The origins of the East End textile industry can be traced to the 14th century when Flemish artisans set up dye works on the River Lea. In the late 17th century the Huguenots arrived in Spitalfields bringing their skills with silk-weaving, lace-making, fan-making, etc. Then the Jewish tailors arrived and enriched the area further.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
garment and textile industries in the East End
Commemorated ati
Bowler plaque - Scissors and Buttons - Brick Lane north
We failed to find this plaque in Dec-Jan 2017, but it is identical to that fu...
Bowler plaque - Scissors and Buttons - Brick Lane south
There is meant to be another identical plaque further north in Brick Lane but...
Bowler plaque - Shuttle and Bobbins
The plaque shows a shuttle and two bobbins, representing the local weaving tr...
Whitechapel Threads sculpture
The artists worked with the Rope Makers Guild to produce this image of two sk...
Other Subjects
Temple Mills
A district on the boundaries of Newham and Waltham Forest. The name derives from the water mills which straddled the River Lea. Medieval Hackney was largely rural and crops were grown that needed ...
1 memorial
Turk's Head - Wapping
This entry discusses two pubs in Wapping, both called the Turk's Head. The Turk's Head in Wapping High Street is said to be the pub where condemned men, on their way to Execution Dock, were given ...
2 memorials
William Fortnum
The records of the founders of Fortnum and Mason are not too clear. In 1707 a William Fortnum is said to have become a footman to Queen Anne and at about the same time to have founded a grocery bus...
1 memorial
Lieut. Colonel R. Shoolbred, CMG, TD, DL, JP
A member of the family that owned the Shoolbred department store. Wrote a war diary, of which part of April 1917 is given at Lynsted Society. 1885-90 Walter Shoolbred bought land in Scotland near...
1 memorial
Thomas Davies
The bookseller and author who, in 1763, introduced Dr Samuel Johnson to James Boswell at his house in Russell Street. He took to bookselling after failing as an actor.
1 memorial
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