Q ..
THE HUGUENOTS: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
The beginning of the 16th century saw the rise of a Protestant
movement in Europe and subsequent persecution led to the migration of
religious refugees, particularly in the latter half of the century. The
persecutions abated somewhat in France as a result of the Edict of
Nantes in 1598, which allowed freedom to Protestants to practise their
religion. Life continued to be difficult for these ‘Huguenots’, however,
as on October 23rd 1685 the Edict of Nantes was revoked, leading to
the migration of large numbers of Hugenots to Holland, to New York
and to England.
The circumstances of those who arrived in this country varied
considerably. Some were wealthy individuals who had escaped early
enough to take their assets with them. The majority were artisans who
had valuable new skills to offer in the manufacture of glassware,
paper, silk and textiles. Although very large numbers of Huguenots
(c. 40,000 — 50,000 soon after the revoking of the Edict of Nantes)
arrived over the years,they were all assimilated remarkably well and in
return contributed in many spheres to their adopted country: arts,
crafts, sciences, gardening, fashion, insurance, banking, the armed
forces, the church and education. In addition they were important in
the development of parts of London and of the cities like Canterbury
and Norwich in which -they settled. We understand that between 1570
and 1700 around 2,800 immigrants were settled in Canterbury when
the native population of the city during this period was barely 10,000.
Their significance to us all can be gauged by the suggestion of Robin
Cwynn, a noted authority, who claims that it is likely that over
three—quarters of all English people today may have some Huguenot
ancestry.
The derivation of the term ‘Huguenot' is obscure and many explanations
have been offered. While it was a French surname in the 1l1th and 15th
centuries and in common use to describe French Protestants by the
15605, its true origins remain unknown. lt has been suggested to come
from the German Eidgenossen :(confederates bound by oath); from
Hugues Capet (a medieval French king whose line of succession some
claimed to support); from the name of King Huget's Cate in Tours (the
local meeting place for Protestants); or from Hausgenossen (a feilow
sufferer in the faith).
The term Walloon is occasionally used. This refers to the Protestants
from the Southern Low Countries (now Belgium and Northern France),
who spoke a related dialect.
The exhibition at Canterbury Library shows aspects of the Huguenot
influence throughout Kent. lt is intended to supplement other
exhibitions at Dover, a display of Huguenot silver at Rochester, and
‘The French Connection‘, an archival exhibition of materials from the
Canterbury Cathedral Archives. These are part of a national
commemoration of the tercentenary of the Revocation of the Edict of
Nantes, designed to show the varied contribution made by these people
who first gave the word 'refugee' to the English language.
A selection of further
“reading, available from public libraries:
BLACK, Wm. H.
CROSS, Francis W.
CROSS, Francis W.
DELAFORCE, Patrick
ERLANGER, Philippe
FABER, Reginald S.
GARNIER, A.J.
GARNIER, A.J.
GRANT, Alison
GRANT, Arthur J.
GREGORY, E.W.
GWYNN, Robin D.
CWYNN, Robin D.
HENTY, George A.
HOVENDEN, Robert
KERSHAW, S.W.
McCALL, Robert A.
MARMOY, C.F.A.
MARTIN, .l.A.
MINET, W.
MOENS, W.J.C.
PETERS, John
SMILES, Samuel
TYLOR, Charles
ZOFF, O.
Memorials of the family of Colfe. (Pamphlet)
1831.
History of the Walloon and Huguenot church
at Canterbury. 1898.
The Walloon church of the crypt at
Canterbury in the 16th century. (Paper).
1896. 1
Family history research.Vol:1.The French
connection. c. 19811.
St. Bartholomews night. 1962.
Catalogue of the library of the French
Hospital, Victoria Park Road, London. 1901.
Coup d'oeuil sur l'histoire de l'église
Wallonne (Huguenote) Evangelique Frangaise
de Canterbury. 1960.
The Huguenots in Britain with special
reference to their settlements in Canterbury.
1965.
The Huguenots. 19711.
The Huguenots. 193'-I.
Canterbury weavers, past and present. 1905.
Huguenot heritage. 1985.
A calendar of the letter books of the French
church of London from 1643 - 1659. 1979.
St. Bartholomew's Eve; a tale of the Huguenot
wars. n.d.
The registers of the Walloon or Stranger's
Church in Canterbury. 1891.
Protestants from France in their English home.
1851.
The Huguenots in Kent. 19211.
The Huguenots and their descendants in
East London. (Paper). 1970 — 71.
Christian firmness of the Huguenots and
a sketch of the history of the French Refugee
Church of Canterbury. 1881.
The fourth foreign church at Dover. 1685 -
1731. 1893.
The Walloons and their church at Norwich.
1565 — 1832. 2 vols. 1887-8.
A family from Flanders. 1985.
The Huguenots: their settlements, churches an
industries in England and Ireland. 1895.
The Huguenots in the 17th century. 1892.
The Huguenots. 19113.
d
F
1