Learn how trade associations are crucial in the City
ON Wednesday, April 11, Rochdale Antiques Society will welcome back Dr David Allen, who will deliver a talk on London Livery Companies.
These are ancient and modern trade associations and guilds and still play a significant part in City life, not least by providing charitable giving and networking opportunities.
They are integral to the City of London’s governance - each year liverymen elect the Sheriffs of the City of London, endorse the election of the Lord Mayor and play a prominent part in major events.
The term ‘livery’ originated from the specific form of dress worn by retainers of a nobleman and then, by extension, to special dress to denote the status of belonging to a trade.
The origins of liverymen go back to the Middle Ages when those working in the same craft grouped together to regulate competition, maintain high standards of craftsmanship and fix wages, thus benefitting their members and customers alike by controlling the manufacture and sale of most goods and services in the City.
Early guilds often grew out of parish fraternal organisations, where large groups of members of the same trade lived in close proximity and gathered at the same church.
The 12 ‘great’ companies, nominated in 1514, are the mercers, grocers, drapers, fishmongers, goldsmiths, merchant taylors, skinners, haberdashers, salters, ironmongers, vintners and clothworkers.
From their earliest days, the companies emphasised the importance of good training. From the 1870s, this role was extended to include many forms of technical and other education, simultaneously supporting new industries and training young people to work in them.
Founded in 1878, the City & Guilds Institute was a notable outcome, still prominent in vocational education today and actively supported by the livery companies.
The early guilds were duty bound to care for their members in sickness and old age. Many of today’s companies still support alms houses throughout the country and maintain their other historical charities, while also broadening their charitable giving into other areas of modern life, at home and abroad.
Today there are more than 100 liveries, with recent additions being world traders and Hackney carriage drivers and, although different in size, structure and interests, they share the same ethos - supporting trade, education, charity and fellowship.
The charitable dimension of their work now amounts to more than £40 million each year.
Hear Dr David Allen’s talk on April 11 from 7.30pm at St Vincent’s Community Centre, Caldershaw Road, Norden. Tickets cost £5.
Call 01706 844026 or email rochantiquesoc@ hotmail.com.