In this informal history talk we’ll explore the rich and varied contributions women have made to social movements across East London. Line up includes:

Historian Michelle Johansen on Muriel Lester (1883-1968). Born in Leytonstone, Lester was a social reformer, pacifist and nonconformist who established Kingsley Hall in Bow in the 1920s. Kingsley Hall became an important meeting space for many social and political movements and even hosted a visit from Gandhi in 1931. Michelle will discuss Muriel’s ideas and long and varied life in East London and beyond. Dr Michelle Johansen is a social historian and educator specialising in London with a particular emphasis on social class and mobility, gender and professional lives. 

Historian Lucinda Matthews-Jones on forgotten domestic workers of the ‘settlement movement’. Oxford House is one of the earliest ‘settlement houses’ in world, founded by and for male students and graduates in 1884. This movement expanded rapidly in this period and many records reflect these early male residents. However, behind the scenes many women in domestic service played a significant role and made important contributions to buildings like Oxford House. Lucie, a Reader in Victorian History at Liverpool John Moores University will be discussing some of these forgotten stories.

Filmmaker and Artist Maggie Pinhorn on the East London Federation of Suffragettes. Founded by Sylvia Pankhurst in 1914, this group campaigned for women’s suffrage and the rights of working-class women and girls. ELFS established pioneering social projects across the East End and also published the Women’s Dreadnought. Maggie will be discussing their work, impact and lasting legacy in East London.

This event forms part of our History House programme – a special project celebrating Oxford House’s 140th anniversary and East London’s extraordinary history.