Some Background - The Huguenots

The Huguenots were French Protestants who were members of the Reformed Church established in France by John Calvin around 1550. Due to religious persecution, they were forced to flee France to other countries in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Out of around 200,000, 40-50,000 came to England.

The origin of the name 'Huguenot' is uncertain, but dates from approximately 1550 when it was used in court cases against 'heretics' (dissenters from the Roman Catholic Church). As a nickname or abusive name, it was banned in the regulations of the Edict of Nantes issued by Henry IV (Henry of Navarre, himself at one stage a Huguenot) in 1559. The French Protestants preferred to refer to themselves as 'reformees'.

Huguenot Refugees in the UK - A Few Key Dates:

1535	First refugees leave France.
1540	First substantial Huguenot settlements in Kent and Sussex.
1548	Large groups of French Huguenots began escaping to Channel Islands.
1567-68	Huguenot thread and lace makers established in Maidstone. Others escaped to Cranfield in Bedfordshire as well as to Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire. Huguenots established glassworks in London during this period.
1574	Huguenot settlement at Winchester moved to Canterbury.
By 1609	French Huguenots established manufacture of cloth in the England, in Worcester, Evesham, Droitwich, Kiddeminster, Stroud, Glastonbury, Colchester, Hereford, Stamford, Manchester, Bolton, Halifax and Kendal. Colchester had 1,300 Walloon (Belgian Huguenot) citizens by 1609.
1619	Huguenot Church of Bearn rejects Decree of Restitution. La Rochelle support Bearnaise resistance to Louis XIII.
1627	King Charles I of England declared himself a friend of the French Huguenots.
From 1661	Beginning of serious persecution of the Huguenots. Protestant schools and churches were abolished and "dragonnardes" began, billeting French troops in Huguenot homes to spy upon the inhabitants. Escaping Huguenots were welcomed in many countries of Europe - England, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden.
1685	Revocation of the Edict of Nantes by King Louis XIV. After Revocation, some 80,000 French manufacturers and workmen fled to the British Isles, bring such industries as paper making, silk makers, tanners, furniture making silver smithing. England became an exporter, rather than an importer of such items as velvets, satins, silks, taffetas, laces, gloves, buttons, serge cloth, beaver and felt hats, linen, ironware, cutlery, feathers, fans, girdles, pins, needles, combs, soap, vinegar and many more items manufactured by the new Huguenot citizens.
By 1707	400 refugee Huguenot families had settled in Scotland. Helped establish the Scottish weaving trade.

Huguenot Links:

The Huguenot Society of Great Britain and Ireland - includes Huguenot History,

The National Huguenot Society - An American site with useful basic information - Who Were the Huguenots and Origin of the Word 'Huguenot' and Important Dates, as well as more detailed resources.

Huguenot Society of South Africa

Pierre Chastain Family Association - Huguenot & Protestant Reformed Chronology (particularly detailed timeline) + other resource information.