Mary Fillis

Mary Fillis was a seamstress in Tudor England.[1]

Biography

Mary Fillis, of Moorish descent, was born to Fillis of Morisco, a Moroccan craftsman specializing in basket weaving and shovel making.[2] Born into a Muslim family, Fillis expressed a desire for baptism to her employer, Porter, signifying her willingness to assimilate into the culture of Britain.[2] The consequent baptism was held at St Botolph's in Aldgate, London, in 1597.[2]

Fillis migrated to London around 1583–4, and first served as a servant to merchant John Barker before becoming a seamstress under Millicent Porter in East Smithfield by 1597.[2]

Following Porter's death in 1599, Fillis's subsequent fate remains unknown.[3] Her residence in London occurred amidst diplomatic negotiations between England and Morocco against their mutual opponent, Spain, influencing the societal context of her life in Tudor England.[3]

References

Bakre, Tolu. "Unforgotten Black Women: Mary Fillis, A Seamstress Driven By Independence". Refinery29.
Taylor, Mildred Europa (June 28, 2022). "The extraordinary rise of Mary Fillis, a successful seamstress from Morocco who lived in Tudor England in 1500s". Face2Face Africa.
"BLACK TUDORS...A peek into the lives of ten people of the African Diaspora who lived in Tudor Britain". Black History Month 2023. February 14, 2008.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] Bakre, Tolu. "Unforgotten Black Women: Mary Fillis, A Seamstress Driven By Independence". Refinery29.

[auto-2] Taylor, Mildred Europa (June 28, 2022). "The extraordinary rise of Mary Fillis, a successful seamstress from Morocco who lived in Tudor England in 1500s". Face2Face Africa.

[auto1-3] "BLACK TUDORS...A peek into the lives of ten people of the African Diaspora who lived in Tudor Britain". Black History Month 2023. February 14, 2008.