Historically, working class migrant areas have been hotbeds of social activism. However, women’s involvement in these movements is poorly documented or missing entirely.

1. In her footsteps
The story of 150 years of women-led
activism in East London

2. What is an activist?

3. Definition of activist
Activist (noun)
From the latin word actus, meaning a doing,
driving force or impulse.
Someone who takes part in activities that are
intended to achieve political or social change,
especially someone who is a member of an
organisation

4. Why all the fuss about
women?

5. Bourgeois suffragettes

6. “For bourgeois women, political rights are
simply a means allowing them to make
their way more conveniently and more
securely in a world founded on the
exploitation of the working people. For
women workers, political rights are a step
along the rocky and difficult path that leads
to the desired kingdom of labour.”
- Pravada, 1913

7. “few people could fail to be touched by the
way in which the [match] girls were
determined to stand together at all costs. in
every direction girls might be seen plotting
how they could help one another on until
Bryant & May gave them back their pennies.”

8. “few people could fail to be touched by the
way in which the [match] girls were
determined to stand together at all costs. in
every direction girls might be seen plotting
how they could help one another on until
Bryant & May gave them back their pennies.”

9. “Some people say that the lives of
working women are too hard and
their education too small for them
to become a powerful voice in
winning the vote. Such people
have forgotten their history”.
- Sylvia pankhurst

10. “Publicity is the only thing
some people fear. An aroused
public opinion has been the
cause of most reforms. Telling
the truth is perhaps the
pacifist's only weapon. Over
and over again, even the
suggestion that one may
publish the facts has changed
a scornful, bullying opponent
into an almost subservient
helper. But how dangerous it
is!”
- Muriel Lester

11. “We are here
representing a
principle which we
have to defend as
well as the men […]
We go cheerfully
determined to see
this thing through. I
hope our example
will not be lost on all
local authorities
throughout the
country.”
- Susan Lawrence

12. “We had this strike for a farthing on
the price of a pair of trousers and he
never forgave me for that, even
though he won, not us. I used to
stand outside the factory and collect
the girls’ contributions. He would
call me all the names under the sun
and call the police, but the police
would say ‘She isn’t doing anything
wrong.”
- Sarah Wesker

13. “She was extraordinary in the
sense that she was a very
principled person and she …
stuck to her principles, no matter
how difficult it might be.”
- Documentary film maker,
Suman Bhuchar on Mala Sen

14. “The police had dogs and officers
on horseback, and I remember
the police wanted to set the dogs
on the young men. So we
women got in front to protect
them and the police had to stop
because we were women […] It
was important to have a mix of
people, men and women, and
young and old – because police
can behave very differently if it is
just young men. There was a lot
of solidarity and it was nice.”
- Julie Begum

15. “My bag was my
office; toys were my
reference.”
- Zenith Rahmen

16. “My understanding of history is
that there is no change without
friction – just look at the
abolitionists, the suffragettes,
civil rights struggles – there are
many examples.
For me, the possibility of a few
weeks in prison was a risk
worth taking to defend the
planet. It was a privilege to
have done this action, and I
hope it inspires more actions.”
- Melanie Strickland

17. Innovation
MOTHERMOTHER

18. bravery

19. Unique positioning

20. Questions