2023 Year 4 Second Prize
Matchgirls by Mariam

Money is the root of all evil
And something small causes a fine
Today we strike for our rights!
Can you believe our wage?!
How dare you treat us like slaves?!
Go to your worker’s grave and apologise.
It is unfair, the way you run things!
Ruining the lives of innocent girls
Lying about the way you run things!
Someday, we will have our rights.

On 1st July 2023, a new musical composition was premiered at the Great Hall of the Peoples Palace at Queen Mary University in Mile End, to commemorate the 135th anniversary of the Matchgirls Strike of 1888.

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The Matchgirls Memorial ran a schools poetry competition to celebrate the event.

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Judges were Tanya Landman, Author, Dr Anna Robinson, Senior Lecturer UEL & Poet, Chris Searle, Retired Teacher, Author and Poet.

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Mariam from Blue Gate Fields Junior School won Second prize in the Year 4 category with the poem, 'Matchgirls'.