Collection GB 0074 CLC/L/WC - WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF WEAVERS

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 CLC/L/WC

Title

WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF WEAVERS

Date(s)

  • 1155-1971 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

513 production items

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Company is the oldest chartered livery company in the City of London, receiving its charter from King Henry II in ca. 1155-8 (Guildhall Library Ms 4621). It had control of weaving in the City of London, as well as Westminster and Southwark. The Company had a hall in Basinghall Street, in the parish of St Michael Bassishaw, until its demolition in the mid-19th century. The Company also held other properties in the City of London, as well as estates in Billericay and Shenfield in Essex.

Almshouses: William Watson (d. 1673) gave £200 towards the building of almshouses in Shoreditch. The almshouses (with 12 rooms) were opened in 1670. Richard Garrett of Wandsworth bequeathed £1,000 East India stock for the building of six almshouses at Elder Street, Porter's Fields for poor members of the Weavers' Company. In 1851 these almshouses were sold and new ones were erected at Wanstead. They comprised 24 dwellings (12 for men and 12 for women) and were ready for occupation in 1859.

Archival history

GB 0074 CLC/L/WC 1155-1971 Collection 513 production items Worshipful Company of Weavers

The Company is the oldest chartered livery company in the City of London, receiving its charter from King Henry II in ca. 1155-8 (Guildhall Library Ms 4621). It had control of weaving in the City of London, as well as Westminster and Southwark. The Company had a hall in Basinghall Street, in the parish of St Michael Bassishaw, until its demolition in the mid-19th century. The Company also held other properties in the City of London, as well as estates in Billericay and Shenfield in Essex.

Almshouses: William Watson (d. 1673) gave £200 towards the building of almshouses in Shoreditch. The almshouses (with 12 rooms) were opened in 1670. Richard Garrett of Wandsworth bequeathed £1,000 East India stock for the building of six almshouses at Elder Street, Porter's Fields for poor members of the Weavers' Company. In 1851 these almshouses were sold and new ones were erected at Wanstead. They comprised 24 dwellings (12 for men and 12 for women) and were ready for occupation in 1859.

The records have been deposited with the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library at various dates since 1948. The Manuscripts Section merged with London Metropolitan Archives in 2008. The records have been catalogued by various members of staff over many years. The accession of 1998 necessitated the renumbering of certain series. Changes and former numbers are noted in the relevant entries.

Records of the Worshipful Company of Weavers, including registers of freedom admission from 1600-1921 (incomplete), and of apprentice bindings 1655-1867; charters; bye-laws and ordinances; Court and Committee minute books; quarterage books; financial accounts; letter books; deeds and other papers relating to property; and papers relating to charity.

They also include records of the Weavers' Company almshouses, which include quarterly lists of pensioners, minutes, papers relating to the receipt of rents, and financial records. Further references may be found in other Weavers' Company records such as minutes and accounts. See MS 04648C- D, 05235, 10596A, 17951A.

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:
L/WC/A Constitutional records
L/WC/B Court records
L/WC/C Membership records
L/WC/D Financial records
L/WC/E Trade records
L/WC/F Clerk's records
L/WC/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. Please note 48 hours notice is required for access.

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 two standard histories of the Company are: Frances Consitt, The London Weavers' Company, from the Twelfth Century to the close of the Sixteenth Century (Oxford 1933); and Alfred Plummer, The London Weavers' Company 1600-1970 (1972). Both volumes include appendices transcribing a number of the Company's records.

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 Buildings Architecture Freemen People by roles Worshipful Company of Weavers City of London London England UK Western Europe Europe Almshouses Residential buildings People Personnel People by occupation Textile industry personnel Weavers Organizations Associations Guilds Trade guilds Handicrafts Textile arts Weaving Property Property transfer Bequests Charitable bequests 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 have been deposited with the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library at various dates since 1948. The Manuscripts Section merged with London Metropolitan Archives in 2008. The records have been catalogued by various members of staff over many years. The accession of 1998 necessitated the renumbering of certain series. Changes and former numbers are noted in the relevant entries.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Worshipful Company of Weavers, including registers of freedom admission from 1600-1921 (incomplete), and of apprentice bindings 1655-1867; charters; bye-laws and ordinances; Court and Committee minute books; quarterage books; financial accounts; letter books; deeds and other papers relating to property; and papers relating to charity.

They also include records of the Weavers' Company almshouses, which include quarterly lists of pensioners, minutes, papers relating to the receipt of rents, and financial records. Further references may be found in other Weavers' Company records such as minutes and accounts. See MS 04648C- D, 05235, 10596A, 17951A.

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:
L/WC/A Constitutional records
L/WC/B Court records
L/WC/C Membership records
L/WC/D Financial records
L/WC/E Trade records
L/WC/F Clerk's records
L/WC/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. Please note 48 hours notice is required for access.

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