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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William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury

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St Martin Orgar

St Martin Orgar

Largely destroyed in the Great Fire. Then restored and used by French Protestants until 1820. Most of it was then pulled down and what was left was incorporated into St Clement Eastcheap.

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James Walworth

James Walworth

Monk at London Charterhouse. Exiled to the Charterhouse in Hull and then executed in York.

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Archbishop John Bird Sumner

Archbishop John Bird Sumner

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Rugby Football Union

Created when delegates from 22 clubs met at the Pall Mall Restaurant and rules were drawn up based on those of Rugby School.

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Geraldine Mary Harmsworth

Geraldine Mary Harmsworth

Mother of Lord Rothermere.   Born in Dublin as Geraldine Mary Maffett, the daughter of an Irish land agent.  1884 married a barrister, Alfred Harmsworth, and had a number of children: Alfred, Geral...

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Greenwich Historical Society

Greenwich Historical Society

From the Picture source: "The Greenwich Historical Society began life as the Greenwich Antiquarian Society in 1905, merging with the Lewisham Society in 1919 to become the Greenwich and Lewisham An...

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Mary E. Nightingale

Mary E. Nightingale

Associated with the Wesleyan Schools, Leswin Road, 1883. Because her first name is given rather than just an initial it's possible that Mary was a child in 1883, in which case perhaps she was a pup...

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St Mary’s church, Greenwich

St Mary’s church, Greenwich

SE10, King William Walk, St Mary's Gate into Greenwich Park

The excellent Greenwich Phantom tells us that the footprint of the old church is shown "by a beech hedge, some of the foundation stones m...

1 subject commemorated