A Ripping Yarn of the Huguenots and Later Migrants to Spitalfields.

She explained that this area just outside the old city walls was used by the Romans as a burial area on Ermine Street the Roman road to York.

Charlie explained the background to the waves of immigration to this area commemorated in the I-Goat statue, Huguenots, Irish, Eastern European Jews, and more recently Bangladeshi. Huguenot was a derogatory term for a French Protestant following the Calvinist tradition who fled brutal persecution from French Catholic monarchs in the 16th & 17th century.

Our first stop was The Charnel House dating back to the 1300s. Now below the pavement level, once used to store the bones of thousands who died there of the great famine in the fourteenth century.

Charlie explained features of the architecture of the area and how this had been dictated by the working needs of the Huguenots who were weavers of fine silk. Weaving such a fine and expensive material required good light. The buildings were designed with large attic rooms which were accessed through a trap door to keep out the dirt and smog of London from spoiling the expensive fabric. Workers laboured in what were effectively ‘sweat shops’ for long hours in poor conditions to produce this luxury product.

We marvelled at the preserved housing on Fournier Street which still retains many original features. Number “Eleven and a Half” did not appear to present the local postman with any challenges! We even ventured into the ground floor of a home to see the original layout including the Wig Cabinets, just inside the front Parlour so essential for storing the must have fashion accessory of the day and the tiny courtyard gardens.

We saw the house where Queen Victoria’s wedding dress was made. One of the smartest on the street. We also passed a fine example of a preserved original Shop front where the fine work was displayed.

A brief stop to admire the Architecture of Hawksmoor’s Baroque masterpiece Christ Church. built imposingly to ensure the poor were reminded of the ever presence of God! It is particularly ironic that adjacent to it is the 10 Bells Public House (named for the peel of Christ Church) so prominent in the Jack the Ripper Story as one of the famous drinking haunts of two of the victims.

Our final pre-lunch stop was the Sandy’s Row Synagogue, originally built as a Huguenot place of worship before being repurposed by Eastern European, mainly Ashkenazi Jews to worship. We listened to a fascinating talk from Barry on the history of the building and sects and differences in the practices of the Jewish Community.

Lunch was taken at the Kings Stores. The Pub played its part in the Ripper story. The Master regaled the group with the tale of Mrs Paumier (A name of Huguenot origin) A chestnut seller who was responsible for one of the descriptions of ‘Jack’. We discovered that the Master is a bit of a ‘Ripperologist’ on the side. We also learned of her familial connections with Huguenots and of course diversity, which was why she wanted to organise this tour.

We finished at The Garden at 120 where a smaller group admired the magnificent views of the City from on high.

Our Guide, Charlie generously waived her fee and asked instead that a donation be made to the Huguenot Museum, Rochester.

Article by the Master and Consort