Sarah Chapman

About

Sarah Chapman (later Dearman; 31 October 1862 – 27 November 1945) was a British trade unionist who was one of the leaders of the 1888 Bryant & May matchgirls’ strike. Chapman and others involved in the strike have since been recognised as “pioneers of sex equality and fairness at work who left a lasting legacy on the trade union movement”.

Sarah Chapman was born on 31 October 1862, the fifth of seven children born to Samuel Chapman, a brewer’s servant, and Sarah Ann Mackenzie. Her early life was spent in Mile End, and Chapman would live her whole life in London’s East End. By 19, alongside her mother and elder sister, Sarah was employed as a matchmaking machinist at Bryant & May. By the time of the 1888 strike, Sarah Chapman occupied a comparably well-waged position at the Bryant & May factory and was an established member of its workforce.
In December 1891, Sarah married Charles Henry Dearman, a cabinet maker. The couple had their first child, Sarah Elsie, in 1892, going on to have five more. The family later moved to Bethnal Green, where Sarah remained for the rest of her life. Charles Henry Dearman died in 1922.
Sarah Dearman died in Bethnal Green hospital…