Walking past the Olympic Park on the way to Bow you see over to the right the Bryant & May match factory.

The Lea Valley contains a lot English history and the match factory was the location of a landmark strike which became part of trade union history.

In 1888 the match girls who worked in very alarming conditions went on strike and won both public support and better workplace safeguards.

An oddly titled exhibition in London E1, The Match Women’s Strike 1988: Alison Marchant’s Wall Paper History, is a re-staging of a centenary show seen at Rochdale Art Gallery.

Included are original prints, photographs, etchings and collages inspired by archival imagery.
New exhibition

The exhibition is at Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives, 277 Bancroft Road, London E1 4DQ until Friday 6 May.

Open Tue 10am-5pm, Wed 9am-5pm, Thu 9am-8pm, First & third Sat of month 9am-5pm.