Immigrants and the industries of London, 1500-1700

by Lien Luu

"London in the 16th and 17th centuries was a place of phenomenal change and growth. The arrival of merchants and artisans from continental Europe prompted rapid technological development in many trades and crafts. Immigrants and the Industries of London, 1500-1700 focuses predominantly on silk weaving, beer brewing and the silver trade. It places the immigrants in the broader social and economic context of Europe at the time and explores their experience and often hostile reception in a London that was typically slow to adopt and share new skills. The author highlights how this affected the pace of progress and how, despite this, the immigrants ultimately helped create a more cosmopolitan and diverse city - one that became the workshop of the world. The lessons drawn from this early-modern wave of immigration are particularly pertinent to present-day immigration debates."--Jacket.