Silk River Souvenir Programme

Tower Hamlets
19 Princelet Street, Spitalfields,
‘A true gem of the east end.’
We will look at the Huguenots and their silk weaving skills, the
Irish, the Jews and the Bengali communities that have all
contributed to the textile industry of the area.
One such Bengali was Altab Ali who left his homeland to work in
the Whitechapel textile factories. In 1978 he was murdered by
racists in the park that now bears his name. This site honours the
fight for human rights and equality, commemorated through
spoken word.
Silk is produced by silk worms which live on the leaves of the tree
after which Mulberry School is named. It represents our hopes and
aspirations.
The great Hawksmoor Church, St Anne’s of Limehouse. Built for
the navy, Queen Anne’s coal taxes helped fund this site, with
prominent philanthropic women of the past making their mark.
At St Matthias, an East India Company Church with remnants of
past seafarers, we look into the plight of Lascars that travelled to
this distant land and sought shelter at The Stranger’s Home.
The Museum of London, Docklands is where we conclude our
exploration of the yesterday, today and tomorrow of Tower
Hamlets with film and music.
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