Mary Fillis

Mary Fillis (floruit 1599) 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][3] 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][4]

Following Porter's death in 1599, Fillis's subsequent fate remains unknown.[5] 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.[5]

References

  1. ^ Bakre, Tolu. "Unforgotten Black Women: Mary Fillis, A Seamstress Driven By Independence". Refinery29.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Kaufmann, Miranda (2017). Black Tudors: The Untold Story (1st ed.). New York: Oneworld Publications. ISBN 978-1-78607-184-2.
  4. ^ Jackson, Sarah (2016-07-18). "Mary Fillis: Baptised at St Botolph's, Aldgate in 1597". East End Women's Museum. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  5. ^ a b "BLACK TUDORS: A peek into the lives of ten people of the African Diaspora who lived in Tudor Britain". blackhistorymonth.org.uk. 2019-05-16.
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