GB 2812 A - Foundational records of the Carpenters' Company

Identity area

Reference code

GB 2812 A

Title

Foundational records of the Carpenters' Company

Date(s)

  • 1466-1944 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

8 items (framed)

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Carpenters' Company is one of the ancient guilds of the City of London. The first recorded date of the Company's existence is its 'Boke of Ordinances' of 1333 (held at the National Archives), which show the principal objects of the Brotherhood and Sisterhood to be charitable and religious.

During the medieval period the Company had considerable powers to control building in the City. The Company ordinances of 1455 contained regulations giving power to the Master and Wardens to search carpenters' workshops to ensure that all timbers were to the standards set down by the City. They also confirmed that the Company was to be governed by a Master and three Wardens elected annually. They were to be helped in regulating the carpentry trade by a Court of Assistants of 'six or eight of such men as have already held office or are of the same weight in their craft'.

The Company received its Grant of Arms in 1466, and its first charter in 1477 from King Edward IV. By this charter, and confirmed by subsequent charters, the Carpenters' Company is 'a body Corporate and Politic by the name of the Master, Wardens and Commonalty of the Mistery of Freemen of the Carpentry of the City of London', with power to receive bequests and gifts of property, to plead in any courts, and to have a Common Seal. In 1607, a further charter of James I extended the jurisdiction of the Company from the City to two miles beyond the City Walls, and a new charter of 1640 extended the Company's powers to four miles.

Archival history

The Company's first Royal Charter, Edward IV (1477), and the charters inspectimus of Philip and Mary (1558) and Elizabeth I (1560) have almost certainly not survived. Some records in the series were transferred to the Guildhall Library in 1948; most were later returned.
GB 2812 A 1466-1944 Sub-fonds of the Carpenters' Company 8 items (framed) Carpenters' Company , Worshipful Company of Carpenters
The Carpenters' Company is one of the ancient guilds of the City of London. The first recorded date of the Company's existence is its 'Boke of Ordinances' of 1333 (held at the National Archives), which show the principal objects of the Brotherhood and Sisterhood to be charitable and religious.

During the medieval period the Company had considerable powers to control building in the City. The Company ordinances of 1455 contained regulations giving power to the Master and Wardens to search carpenters' workshops to ensure that all timbers were to the standards set down by the City. They also confirmed that the Company was to be governed by a Master and three Wardens elected annually. They were to be helped in regulating the carpentry trade by a Court of Assistants of 'six or eight of such men as have already held office or are of the same weight in their craft'.

The Company received its Grant of Arms in 1466, and its first charter in 1477 from King Edward IV. By this charter, and confirmed by subsequent charters, the Carpenters' Company is 'a body Corporate and Politic by the name of the Master, Wardens and Commonalty of the Mistery of Freemen of the Carpentry of the City of London', with power to receive bequests and gifts of property, to plead in any courts, and to have a Common Seal. In 1607, a further charter of James I extended the jurisdiction of the Company from the City to two miles beyond the City Walls, and a new charter of 1640 extended the Company's powers to four miles.

The Company's first Royal Charter, Edward IV (1477), and the charters inspectimus of Philip and Mary (1558) and Elizabeth I (1560) have almost certainly not survived. Some records in the series were transferred to the Guildhall Library in 1948; most were later returned.

Foundational records of the Carpenters' Company, 1466-1944, comprising records that determine the foundation, constitution, privileges and internal regulation of the Carpenters' Company, namely Royal charters of James I, 1607; Charles I, 1640; James II, 1674; William and Mary, 1686; George VI, 1944; exemplification of ordinances, 1607; Royal licence in mortmain, 1680; grant of arms issued by Clarenceux, King of Arms, 1466, confirmed, 1530.

As outlined in the scope and content.

Access to the archives is at the discretion of the Company. The records are available for consultation by prior appointment only. Contact the Archivist, Carpenters Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, London EC2N 2JJ.

Copies of material can be supplied, subject to copyright restrictions and suitability of the item for copying.
English, Latin

Catalogue available at Carpenters' Hall.

See Publication Note for transcripts.

Records in the series held at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, Aldermanbury, London, EC2P 2EJ: charter, ordinance and memorandum book [1736] (ref: 4339) and abstract and memorandum book, [17th cent] (ref: 4329a). Ordinances, 1333, held at The National Archives; ordinances, [1455, enrolled 1486/7], held at London Metropolitan Archives (ref: CLRO letter book L).

Transcript of ordinances, [1455, enrolled 1486/7] in Records of the Carpenters' Company vol II (Oxford University Press, 1914). Transcript of 1333 ordinances in The "Boke" of the Ordinances of the Brotherhood of Carpenters of London (Worshipful Company of Carpenters, 1928).

Compiled by Julie Tancell and Alison Field as part of the London Signpost Survey Project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997. December 2003 Associations Carpenters' Company x Worshipful Company of Carpenters Carpenters' Hall Carpentry City of London England Europe Guilds London Organizations UK Western Europe Wood technology Woodworking

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Foundational records of the Carpenters' Company, 1466-1944, comprising records that determine the foundation, constitution, privileges and internal regulation of the Carpenters' Company, namely Royal charters of James I, 1607; Charles I, 1640; James II, 1674; William and Mary, 1686; George VI, 1944; exemplification of ordinances, 1607; Royal licence in mortmain, 1680; grant of arms issued by Clarenceux, King of Arms, 1466, confirmed, 1530.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

As outlined in the scope and content.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Access to the archives is at the discretion of the Company. The records are available for consultation by prior appointment only. Contact the Archivist, Carpenters Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, London EC2N 2JJ.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies of material can be supplied, subject to copyright restrictions and suitability of the item for copying.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English, Latin

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Catalogue available at Carpenters' Hall.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

See Publication Note for transcripts.

Related units of description

Records in the series held at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, Aldermanbury, London, EC2P 2EJ: charter, ordinance and memorandum book [1736] (ref: 4339) and abstract and memorandum book, [17th cent] (ref: 4329a). Ordinances, 1333, held at The National Archives; ordinances, [1455, enrolled 1486/7], held at London Metropolitan Archives (ref: CLRO letter book L).

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Carpenters' Company

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area