Mary Fillis Explained

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]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Unforgotten Black Women: Mary Fillis, A Seamstress Driven By Independence. Tolu. Bakre. Refinery29.
2. Web site: The extraordinary rise of Mary Fillis, a successful seamstress from Morocco who lived in Tudor England in 1500s. Mildred Europa. Taylor. June 28, 2022. Face2Face Africa.
3. Web site: BLACK TUDORS...A peek into the lives of ten people of the African Diaspora who lived in Tudor Britain. February 14, 2008. Black History Month 2023.