Escape to Free Folk

Based on historical fact, this is the story of a family of Huguenots who were smuggled across the channel in wine barrels in the year of 1710 to escape religious persecution in France. On arrival in London, they find sanctuary in the crypt of the protestant church in Threadneedle Street in the City of London. As the Bank of England's first governor was a Huguenot, money was made available for many refugee families to set up businesses. Once these businesses were profitable, the loans were paid back to the Huguenot funds. This was the true account for Henri de Portals who was smuggled across the channel in a wine barrel with his siblings and landed in Southampton. Henri was the man who set up the original paper mill in early 1700. The story of the family that I have included in this novel joined his workforce. The family in the story had to overcome many dangers and difficulties in setting up a home where they could grow up and enjoy their new found freedom, finally finding both love and happiness.