Concept   

garment and textile industries in the East End

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.

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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...

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Bowler plaque - Scissors and Buttons - Brick Lane south

There is meant to be another identical plaque further north in Brick Lane but...

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Bowler plaque - Shuttle and Bobbins

The plaque shows a shuttle and two bobbins, representing the local weaving tr...

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Whitechapel Threads sculpture

The artists worked with the Rope Makers Guild to produce this image of two sk...

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Other Subjects

St Saviour’s Dock

St Saviour’s Dock

Our picture source, HSomerville provides a thorough history of this area and says "St Saviour's Dock was created in the 13th century by the Cluniac monks of Bermondsey Abbey."

Place, Commerce, Transport

1 memorial
Sydney Simmons

Sydney Simmons

From Parish of Frien Barnet: "... born in Okehampton, Devon ... made a fortune from a patent carpet cleaning process. By 1891, Sydney and his wife Annie were living in Friern Barnet at their house ...

Person, Benefactor, Commerce, Philanthropy

2 memorials
Royal Exchange Assurance

Royal Exchange Assurance

The offices of this company were in the Royal Exchange.  Their insignia depicts the second Royal Exchange Building.

Group, Commerce

1 memorial
N. Spyropoulos (London) Ltd

N. Spyropoulos (London) Ltd

Trader at Covent Garden Market at its original site.

Group, Commerce

1 memorial