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.
- ^ a b c d 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.
- ^ a b "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.