Linen Drapers 1700's St Saviours Southwark

[themetalchicken]

Hello

I'm researching a 1700's family of linen drapers in the parish of St. Saviours Southwark . So far I have Tapsfeild's/Tapsfield's, Henly's, Blunt's, Raymond's, Driver's and Marsham's. Some are connected through marriage and other's via business partnerships.

I have discovered that where linen drapers seem to have been concentrated in St. Saviours Southwark, there were a lot of woollen drapers in St. Olaves Southwark.

I know very little about the history of London and its environs. Can anyone tell me why there were so many linen drapers in Southwark? Was there an Irish connection perhaps? Also, does anyone know/can anyone suggest why linen and wool seem to have split according to parish?

Thanks

Annie

[Jane Masri]

Annie,
If you Google combinations of 'Southwark', 'linen', 'history' etc, you'll get some hits.  You can also contact a Southwark history site to see if they can give you more information,

jane