livery companies

 

London trade guilds incorporated by royal charter, deriving their name from the assumption of distinctive dress (livery) by their members. Edward III granted the first charters in the 14th cent., and most of the existing companies had been incorporated by the 17th cent. Several, however, have been formed in the 20th cent., including the Scientific Instrument Makers and the Air Pilots and Navigators. Liverymen were not artisans or journeymen but rather the controlling elite of their trades. In addition to regulating conditions of apprenticeship and standards of work, they elected the local government of the City of London and had the sole power to confer on members the freedom of the city, a necessary prerequisite to the practice of any trade. They still elect the lord mayor of London, now a purely ceremonial office. By the 18th cent. more competitive trade practices and early industrial expansion eroded the guilds' practical power over their trades, but they retained their roles as administrators of trusts and benefactors of educational institutions. The Mercers founded St. Paul's School as early as 1509, and to the present day the companies continue to endow colleges and scholarships, particularly in the field of technical education. There are currently close to 100 livery companies. Twelve of them, according to an order of precedence established by Henry VIII, are known as the great companies—the Mercers, Grocers, Drapers, Fishmongers, Goldsmiths, Skinners, Merchant Taylors, Haberdashers, Salters, Ironmongers, Vintners, and Clothworkers.

Bibliography

See W. Herbert, The History of the Twelve Great Livery Companies of London (1937, repr. 1968); W. F. Kahl, The Development of London Livery Companies (1960); G. Unwin, The Guilds and Companies of London (4th ed. 1964).

The 107 Livery Companies are trade associations based in the City of London, almost all of which are known as the "Worshipful Company of" the relevant trade or profession. The Livery Companies originally developed as guilds and were responsible for the regulation of their trades, controlling, for instance, wages and labour conditions. Some Livery Companies (for example, the Scriveners) continue to have a regulatory role today, and some (for example, the Longbow Makers) have become inoperative except as charitable foundations. Most Livery Companies, particularly those formed in recent years, are primarily charitable organizations. The active Livery Companies also play an important part in social life and networking in the City of London.

After the Fan Makers were established in 1709 (and later granted Livery in 1809), no new companies were formed for almost 200 years until the Master Mariners in 1926 (Livery in 1932). In recent years, many new professions (such as Solicitors and Chartered Accountants) have established guilds with the aim of being granted Livery, the most recent being the Tax Advisers in 2005. As of 2005, there is one new City Company without Livery (the Security Professionals) and two old bodies which, for historical reasons, are recognized as City Companies without Livery; two further guilds (Educators and Public Relations Practitioners) aim to obtain a grant of Livery.

Governance

Livery Companies are governed by a Master (known in some Companies as the Prime Warden), a number of Wardens (who may be known as the Upper, Middle, Lower, or Renter Wardens), and a Court of Assistants, which elects the Master and Wardens. The chief executive officer of the Company is known as the Clerk.

Members generally fall into two categories: freemen and liverymen. One may become a freeman, or acquire the "Freedom of the Company", upon fulfilling the Company's criteria; traditionally, one may be admitted by "patrimony" if either parent was a liverymen of the company, by "servitude" if one has served as an apprentice in the trade for the requisite number of years, or by purchase. (The Company may also vote to admit individuals as honorary freemen.) Freemen generally advance to becoming liverymen by a vote of the Court of the Company. Historically, only liverymen could take part in the election of the Lord Mayor of London.

Livery halls

Many companies still have a hall, where members and their guests can be entertained and company business transacted. Among the earliest companies known to have possessed halls were the Merchant Taylors and Goldsmiths in the 14th century, but neither their nor other companies' original halls remain; the few survivors of the Great Fire were destroyed, along with many reconstructed ones, during the Blitz. Today, only 36 companies have halls in London. Companies that do not have their own hall usually borrow one of the other companies' premises for social occasions.

Precedence

In 1515, the Court of Aldermen of the City of London settled an order of precedence for the forty-eight Livery Companies then in existence, which was based on the Companies' economic or political power. The first 12 Livery Companies are known as the Great Twelve. There are now one hundred and seven Livery Companies, some of recent formation, so the Order of Precedence is sometimes reviewed. However, the Merchant Taylors and the Skinners have always disputed their precedence, so once a year (at Easter) they exchange sixth and seventh place. This is one of the theories for the origin of the phrase "at sixes and sevens", as the master of the Merchant Taylors has asserted a number of times, although the first use of the phrase may have been before the Taylors and the Skinners decided to alternate their position [1] Both companies had been founded before the birth of Chaucer, who was one of the first people to use the phrase, so this may have dated from before him.

List of Livery Companies, in order of precedence

1. The Worshipful Company of Mercers (General Merchants)
2. The Worshipful Company of Grocers
3. The Worshipful Company of Drapers (Wool and cloth merchants)
4. The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
5. The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths
6. The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors (Tailors) (alternates with the Skinners)
7. The Worshipful Company of Skinners (Fur Traders) (alternates with the Merchant Taylors)
8. The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers
9. The Worshipful Company of Salters
10. The Worshipful Company of Ironmongers
11. The Worshipful Company of Vintners
12. The Worshipful Company of Clothworkers
13. The Worshipful Company of Dyers
14. The Worshipful Company of Brewers
15. The Worshipful Company of Leathersellers
16. The Worshipful Company of Pewterers
17. The Worshipful Company of Barbers (Barbers, Surgeons, and Dentists)
18. The Worshipful Company of Cutlers
19. The Worshipful Company of Bakers
20. The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers
21. The Worshipful Company of Tallow Chandlers
22. The Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers (Armour Makers and Brass Workers)
23. The Worshipful Company of Girdlers (Sword Belt and Dress Belt Makers)
24. The Worshipful Company of Butchers
25. The Worshipful Company of Saddlers
26. The Worshipful Company of Carpenters
27. The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers (Fine Leather Workers)
28. The Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers
29. The Worshipful Company of Curriers (Tanned Leather Dressers)
30. The Worshipful Company of Masons
31. The Worshipful Company of Plumbers
32. The Worshipful Company of Innholders
33. The Worshipful Company of Founders
34. The Worshipful Company of Poulters
35. The Worshipful Company of Cooks
36. The Worshipful Company of Coopers (Barrel Makers)
37. The Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers
38. The Worshipful Company of Bowyers (Longbow Makers)
39. The Worshipful Company of Fletchers (Arrow Makers)
40. The Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths
41. The Worshipful Company of Joiners and Ceilers (Wood Craftsmen)
42. The Worshipful Company of Weavers
43. The Worshipful Company of Woolmen
44. The Worshipful Company of Scriveners (Court Document Writers and Notaries Public)
45. The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers
46. The Worshipful Company of Plaisterers (Plasterers)
47. The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers
48. The Worshipful Company of Broderers (Embroiders)
49. The Worshipful Company of Upholders (Upholsterers)
50. The Worshipful Company of Musicians
51. The Worshipful Company of Turners (Lathe Operators)
52. The Worshipful Company of Basketmakers
53. The Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass
54. The Worshipful Company of Horners
55. The Worshipful Company of Farriers (Horseshoe Makers and Veterinarians for Horses)
56. The Worshipful Company of Paviors (Road and Highway Pavers)
57. The Worshipful Company of Loriners (Harness Makers)
58. The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries (Pharmacists)
59. The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights
60. The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers
61. The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers
62. The Worshipful Company of Glovers
63. The Worshipful Company of Feltmakers (Hat Makers)
64. The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters
65. The Worshipful Company of Needlemakers
66. The Worshipful Company of Gardeners
67. The Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers
68. The Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights
69. The Worshipful Company of Distillers
70. The Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers (Wooden Shoe Makers)
71. The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers
72. The Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers
73. The Worshipful Company of Gunmakers
74. The Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers
75. The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards
76. The Worshipful Company of Fanmakers
77. The Worshipful Company of Carmen
78. The Honourable Company of Master Mariners
79. The City of London Solicitors' Company
80. The Worshipful Company of Farmers
81. The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators
82. The Worshipful Company of Tobacco Pipe Makers and Tobacco Blenders
83. The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers
84. The Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers
85. The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors
86. The Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
87. The Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
88. The Worshipful Company of Builders Merchants
89. The Worshipful Company of Launderers
90. The Worshipful Company of Marketors
91. The Worshipful Company of Actuaries
92. The Worshipful Company of Insurers
93. The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators
94. The Worshipful Company of Engineers
95. The Worshipful Company of Fuellers
96. The Worshipful Company of Lightmongers
97. The Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners
98. The Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects
99. The Worshipful Company of Constructors
100. The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists
101. The Worshipful Company of World Traders
102. The Worshipful Company of Water Conservators
103. The Worshipful Company of Firefighters
104. The Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers
105. The Worshipful Company of Management Consultants
106. The Worshipful Company of International Bankers
107. The Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers

City Companies Without Grant of Livery

• The Company of Security Professionals

Recognised as "City Companies Without Grant of Livery"

• The Company of Parish Clerks
• The Company of Watermen and Lightermen

Other guilds aiming to obtain a Grant of Livery

• The Guild of Educators
• The Guild of Public Relations Practitioners

See also

• Liveryman
• UK topics
• Mottos of the Livery Companies of the City of London
• Great Twelve City Livery Companies
• City and Guilds of London Institute

External links

• Corporation of London: City Livery companies
• Alphabetical list of Livery Companies

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