Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1689-2009 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
200 production units
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Musicians were employed in the City from 1334, with charitable ordinances from 1350, but the first charter to City minstrels was in 1469 (applying to the whole of England, except the City of Chester, and open to women as well as men). The charter was renewed in 1604, giving the Company protection against foreign and itinerant minstrels, and again in 1950. The text of the 1469 charter is given in Rymer's 'Foedera', available in the Printed Books Section of Guildhall Library, and an 18th century copy of the 1604 charter is contained in Guildhall Library Ms 3101.
The Company now provides a number of grants to students of the major music colleges in London, and membership includes a number of well known professional musicians.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 CLC/L/ME 1689-2009 Collection 200 production units Worshipful Company of Musicians
Musicians were employed in the City from 1334, with charitable ordinances from 1350, but the first charter to City minstrels was in 1469 (applying to the whole of England, except the City of Chester, and open to women as well as men). The charter was renewed in 1604, giving the Company protection against foreign and itinerant minstrels, and again in 1950. The text of the 1469 charter is given in Rymer's 'Foedera', available in the Printed Books Section of Guildhall Library, and an 18th century copy of the 1604 charter is contained in Guildhall Library Ms 3101.
The Company now provides a number of grants to students of the major music colleges in London, and membership includes a number of well known professional musicians.
The records of the Company were transferred to the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1933 and 1993. The Manuscripts Section merged with London Metropolitan Archives in 2008. The records were catalogued by various members of staff over many years. A further accession was deposited in 2010.
Records of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, including charter and ordinance books; bye laws; Court minute books; signature book; livery lists; registers of freedom admissions; registers of apprentice bindings; financial accounts including cash books; press cuttings; clerk's correspondence and papers; letters from composers including Richard Strauss, Sir Edward Elgar and Herbert Howells; manuscript music scores including Elgar and Howells; concert and event programmes; photographs; papers relating to scholarships; and papers relating to company property and estates.
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.
To assist the user, the catalogue has been arranged in sections each with an archival classification code as follows: A Constitutional records; B Court records; C Membership records; D Financial records; F Clerk's records; 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
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
The charter of 1950 is still held by the Musicians' Company.
Translations and editions of all 3 charters, as well as the company's bye-laws of 1606, are given in H.A.F. Crewdson's The Worshipful Company of Musicians: A Short History (1950).
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 UK Europe Western Europe London England City of London Worshipful Company of Musicians Performing arts Music People People by roles Freemen Organizations Associations Guilds Trade guilds Artists Performers Musicians Information sources Documents Apprenticeship records Freedom admissions Freedom of a city Rights and privileges Administration of justice
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The records of the Company were transferred to the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1933 and 1993. The Manuscripts Section merged with London Metropolitan Archives in 2008. The records were catalogued by various members of staff over many years. A further accession was deposited in 2010.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, including charter and ordinance books; bye laws; Court minute books; signature book; livery lists; registers of freedom admissions; registers of apprentice bindings; financial accounts including cash books; press cuttings; clerk's correspondence and papers; letters from composers including Richard Strauss, Sir Edward Elgar and Herbert Howells; manuscript music scores including Elgar and Howells; concert and event programmes; photographs; papers relating to scholarships; and papers relating to company property and estates.
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
To assist the user, the catalogue has been arranged in sections each with an archival classification code as follows: A Constitutional records; B Court records; C Membership records; D Financial records; F Clerk's records; 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
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
The charter of 1950 is still held by the Musicians' Company.
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
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