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Rouse, Ye Women! – Remembering the Chainmakers of Cradley Heath on International Women's Day
On the 8th March, we remember and honour the many movements which fought for women's rights and liberation – and those who continue that struggle to this day. But what is less talked about is how intertwined Women's Movements were with working class organisation. Typically we're presented with a story of middle and upper-class women, such as the Suffragettes, in their battle for the vote; while these played a vital role, it was working class women who led the charge and shaped history in the workplace. Here, in the Black Country, the working women of Cradley Heath provided a strong example of this history:
"In the Autumn of 1910 the Women Chainmakers of Cradley Heath focused the World's attention on the plight of Britain's low paid women workers. In their back yard forges hundreds of women laid down their tools to strike for a living wage.
Led by the charismatic union organiser and campaigner Mary Macarthur, the women's struggle became a national and international cause célèbre. Mary led the Women to demand that the minimum rate of pay set by the Chain Trade Board was implemented fairly.
After ten long weeks they won the dispute and increased their earnings from as little as 5 shillings (25p) to 11 shillings (55p) a week. This was all the more remarkable because the women worked at home, or in small factories and had no history of working together to achieve a common goal. Using her 'bundle of sticks' analogy, Mary was able to convince the women about the strength of solidarity, empowering them to achieve wondrous results and lay the foundations of equality for future generations." (Trades Union Congress, 2025)
This story of our local area is such a source of inspiration to me because it shows us how ordinary people can achieve great things, and change the world for the better, when we come together. The victory of the women of Cradley Heath helped to lay the foundations for the principle of a National Minimum Wage, and so not only advanced the cause of women's equality, but contributed to raising living standards for everyone. I find it amazing to think about how something so important took place here in our area – one of the many reasons I'm proud to call The Black Country my home.
As a staff member at Recovery College I also think about the CHIME model of recovery we use – an acronym which stands for Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning and Empowerment – and how we can relate it to this history. Connectedness was how the chain makers, with the National Federation of Women Workers (NFWW), achieved their goal, uniting for a common cause; they had Hope that through their struggle they could improve life for themselves and their families; their shared Identity, as women and workers, brought them together; their actions brought Meaning to them, and future generations; finally, they Empowered themselves by the decisions they made, demonstrating the power they held in their own hands.
If this bit of local history has left you wanting to know more, you can check out these following links:
https://www.womenchainmakers.org.uk/
https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/women-chainmakers
https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/news/article/508/celebrating-the-women-chainmakers-of-cradley-heath
You can also watch this YouTube upload of a TV documentary released in 1976, called Nothing To Lose – The Women Chainmakers Strike Of 1910 Cradley Heath
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvm8Adm_MSY
Every July, the TUC Women Chainmaker's Festival takes place in Cradley Heath, a celebration of the town's proud history and of those who made it. This family friendly street festival has music, entertainment, food, drink, market stalls and fascinating talks – as well as a yearly theatre performance commemorating the women's victory, with plenty of chance for audience participation ending in a great procession around the town centre! As a visitor and participant, I'd recommend this experience to everyone.
Wishing you all a powerful International Women's Day!
Luke – Learning Support Assistant at Recovery College, BCHFT
The RC Team
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