One of the greatest hopes of early colonialism was that Atlantic settlers would be able to locate new sources of raw silk to satisfy the boundless desire for luxurious fabrics in European markets. Dr Marsh will explore these enterprises in America and England focusing  particularly on England and those involving Huguenot connections, explaining how and why they often failed, and examining what these enterprises tell us about the settlers and their communities.

Ben Marsh is Reader at the University of Kent and was awarded the Natalie Rothstein Prize by the Textile Society in 2014. Rothstein was the pre-eminent expert of Spitalfields silk and curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum. He was featured as a consultant and guest on the 2013 BBC Radio 4 series Silk.

His forthcoming book Unravelled Dreams has been described by fellow historian Zara Anishanslin (author of Portrait of a Woman in Silk) as ‘a magisterial must read’.

Doors will open 5.30pm so you can view the Museum shop and galleries. Admission is included in your ticket.

Please note access will be from the High Street  entrance only, not Corporation Street (Railway Station) side.

To book your ticket call 01634 789347,  drop in at the Huguenot Museum or click here.