An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of EnglandCheyney, Edward Potts
History
An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of England
Cheyney, Edward Potts
Great Britain -- Economic conditions; Great Britain -- Maps; Industries -- Great Britain
Among the masters also changes were taking place in the same
direction. Instead of all master artisans or tradesmen in any one
industry holding an equal position and taking an equal part in the
administration of affairs of the craft, there came, at least in some
of the larger companies, to be quite distinct groups usually described
as those "of the livery" and those "not of the livery." The expression
no doubt arose from the former class being the more well-to-do and
active masters who had sufficient means to purchase the suits of
livery worn on state occasions, and who in other ways were the leading
and controlling members of the organization. This came, before the
close of the fifteenth century, in many crafts to be a recognized
distinction of class or station in the company. A statement of the
members in one of the London fraternities made in 1493 gives a good
instance of this distinction of classes, as well as of the subordinate
body last described. There were said to be at that date in the
Drapers' Company of the craft of drapers in the clothing, including
the masters and four wardens, one hundred and fourteen, of the
brotherhood out of the clothing one hundred and fifteen, of the
bachelors' company sixty. It was from this prominence of the liveried
gildsmen, that the term "Livery Companies" came to be applied to the
greater London gilds. It was the wealthy merchants and the craftsmen
of the livery of the various fraternities who rode in procession to
welcome kings or ambassadors at their entrance into the city, to add
lustre to royal wedding ceremonies, or give dignity to other state
occasions. In 1483 four hundred and six members of livery companies
riding in mulberry colored coats attended the coronation procession of
Richard III. The mayors and sheriffs and aldermen of London were
almost always livery men in one or another of the companies. A
substantial fee had usually to be paid when a member was chosen into
the livery, which again indicates that they were the wealthier
members. Those of the livery controlled the policy of the gild to the
exclusion of the less conspicuous members, even though these were also
independent masters with journeymen and apprentices of their own.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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