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
Stocks Market
The Stocks Market was where fishmongers and butchers sold their victuals. It took its name from a pair of stocks erected there in 1281 for the punishment of offenders. In 1738 the Mansion House was...
Hillier Nurseries
A family owned company with a tradition in professional horticulture. The largest grower of trees (both field and container grown), in the UK and one of the largest in Europe.
Wilson Smithett & Co Ltd
Wholesalers of coffee, tea, cocoa and spices, located at 202 Blackfriars Road (2021). The Daily Mail has an interesting 2004 article about tea tasting at the Wilson, Smithett tea brokers office, S...
Previously viewed
Robert Adamson
From our Picture Source and an article in the Daily Mail we learn that Robert Adamson lived in Stone Cross, Pevensey, Sussex and had three children. He died on 26 December 2004 in Thailand from th...
Sir Christopher Collett
Chairman of the Temple Bar Trust, 1993 - 2004. Lord Mayor of London in 1989. The picture comes from his niece's obituary webpage.
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