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
Helen Carte
Born Wigtown, Scotland as Susan Helen Couper Black. Later changed "Black" to "Lenoir", apparently the family's original name in 17th century France. Starting as secretary to Richard D'Oyly Carte s...
1 memorial
Alfred Phillips
Composer, publisher, piano dealer. Alfred William Phillips was born in Whitechapel to a family in 'trade', one of which was a music shop, where he learnt piano tuning. When he started his own busin...
4 memorials
Jamrach's Emporium
Exotic shop dealing in wild animals. It was run by Charles Jamrach, who inherited the business from his father. Known to seafarers throughout the world, they would bring animals from distant lands ...
2 memorials
1 memorial
Laing Homes
A building group which was a division of John Laing plc (a company which was founded in the 1840s). It was eventually purchased by the Wimpey group.
1 memorial
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