Queer Places:
9 Bertrand Rd, Bolton BL1 4RS, UK

Sarah Reddish (October 3, 1849 – February 19, 1928) was an influential English trade unionist, co-operator, and suffragist based in Bolton, Lancashire.

Born in 1849, Reddish began her working life as a mill worker in the cotton industry in Bolton, Lancashire.

She became a leading voice in the Women's Co-operative Guild and served as an organizer for the Manchester and Salford Women's Trades Council. She actively campaigned for fair wages, safe working conditions, and the organization of female factory workers.

Reddish was a prominent advocate for women's suffrage, particularly emphasizing the connection between working-class women's economic rights and their need for political representation.

She lived at 9 Bertrand Road in Bolton, Lancashire.

In the early 20th century, Sarah Reddish worked closely alongside Eva Gore-Booth, Esther Roper, and Sarah Dickenson through the Manchester and Salford Women's Trades Council.

Both Eva Gore-Booth & Esther Roper were key organizers in Northern trade unionism and suffrage. They lived and worked together for over thirty years in a lifelong partnership, creating a supportive network for women trade unionists in Lancashire.

Reddish and Sarah Dickenson frequently collaborated on organizing campaigns, petitions, and public meetings for working women's rights across Lancashire.

Historians of women's history often examine the romantic friendships and same-sex living arrangements common among early 20th-century suffragists and trade unionists. While historical records document close personal and professional bonds among these women—such as Gore-Booth and Roper's long-term shared life—specific evidence regarding Reddish and Dickenson primarily highlights their constant presence together in contemporary trade union records.

In April 2018, a bronze statue of suffrage leader Dame Millicent Fawcett was unveiled in Parliament Square, London. The plinth features the names and photographic portraits of 59 supporters of women's suffrage (55 women and 4 men), honoring Sarah Reddish among this key group of activists.

References:

• Liddington, Jill, and Jill Norris. One Hand Tied Behind Us: The Rise of the Women's Suffrage Movement. London: Virago, 1978
• Banks, Olive. The Biographical Dictionary of British Feminists: Volume 1: 1800–1930. New York: New York University Press, 1985
• Hollis, Patricia. Ladies Elect: Women in English Local Government, 1865–1914. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987
• Gifford, Lewis. Eva Gore-Booth and Esther Roper: A Biography. Manchester University Press, 1988
• Salveson, Paul. Moorlands, Memories and Reflections. Lancashire Loominary, 2020
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB): "Reddish, Sarah (1849–1928), co-operative movement activist and suffragist" by Serena Kelly (2004).
• Trades Union Congress (TUC) 150 Stories: "Sarah Reddish" — Archival profile detailing her roles in the Women's Co-operative Guild and Trade Union League.
• Independent Labour Party (ILP) Profiles: "Sarah Reddish – A Neglected Lancashire Hero" by Paul Salveson (2022).
• Manchester & Salford Women's Trades Council Records
• Millicent Fawcett Statue Plinth (Parliament Square, London)

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