Collection GB 0074 CLC/L/CL - WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF CUTLERS OF LONDON

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 CLC/L/CL

Title

WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF CUTLERS OF LONDON

Date(s)

  • 1442-1948 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

168 production units

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Company was granted its first charter in 1415 and had jurisdiction over the manufacture of general cutlery as well as swords and surgical instruments. It occupied a Hall on a site in Cloak Lane from the 1450s until 1882, when the Company removed to new accommodation in Warwick Lane.

Archival history

GB 0074 CLC/L/CL 1442-1948 Collection 168 production units Worshipful Company of Cutlers

The Company was granted its first charter in 1415 and had jurisdiction over the manufacture of general cutlery as well as swords and surgical instruments. It occupied a Hall on a site in Cloak Lane from the 1450s until 1882, when the Company removed to new accommodation in Warwick Lane.

The records of the Company have been deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library at various dates since 1900. The Manuscripts Section merged with London Metropolitan Archives in 2008. The collection has been catalogued by various members of staff over many years.

Records of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers. The records have been compiled from 1442, but they include deeds from 1340. There are freedom admission registers from 1613 and registers of apprentice bindings from 1575. Other records include charters and ordinances; Court minute books; financial accounts; Clerk's letter books; papers relating to property and fire insurance policies.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACCESS: These records are stored at the Guildhall Library site rather than the LMA Clerkenwell site. Researchers wishing to access these records should do so at the Guildhall Library Rare Books table. The Library is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 16:45. Researchers will need to have an Archives History Card or a Library Readers Card. An archivist will be available at Guildhall Library on Thursday mornings to answer any queries.

As the archive is large and complex, and to assist the user, the catalogue has been arranged in sections each with an archival classification code as follows:
CLC/L/CL/A Constitutional records,
CLC/L/CL/B Court records,
CLC/L/CL/C Membership records,
CLC/L/CL/D Financial records,
CLC/L/CL/E Trade records,
CLC/L/CL/F Clerk's records,
CLC/L/CL/G Charities and estates.

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to access restrictions.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACCESS: These records are stored at the Guildhall Library site rather than the LMA Clerkenwell site. Researchers wishing to access these records should do so at the Guildhall Library Rare Books table. The Library is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 16:45. Researchers will need to have an Archives History Card or a Library Readers Card. An archivist will be available at Guildhall Library on Thursday mornings to answer any queries. For further information please see LMA Research Guide "Consulting Archives at Guildhall Library", available at http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Leisure_and_culture/Records_and_archives/Visitor_information/free_information_leaflets.htm

Copyright: Depositor.
English

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

For further information relating to Livery Companies, particularly using the company records for family history, please see Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section "Livery Company Membership Guide" and Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section "Leaflet Guides to Records: Searching for Members or those apprenticed to Members of City of London Livery Companies" (both available online).

For a general introduction to the history of the City of London Livery Companies please see entry in The London Encyclopaedia, ed Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert.
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. Oct-09 Surgical apparatus and instruments industry Manufacturing industry Industry Cutlery Kitchenware Manufactured goods Cutlery trade Trade (practice) Worshipful Company of Cutlers City of London London England UK Western Europe Europe People by occupation Personnel Skilled personnel Metal workers Cutlers People People by roles Freemen Organizations Associations Guilds Trade guilds Military equipment Weapons Edged weapons Swords Information sources Documents Apprenticeship records Freedom admissions Freedom of a city Rights and privileges Administration of justice Equipment

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The records of the Company have been deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library at various dates since 1900. The Manuscripts Section merged with London Metropolitan Archives in 2008. The collection has been catalogued by various members of staff over many years.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers. The records have been compiled from 1442, but they include deeds from 1340. There are freedom admission registers from 1613 and registers of apprentice bindings from 1575. Other records include charters and ordinances; Court minute books; financial accounts; Clerk's letter books; papers relating to property and fire insurance policies.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACCESS: These records are stored at the Guildhall Library site rather than the LMA Clerkenwell site. Researchers wishing to access these records should do so at the Guildhall Library Rare Books table. The Library is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 16:45. Researchers will need to have an Archives History Card or a Library Readers Card. An archivist will be available at Guildhall Library on Thursday mornings to answer any queries.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

As the archive is large and complex, and to assist the user, the catalogue has been arranged in sections each with an archival classification code as follows:
CLC/L/CL/A Constitutional records,
CLC/L/CL/B Court records,
CLC/L/CL/C Membership records,
CLC/L/CL/D Financial records,
CLC/L/CL/E Trade records,
CLC/L/CL/F Clerk's records,
CLC/L/CL/G Charities and estates.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to access restrictions.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACCESS: These records are stored at the Guildhall Library site rather than the LMA Clerkenwell site. Researchers wishing to access these records should do so at the Guildhall Library Rare Books table. The Library is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 16:45. Researchers will need to have an Archives History Card or a Library Readers Card. An archivist will be available at Guildhall Library on Thursday mornings to answer any queries. For further information please see LMA Research Guide "Consulting Archives at Guildhall Library", available at http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Leisure_and_culture/Records_and_archives/Visitor_information/free_information_leaflets.htm

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright: Depositor.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

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