Group    From 1500  To 1800

The Huguenots

Categories: Religion

Countries: France

French Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. The name emerged in 1560 but its derivation is unknown. The faith attracted skilled city workers such as weavers, goldsmiths and fan-makers but persecution tended to be their lot; the pictures shows the 1572 St Bartholomew Day's massacre when almost 6,000 were killed.  

The 1598 Edict of Nantes established Roman Catholicism as the religion of France but set reasonably acceptable terms for non-Catholics, such as the Huguenots. But over time conditions for them became harsher.

1685 King Louis XIV gave them the choice of conversion (to Catholicism) or prison. Some found a third option and relocated to London, bringing their skills and establishing, mainly in the East End, thriving industries in silk, lace, weaving, fan-making, etc.

Spitalfields Life has a post tying together the Hugeunots of Soho.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
The Huguenots

Commemorated ati

French hospital

Site of the French hospital founded by royal charter in 1718 to house the poo...

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French Protestant Church - Soho Square

To the glory of God & in grateful memory of H. M. King Edward VI who by h...

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Hanbury Hall - blue oval plaque

This plaque has a shortened version of the text on the old white plaque.

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Hanbury Hall - tiled plaque

These 20 Delft tiles are decorated with scenes and symbols important in Hugue...

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Hanbury Hall - white plaque - removed

Christ Church Hall Built in 1719 as a French Hugeonot {sic} church it stood b...

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Show all 9

Other Subjects

Rev. Peebles Fleming

Rev. Peebles Fleming

Minister of Highbury Quadrant Congregational Church in 1957. Our photo comes from Jersey Heritage where it is captioned: "Photograph of the Reverend W. Peebles Fleming, the new minister of St John...

Person, Religion

1 memorial
Nathaniel Mather

Nathaniel Mather

Non-conformist minister.  Born Lancashire.  Buried in Bunhill burial ground.  

Person, Religion

1 memorial
H. H. C. Richardson

H. H. C. Richardson

Fr. Harry Richardson was instituted n 1925 as vicar of St Benet and All Saints and it fell to him to resolve the long-standing problem of the structurally unsound nave.  The decision was to demolis...

Person, Religion

1 memorial
Arthur G. B. West

Arthur G. B. West

We were delighted to find this Jack Boothe drawing of West in The Vancouver Province (British Columbia, Canada), 21 September 1935. The article, 'Big man with big hands comes out to start fifty boy...

Person, Religion, Australia

1 memorial
German Lutheran church in Hanbury Street

German Lutheran church in Hanbury Street

Occupied the building until sometime between 1818 and 1828. See German Lutheran church in London for an overview.

Group, Religion, Germany

2 memorials