed. Seen

at the front of the suffragette movement starting in 1903, the Matchgirl Strikes in 1888, and

the Battle of Cable Street in 1936. These are key historical events in the East End, all with

women at the pinnacle. It is important to note the separate spheres of sexes, women were

presented as weaker to men.[1] However, within their own sphere “women wielded considerable power and influence”, highlighting that they were greatly significant with their social groups allowing for their own sphere of influence to develop, which contributed to the political movements.[2] This essay will highlight some of the key events that took place in East London during this period in order to emphasise the idea that women in fact were not peripheral actors of the period.

A key movement that significantly shows that women were not peripheral actors in the East

End was their great contribution to the fight for suffrage. The suffragette movement was

provoked by the spheres of sexes and the limitations that these presented, from this Emmeline Pankhurst, created the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). Pankhurst created this on the basis that Millicent Fawcett’s National Union of Women’s Suffrage was not acting fast enough. C. N. Trueman argues that “They were not prepared to wait”, highlighting that Pankhurst wanted to continue the movement faster.[3] Pankhurst’s union were prepared to act dangerously too - chaining themselves to gates, smashing windows, and burning down buildings. During this period other districts of Suffragettes had opened, WSPU branches had opened in the East End.[4] This is significant to women in East End history as it is evident that women were actively fighting for suffrage as one of the biggest suffragette groups had districts opened there, emphasising that women were playing a major part in the gender history of the East End. Additionally, it is further highlighted that women were not peripheral actors in the history of the East End as many women began to leave the WSPU due to the lack of democracy and were drawn to the East London Federation of Suffragettes (ELFS) led by Sylvia Pankhurst. Furthermore, the importance of women in the East End at this time was key as Sylvia Pankhurst saw it as the “utmost importance”, starting the movement in poverty as it would become the catalytic movement needed to promote the same crucial ideas throughout England.[5] East End poverty in 1912 was significant the hardship helped spark the movement as the working class not only wanted rights for themselves but a “full share of benefits for their families”.[6] Jackson’s use of these quotes clearly justifies the significance of the East End women. Clearly, the ELFS was a key organisation in the history of East London as Jackson states they became the “independent force for change in the East End”.[7]

It is further highlighted that women were not peripheral actors during this period due to the

photo below, photography was not a widely used medium during this period as the process was expensive and difficult, therefore typically only used by the upper class. Highlighting the group had great importance, so important that they had their photo taken. From the photo we learn that not only were they a significant group but also determined, the photo is dated to 1914, after the group has been expelled from the WSPU – therefore highlighting that the women in East London were greatly determined to demand their equality. It can be suggested that the photo adds an element of bravery to the women as often the groups demonstrating and would be attacked for their political views, by men and women, having “fish head and urine-soaked paper” thrown at them, the police brutality was also high – peaking its head on Black Friday (1910).[8] Through the suffragette movement, it is clear that women were not peripheral actors in East End history, greatly at the forefront of political history. East London was a melting pot for political views and therefore allowed for the historical events to take place. As the suffragette movement was made by women for women it is clear that they were not at the peripheral but at the pinnacle of gender history.

It can be argued that certain groups were at the forefront of East End history and others were

at the peripheral due to the racial and classist ideas during the late nineteenth and early

twentieth century. For example, class played a great part during the suffragettes, the Pankhurst family being of upper-class, therefore at this time would have greater influence over working class. It appears that working-class groups tended to follow those of the higher class rather than the working class stepping up. Similarly, during the Match Strikes (1888), Sarah Chapman was a booker for Bryant and May, which would have better pay than the factory girls, therefore would have given her a “position of esteem” amongst workers.[9] This position of esteem is seen both with the Pankhurst’s and Chapman, with Sylvia Pankhurst going to East London to specifically gain support and the rights of working-class women.[10] Women of other ethnicities are mentioned much less, suggesting that unfortunately, these women were at the peripheral, with only one woman known to either be black or Asian on 1866 rights for women petition.[11] There is “little evidence of black and minority ethnic women taking part”, during the movement as they counted for a small percentage of the population, suggesting that they were at the peripheral as the census recorded where people were born and many migrants changing their last name to a more ‘British’ name, therefore some groups of women are seen to be at the peripheral but due to the lack of information due to the sources from the time.[12] However, there was a large population of Jewish communities in the East End, it may not be specified often in sources, but they were at the forefront of history in the East End, during the period of suffragettes the Jewish League for Women’s Suffrage (JLWS) was created, including mainly upper-middle-class women, additionally the female fighters on the Battle of Cable Street were predominantly Jewish.[13] Highlighting women were at the forefront of East End history, but to an extent, the majority were white upper to middle-class women, with working-class and minorities at the peripheral.

An area of history where women are perceived to be at the peripheral is the Battle of Cable

Street. This was a clash between the British Union of Fascists, the Metropolitan Police, and

anti-fascist groups, one of these main groups being the Jewish community that occupies the

East End. The Battle of Cable is perceived to be a male-dominated event, due to the mural,

which resides at Shadwell, where only four women are seen on the photo, naturally diminishing the representation of women at the event.[14] It can be implied that perhaps that violence of the clash has also ensured that women are perceived as being at the peripheral of the event, as stereotypically violence is connoted with men, as throughout history the gender spheres have dominated our society with the idea that men are strong, and women are weak. However, to counter, women were in fact not at the peripheral of the historical event but the front of the action, not only were these women at the barricades of the battle but they would throw objects at the enemy.[15] Phil Piratin recalls that the women “were throwing down milk bottles” and some of the female activists would sell their campaign literature at Blackshirt gatherings.[16] The fact these women were fighting the battle also helped inspire the generations at the time, Sarah Wesker was described as “an inspiration to all of us”[17] – highlighting that despite not being remembered by mainstream history is clear that women were at the front of East End history.[18] Highlighting that they were not at the peripheral but at the forefront as they were so greatly remembered.

The Matchgirl Strikes in 1888 connotes that women were not at the peripheral of East End

history. These strikes were led by strong women; without the strike, wages would have not got better, and phosphorous would not have been banned in match making either. Clearly

highlighting the significance of these strikes, and therefore immediately suggesting that women at this time were at the forefront of political history as they were able to gain the rights and to an extent the power they desired. It is further emphasised that women were not at the peripheral of East End history as the strikes took place in a male-dominated political sphere, this political sphere encouraged the idea that women were weaker and overall didn’t deserve the political standards that we have now. As it took place in a male-dominated political climate and was successful it highlights that they had to be at the forefront. Additionally, this movement is significant as it is pre-suffragette, therefore the Matchgirls would have to be at the forefront of gender history in the East End. Furthermore, we can see that women were at the forefront of East End history from the Match Strikes as their demands were eventually met to ban phosphorous in match making, however, this was in 1906, this was a major movement as phossy jaw was a common illness that occurred under poor working conditions. It is further evidence that the women of the Match Strikes were not peripheral actors because they provided a key catalyst for unions to begin demanding greater things such as a reduction in hours, Frederick Engels states that the Match Strikes were “the light jostle needed for the entire avalanche to move”.[19] Engels statement supports the idea that women of the nineteenth century were not at the peripheral as they were the cause for bigger and greater movements.

To conclude, it is evident that women were not peripheral actors of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in the East End’s history as they were consistently at the forefront of the major events of this period. Women had to be at the front of the East End’s history during this time as a major part of this period was gender politics, seen in the suffragette movement and the Matchgirl Strikes. However, it still may be argued that not every group of women were at the forefront of the political fight, the majority were white upper to middle-class women, however, the driving force behind them were middle-class women, additionally not enough information is provided by the census to know about other ethnic groups of women. Therefore, women were greatly at the front and not peripheral actors of the historical period as they led the political protest and contributed greatly to the history of East London today.

Figure 1: A series of photographs of the East London Federation of Suffragettes, 1914-1915

Notes

[1]Kathryn Hughes, (2014) “Gender roles in the 19th century”, The British Library

<https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/gender-roles-in-the-19th-century> [Accessed 17 Oct, 2019].

[2] Jone Johnson Lewis, (2019) “Development of Separate Spheres for Men and Women”, ThoughtCo, <https://www.thoughtco.com/separate-spheres-ideology-3529523> [Accessed 17 Oct, 2019].

[3] C, N, Trueman, (2015) “Women's right to vote”, History Learning Site

<https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/the-role-of-british-women-in-the-twentieth

century/suffragettes/> [Accessed 17 Oct, 2019].

[4] Sarah Jackson, (2016) “Adelaide Knight, leader of the first east London Suffragettes”, East End Women's Museum”, <https://eastendwomensmuseum.org/blog/adelaide-knight-leader-of-the-first-east-london-suffragettes?rq=Adelaide%20Knight> [Accessed 17 Oct, 2019].

[5] Sarah Jackson and Rosemary Taylor, East London suffragettes (Stroud: The History Press,2014), p. 32.

[6] Jackson and Taylor, East London, p. 32.

[7] Jackson and Taylor, East London, p. 40.

[8] Jackson and Taylor, East London, p, 34.

[9] Sarah Jackson, (2018) “Sarah Chapman: Matchgirl strike leader and TUC delegate”, East End Women's Museum <https://eastendwomensmuseum.org/blog/2018/3/13/sarah-chapman-matchgirl-strike-leader-and-tuc-delegate> [Accessed 17 Oct, 2019].

[10] East End Women's Museum, (n.d.). “The Women's Hall: East End suffragettes”, East End Women's Museum <https://eastendwomensmuseum.org/the-womens-hall > [Accessed 18 Oct, 2019].

[11] Elizabeth Crawford, (2018) “The black and Asian women who fought for a vote, BBC News <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-42837451 > [Accessed 18 Oct, 2019].

[12] Elizabeth Crawford, (2018) “The black and Asian women who fought for a vote, BBC News

<https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-42837451 > [Accessed 18 Oct, 2019].

[13] Carole Renard, “Jewish involvement in the women’s suffrage movement in Britain: navigating multiple identities in the Diaspora”, Jewish Historical Studies. 48/1 (2016), pp. 158-176.

[14] David Binnington, (1979) “The Battle of Cable Street mural proposal”, Jewish Museum London <https://jewishmuseum.org.uk/2016/10/05/the-battle-of-cable-street/> [Accessed 18 Oct, 2019].

[15] Nadia Valman. “Jewish Girls and the Battle of Cable Street”, Jewish Culture and History, 1/2 (1998), pp. 181-194

[16] Sarah Jackson, (2016) “Women at the Battle of Cable Street”, East End Women's Museum <https://eastendwomensmuseum.org/blog/women-at-the-battle-of-cable-street > [Accessed 17 Oct, 2019].

[17] Sarah Jackson, (2016) “Women at the Battle of Cable Street”, East End Women's Museum <https://eastendwomensmuseum.org/blog/women-at-the-battle-of-cable-street> [Accessed 17 Oct, 2019].

[18] Sarah Jackson, (2016) “Women at the Battle of Cable Street”, East End Women's Museum <https://eastendwomensmuseum.org/blog/women-at-the-battle-of-cable-street > [Accessed 17 Oct, 2019].

[19] Samuel Justin Hurwitz., State intervention in Great Britain. (London: Blackwell's, 1949), p.133.

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