On Wednesday 28th October 2020 we had the pleasure in welcoming Dr Ann Featherstone who will be talking to us about ‘A Storm in a Teashop the waitresses’ strike of 1908’ Who knew this happened?
At lunch time, 8th April 1908, all the waitresses at the Cabin Restaurant, Piccadilly Circus, came out on strike. Under the leadership of waitress Miss ‘Ken’ Ware, their action closed the restaurant and they were dismissed. Their response was to open their own co-operative restaurant, Ken’s Kabin, on Brompton Road, rejecting overtures from the Women’s Freedom League and distancing themselves from the suffrage movement in general. They were radical women who chose to ‘go it alone.’ A few London landmarks to look out for when we can visit London again – 21 Leicester Square next to the Alhambra Theatre and The Red Lion Hotel, Great Windmill Street where history took place.
Dr Featherstone is an Honorary Research Fellow at Manchester University and a teacher. She writes non-fiction books and articles and is a historical novelist with two novels to her name . Her particular interest is the 19th century: popular entertainment, theatre, music hall, circus and literature. She has appeared as a guest expert on Who Do You Think You Are twice, once with Sheridan Smith and in 2016 with Sir Ian McKellan and also appeared on the BBC’s A House Through Time.