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

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Reverend Charles Alder Stubbs, B.A.

Reverend Charles Alder Stubbs, B.A.

Charles Alder Stubbs was born in Canonbury, Islington, London, the fifth of the eight children of the Reverend Stewart Dixon Stubbs (1839-1919) and Mary Elizabeth Stubbs née Alder (1825-1869). His ...

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1 memorial
Rev. Alfred M. Myers

Rev. Alfred M. Myers

Vicar of All Saints, Stonebridge/Haggerston  in 1858.

Person, Religion

1 memorial
St Mary Lambeth

St Mary Lambeth

A wooden church is recorded here in 1062. In the twelfth century a later stone church functioned as the church to the Archbishops' London lodgings next door, at Lambeth Palace.  Largely rebuilt 185...

Building, Religion

1 memorial
John Patteson

John Patteson

Instituted as Rector of Christ Church Spitalfields on 15 Feb 1856 and still there in 1867. Not to be confused with John Coleridge Patteson, Bishop of Melanesia (1827 – 1871). Our colleague Andrew ...

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Theophilus Gale

Theophilus Gale

Nonconformist minister and teacher.  Born Devon. Buried in Bunhill burial ground.

Person, Education, Religion

1 memorial

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World War 1

World War 1

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came along at which point it was renamed as World War One or the First World War. But the term was first used in print in 1920...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

403 memorials
Coutts & Co Bank

Coutts & Co Bank

Founded by Scottish goldsmith, John Campbell, who set up shop at the sign of the Three Crowns on the Strand. In 1755 James Coutts married John Campbell’s granddaughter and the Bank became known as ...

Group, Commerce

1 memorial
Firewoman Yvonne Green

Firewoman Yvonne Green

SW3, Old Church Street, Roper’s Garden

On a plaque inside the church porch Yvonne Green is commemorated with the other, non-AFS, fire-watchers who died the same night. This bom...

Civilian war dead | WW2
3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Antonia White

Antonia White

Novelist. Born Eirene Adeline Botting at 22 Perham Road, West Kensington. She disliked her name and adopted her mother's maiden name. After the failure of her first marriage, she suffered a breakdo...

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1 memorial
Southbank Mosaics / London School of Mosaic

Southbank Mosaics / London School of Mosaic

Southbank Mosaics actively promotes equal opportunities and cross-cultural, inter-generational mosaic art work. The studio aims to draw on the historic roots of local neighbourhoods traversed by Sh...

Group, Art, Community / Clubs, Craft / Design

26 memorials