Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1578-1997 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
218 production units
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Dyers' Company is long established in the City with mediaeval origins in the trade of cloth and leather dyeing. Hazlitt's "Livery Companies of the City of London" mentions a reference to the company in 1362 and also says that the Dyers are held to rank as the first of the Minor livery companies. The Dyers' Company shares the distinction, with the Vintners' Company, of being the only institution, apart from the Crown, which may keep swans on the Thames. The company's original hall was in Upper Thames Street and was destroyed in the Great Fire. A subsequent hall was also seriously damaged by fire in 1681 and the company suffered in the bombing raid of December 1940 when many records were destroyed (though Hazlitt commented in 1892 on the scarcity of Dyers' Company historical documents).
The Dyers' Company had almshouses at Ball's Pond Road, Islington (1851-1938) and at Crawley in Sussex (1938-).
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 CLC/L/DC 1578-1997 Collection 218 production units Worshipful Company of Dyers
The Dyers' Company is long established in the City with mediaeval origins in the trade of cloth and leather dyeing. Hazlitt's "Livery Companies of the City of London" mentions a reference to the company in 1362 and also says that the Dyers are held to rank as the first of the Minor livery companies. The Dyers' Company shares the distinction, with the Vintners' Company, of being the only institution, apart from the Crown, which may keep swans on the Thames. The company's original hall was in Upper Thames Street and was destroyed in the Great Fire. A subsequent hall was also seriously damaged by fire in 1681 and the company suffered in the bombing raid of December 1940 when many records were destroyed (though Hazlitt commented in 1892 on the scarcity of Dyers' Company historical documents).
The Dyers' Company had almshouses at Ball's Pond Road, Islington (1851-1938) and at Crawley in Sussex (1938-).
Almost all of the company's records were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1953 and 1997, though the charters are retained in the present hall on Dowgate Hill (photographic copies are available in this collection). The Manuscripts Section merged with London Metropolitan Archives in 2008. The records were catalogued by various members of staff over many years.
Records of the Worshipful Company of Dyers, 1578-1997, including freedom admissions from 1650 and lists of apprentices from 1649; as well as charters and ordinances; Court minute books; financial accounts; Clerk's diary and memoranda books; Clerk's letter books; swan upping books; papers relating to charities; deeds and other papers relating to property and estate management.
Also records relating to the Company almshouses, comprising: register of applicants for admission, 1881-1980 (Ms 32847); register of almspeople, 1883-1981 (Ms 32848); and gatekeepers' diaries, 1906-38 (Ms 32849). Further references may be found in other Dyers' Company records such as minutes and accounts.
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 representing sub-groups each with an archival classification code as follows:
CLC/L/DC/A Constitutional records,
CLC/L/DC/B Court records,
CLC/L/DC/C Membership records,
CLC/L/DC/D Financial records,
CLC/L/DC/F Clerk's records,
CLC/L/DC/G Charities and estates.
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
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 and Latin.
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 Birds Swans Wild fowl People by roles Freemen Architecture City of London Sussex Europe UK Crawley Western Europe England London Islington Islington (district) Worshipful Company of Dyers Dyes Zoology Animals Buildings Residential buildings Almshouses Organizations Associations Guilds Trade guilds People People by occupation Personnel Industrial personnel Manufacturers Dyers Textile industry Dyeing Industry Manufacturing industry Chemical industry Dye industry Information sources Documents Apprenticeship records Freedom admissions Freedom of a city Rights and privileges Administration of justice Vertebrates Organisms
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Almost all of the company's records were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1953 and 1997, though the charters are retained in the present hall on Dowgate Hill (photographic copies are available in this collection). The Manuscripts Section merged with London Metropolitan Archives in 2008. The records were catalogued by various members of staff over many years.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Worshipful Company of Dyers, 1578-1997, including freedom admissions from 1650 and lists of apprentices from 1649; as well as charters and ordinances; Court minute books; financial accounts; Clerk's diary and memoranda books; Clerk's letter books; swan upping books; papers relating to charities; deeds and other papers relating to property and estate management.
Also records relating to the Company almshouses, comprising: register of applicants for admission, 1881-1980 (Ms 32847); register of almspeople, 1883-1981 (Ms 32848); and gatekeepers' diaries, 1906-38 (Ms 32849). Further references may be found in other Dyers' Company records such as minutes and accounts.
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 representing sub-groups each with an archival classification code as follows:
CLC/L/DC/A Constitutional records,
CLC/L/DC/B Court records,
CLC/L/DC/C Membership records,
CLC/L/DC/D Financial records,
CLC/L/DC/F Clerk's records,
CLC/L/DC/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 are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
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 and Latin.
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
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Zoology » Animals » Birds
- Architecture
- Zoology
- Zoology » Animals
- Architecture » Buildings
- Organizations
- Organizations » Associations
- Personnel
- Industry » Manufacturing industry » Textile industry
- Industry
- Industry » Manufacturing industry
- Industry » Manufacturing industry » Chemical industry
- Information sources
- Documents
- Administration of justice » Rights and privileges
- Administration of justice
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
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