Corporation of London

The Chamber of a city is the place where the funds of the corporation are kept and where moneys due are received - a kind of treasury. The Chamber is run by the Chamberlain, an officer who receives the rents and revenues owed to the corporation. The origin of the Chamber of London is obscure, but as soon as the citizens were sufficiently united to hold lands and tenements in common an officer must have been appointed to collect rents and disburse income for public welfare. The Chamber is first mentioned in 1275 and in the following year Stephen de Mundene is named as City Chamberlain. At first the Chamberlain was chosen by the Mayor and Aldermen, but by 1319 elections were introduced and the officer was chosen by the liverymen in Common Hall. The Chamberlain's duties combined municipal finance with public banking. His main duty was as treasurer or banker of the City of London with custody of the monies of the Corporation, called the City's Cash, and other funds. Former Chamberlains were able to keep for themselves profits derived from interest on the cash! The Chamberlain also collects the rents of all Corporation properties and makes payments on behalf of the Corporation including salaries and pensions. He also invests money, is responsible for insurance, the preparation of tax returns and production of reports and statistics.

Apprentices were admitted, bound and enrolled in the Chamberlain's Court. It was possible to become a Freeman of the City by 'servitude', that is, by satisfactory completion of apprenticeship to a freeman. Apprentices were bound by the London indenture (the contract by which an apprentice is bound to the master who undertakes to teach him a trade) which had terms peculiar to the City, requiring the apprentice to serve his master faithfully, keep his secrets and follow his commands, not commit fornication or get married, not play cards or dice, not visit taverns or playhouses and not absent himself from service without permission. In return the master promised to teach and instruct or to arrange to others to teach the apprentice and to provide food, drink, clothing, lodging and all other necessities. In 1889 the clauses relating to marriage were removed and it was accepted that a wage could be paid in lieu of providing food, clothes and lodgings. The term of apprenticeship was reduced from seven to four years. Problems and disputes (such as refusal to work, poor time keeping, irregular attendance, use of an apprentice to run errands or perform menial tasks and lack of instruction) were brought before the Chamberlain. An unruly apprentice could be admitted to Bridewell for correction, at first with the vagrants and other prisoners but after 1800 in their own separate cells. When Bridewell closed provision was made at Blackfriars. It was customary for a copy of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress to be provided for the incarcerated apprentice.