Another big immigrant community was the Huguenots. They established a hospital in Bath Street off City Road in November 1718. By the mid-nineteenth century, it was dilapidated, so was moved to the green fields of Hackney where it re-opened in June 1865 in a French gothic building modelled on the Château de Chambord and designed by R.L. Roumieu. It turned into a Convent School in 1949 and has recently been converted into a branch of Mossbourne Academy with a new building next door designed by Jestico + Whiles:-
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
The Huguenots are surely the classic example of the way that we have given refuge to people throughout our history, and hugely enriched our own culture by doing so – not least the great silversmiths : Pierre Platel, David Willaume. Pierre Harache, Paul de Lamerie, who established the skills and tradition that made British silver supreme. Worth remembering perhaps in this Referendum week.
Yes, I agree ! Charles