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Annie Besant, Charles Dickens, Eleanor Marx, and Matchgirls' strike blue plaque
blue plaque

Annie Besant, Charles Dickens, Eleanor Marx, and Matchgirls' strike blue plaque

Annie Besant · Social Reformer

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Inscription

“Hanbury Hall Built 1719 as a French Huguenot Church. Used by La Patente Church 1740 onwards. John Wesley preached here. 1787 it became a German Lutheran Church. Used by the Baptists then the United Free Methodists. Charles Dickens gave public readings here. 1887 Christ Church bought the building as its Church Hall. 1888 Annie Besant and Eleanor Marx-Aveling held the matchstick girls strike meetings here which helped to establish the British Trade Unions. Throughout its life this hall has served Church, community and nation. ”

Details

1847-1933

Life dates

22 Hanbury Street Spitalfields

E1

People & Places Honored

  • Annie Besant

    social reformer, journalist, lecturer, Secretary of the Matchmakers Union, President of the Indian National Congress, and International President of the Theosophical Society · (1847-1933)

  • Charles Dickens

    novelist, journalist, policeman, son of John Dickens, son of Elizabeth Dickens, and friend of Thomas Latimer · (1812-1870)

  • Eleanor Marx

    daughter of Karl Marx and daughter of Jenny von Westphalen · (1855-1898)

  • Matchgirls' strike

    (1888)

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