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
Robert Harrild
Printer and engineer. Born in Bermondsey, where in 1801 he set up the Bluecoat Boy Printing Office, producing books and commercial stationery. He is noted for introducing 'composition rollers' whic...
2 memorials
Frederick George Lucas
Chairman and managing director of the Brilliant Sign Company. He purchased the company in 1902 and served as chairman for more than fifty years.
1 memorial
Fountains Abbey pub
Sir Alexander Fleming was a loyal regular. Legend says that it was mould spores from this ale house which blew through Fleming’s window, leading him to the discovery of Penicillin in 1928. The Fo...
1 memorial
William Alfred Westropp Foyle
Founded Foyles Bookshop in 1903. Born Shoreditch, the 7th child of a 7th child of a 7th child. William and brother Gilbert opened their first bookshop in Islington, moved to Peckham and then Ceci...
1 memorial