Sarah Chapman was born 31 October 1862 in Mile End, London and grew up working at the Bryant & May match factory. She became one of the powerful voices in the 1888 Matchgirls Strike, a protest that reshaped labour rights for women and set a lasting example.
Imagine a young woman forced to endure punishing hours, unsafe conditions, and unfair fines, yet she refused to be silenced. Instead of giving in, Sarah Chapman stood up when many others felt powerless. She became part of a strike committee that negotiated with owners, met politicians, and demanded change.
By the time she died on 27 November 1945 at age 83, Chapman had left a legacy of courage, union leadership, and social reform. Her story shows how ordinary people can spark extraordinary movements.
Quick Bio
| Full Name | Sarah Chapman |
|---|---|
| Born | 1970, London, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British |
| Profession | Skincare Expert, Facialist, Entrepreneur |
| Known For | Founder of Skinesis skincare and clinic |
| Education | Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology Training (London) |
| Notable Clients | Meghan Markle, Victoria Beckham, Gigi Hadid, and other global celebrities |
| Brand Founded | Skinesis (2008) |
| Achievements | Award-winning skincare brand, recognized globally for innovative facials and products |
Early Life and Education
Full name
Her name was Sarah Chapman. After marriage she became Sarah Dearman.
Real name
Same as full name: Sarah Chapman. No evidence of any different birth name.
Date of birth
She was born 31 October 1862.
Childhood
Sarah grew up in Mile End, East London. She was the fifth of seven children. The family initially lived at 26 Alfred Terrace, then moved by the time she was nine to 2 Swan Court, Mile End Road.
She and her siblings could read and write, listed as scholars in census returns. That was not usual in their social class then.
Family background
Father: Samuel Chapman, a brewer’s servant and dock worker. Mother: Sarah Ann Mackenzie. She had six siblings. Working-class family.
School / University
No evidence of formal university education. She and her siblings got basic schooling (reading, writing). Census lists them as scholars.
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Career Journey
Before Fame / Early career
By age 19, Sarah Chapman worked at the Bryant & May match factory as a matchmaking machinist. She worked alongside her mother and older sister Mary. She later held the role of Booker in the “Patent area” of the factory, which paid relatively better, and she avoided many of the fines that reduced many other worker’s pay.
Breakthrough
Her breakthrough came during the Matchgirls Strike of 1888. On 5 July 1888, around 1,400 girls and women walked out on strike. Chapman was one of three women who met Annie Besant and part of the group that formed the Strike Committee. She helped negotiate demands like ending unfair deductions and abolishing fines. By 17 July 1888, many of those demands were met.
Peak years
After the strike, Sarah was elected president of the Union of Women Matchmakers. She represented the union at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in November 1888 and again in 1890 in Liverpool, where she seconded a motion relating to the Truck Act.
She married Charles Henry Dearman in December 1891 and left the factory around then.
Physical Appearance
There is no reliable historical record that gives Sarah Chapman’s height, weight, body measurements, or detailed physical attributes.
All sources I found described her social position, work, activism, and personal life, but not her physical features, nor measurements.
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Major Achievements
Awards
There is no record of formal awards during her lifetime. Recognition came after her death, including naming of council housing after her, blue plaques, and memorial campaigns.
Records
She does not hold “records” in the sense of sports or measurements. Her record is in the labor movement: leading the 1888 strike, forming the Union of Women Matchmakers, attending TUC as representative.
Notable Works
Her notable “work” was activism: organising the matches girls, leading strike negotiations, representing working women at national union meetings, helping win changes at Bryant & May in July 1888.
Contributions
- She helped abolish oppressive fines and deductions in the factory.
- She played a key role in establishing Union of Women Matchmakers.
- She gave women working in harsh conditions a voice, influencing the trade union movement broadly.
Personal Life
Nationality
British. Lived entire life in East End of London, England.
Ethnicity
Working-class English / British, from a white family originally in London. (No evidence of other ethnic heritage.)
Religion
No verifiable records about her religious beliefs. Historical sources do not clearly state her religion.
Relationships
She married Charles Henry Dearman in December 1891. They had six children: first “Sarah Elsie” born 1892, and others. Some children predeceased her.
Net worth
No reliable data about her net worth. Her life was not one of wealth; she ended in modest conditions.
Hobbies
No documented hobbies or leisure interests are verifiable in reliable sources.
Social media presence
Not applicable (she lived 1862-1945).
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Interesting Facts
- Sarah Chapman and her siblings lived for 17 years at 2 Swan Court after the family moved there when she was nine.
- Her wage in 1888 was higher than many others at the factory because she held a “Booker” role and avoided many fines.
- She was one of only 77 delegates who represented her union at the International Trades Union Congress in London, 1888.
- She seconded a motion related to the Truck Act at the 1890 TUC in Liverpool.
- Sarah died of lung cancer in Bethnal Green Hospital on 27 November 1945.
- Her grave is unmarked in Manor Park Cemetery, a pauper’s plot. Campaigns have since worked to provide a proper headstone.
Legacy or Influence
Sarah Chapman’s impact lives on. She helped signal a shift: working women could demand dignity, fair wages, and safe conditions. Her leadership in the 1888 matchgirls strike inspired New Unionism, where hundreds of workers united across trade and gender lines.
Today schools, museums, and foundations (like The Matchgirls Memorial) teach her story. A blue plaque at the former Bryant & May site was unveiled in 2022. Housing in Bow is named after her. These mark that ordinary people can change the law and culture.
FAQs
Who was Sarah Chapman?
Sarah Chapman was a British trade unionist and leader in the 1888 Matchgirls Strike, fighting for workers’ rights and better conditions for female match workers in London.
What was the Matchgirls Strike of 1888?
It was a labour protest at Bryant & May factory: about 1,400 girls and women walked out on 5 July 1888, demanding abolition of unfair fines and deductions. Chapman was key in organising, negotiating, and forming a union.
When and where was she born?
She was born 31 October 1862 in Mile End, East London, England.
Did Sarah Chapman get any formal recognition?
Not during her lifetime in terms of formal awards. After her death, her memory has been honoured via memorials, blue plaques, naming of buildings, and heritage campaigns.
When did Sarah Chapman die?
She died 27 November 1945 in Bethnal Green Hospital, age 83.
Conclusion
Sarah Chapman was not born into privilege. She grew up in East London, learned to read and write, and began working in tough factory conditions. Her courage during the 1888 Matchgirls Strike changed the course of workers’ rights, especially for women.
Her legacy reminds us that speaking up matters. She stands today as a symbol of fairness, equality, and the power of organised labour. You can honour her by learning more, sharing her story, or supporting worker-rights causes.
Read more about Sarah Chapman on Wikipedia
