Guilds
In London, the guilds were usually called livery companies or worshipful companies, and they remain in existence today, though rarely actively involved, if at all, in the professions. Some of the guilds made overseas investments, including shares in the London/Virginia Companies in the years 1618 to 1624. Those guilds investing are listed in The Records of the Virginia Company of London, Documents 1, Vol.3, Susan Myra Kingsbury.
The following guilds or companies were investors:
The Jamestowne Society accepts those men who were full guild members in the investing companies listed above, at the time of the investments. They are classified as investors, and their descendants are eligible for membership in the Society. There is no comprehensive list of all members of guilds.
The following is some basic information on these companies, including earliest date mentioned, their specialization, website, and some available information on record holdings and/or membership lists when available.
Barbersurgeons, 1308 – dealt with barbering and surgery until 1745 when latter split off http://barberscompany.org/ Has a library/archives
Bakers 1155– dealt with baking [original building destroyed in WWII] www.bakers.co.uk Does not deal with genealogical enquiries
Clothworkers, 1528 – dealt with textile creation https://www.clothworkers.couk/ Has an archives.
Registers of Freemen from 1545 to the present day and Registers of Apprentices survive for the period 1606-1908. Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
Drapers, 1364 – dealt with cloth trade Has an archives. www.thedrapers.co.uk Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
Dyers, n.a. – dealt with the dyeing of cloth Most early records lost in Great Fire of 1666. Has a spreadsheet of liveryman, but too late for JS purposes. www.dyerscompany.co.uk
Fishmongers, c.1300 – dealt with buying and selling of fish. Most important records seem to have survived the Great Fire and WWII www.fishHall.org.uk
Girdlers, 1327 [charter date] – dealt with the manufacture of girdles/belts. www.girdlers.co.uk Records are at the Guildhall Library https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/guildhall-library/Pages/default.aspx. Available on line at: http://www.londonrollorg/search
Goldsmiths, 1327 [charter date] – dealt with craft of gold and silver products www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk. Has a library and archives and good records. Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
Grocers, 1345 – dealt with selling of foodstuffs [starting with black pepper]. www.grocershall.co.uk
Imbroderers, 1561 [charter date] – dealt with workers embroidering www.broderers.co.uk
Extensive losses due to fires and bombing.
Innholders, 1514 [charter date] – dealt with providing drink, bed and board for travelers and their mounts. www.innholders.org.uk
Most early records were lost in Great Fire of 1666.
Ironmongers, 13th century – dealt with creation of iron and steel products www.ironmongers.org Records are at the Guildhall Library and most survive from 1454 https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/guildhall-library/Pages/default.aspx See also searchable lists at: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/city-of-london-ironmongers-apprentices-and-freemen-1511-1939 [this is not a pasteable url]
Leathersellers, 1444 [charter date] – dealt with the inspection of leather and leather products www.leathersellers.co.uk Records are very good. For a list of masters, see: http://www.leathersellersco.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/List-of-Masters-1.pdf and for list of wardens, see: http://www.leathersellers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/List-of-Wardens.pdf
Mercers, 14th century – dealt with sale/trade of luxury fabrics [such as silk]. www.mercers.co.uk The records are very good. Lists of freeman and apprentices are Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
Merchant Tailors, 1327 [first charter as tailors] – dealt with tailoring of clothing www.merchant-taylors.co.uk Records are very good and are housed at Guildhall Library. Genealogical enquirers should be directed to: [email protected]
Salters, n.a. – dealt with the salt trade and salting of meat and fish https://www.salters.co.uk/ Many records lost in Great Fire in 1666. Membership records from 1636 [too late for Jamestowne purposes] are Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
Skinners, 1327 – dealt with fur dressing and trade www.skinnershall.co.uk
Stationers, 1403 – dealt with bookselling and printing www.stationers.org Archives are good, but not onsite accessible. Membership lists are Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
The following guilds or companies were investors:
- Barbersurgeons 1618, 1620
- Bakers 1618, 1620
- Clothworkers 1618, 1620
- Drapers 1618, 1620
- Dyers 1618, 1620
- Fishmongers 1618, 1620
- Grocers 1618, 1620
- Goldsmiths 1618, 1620
- Girdlers 1618, 1620
- Innholders 1618, 1620
- Imbroderers 1618, 1620
- Ironmongers 1618, 1620
- Leathersellers 1618, 1620
- Mercers 1618, 1620
- Merchant Tailors 1618, 1620
- Stationers 1618, 1620
- Skinners 1618, 1620
- Salters 1618, 1620
The Jamestowne Society accepts those men who were full guild members in the investing companies listed above, at the time of the investments. They are classified as investors, and their descendants are eligible for membership in the Society. There is no comprehensive list of all members of guilds.
The following is some basic information on these companies, including earliest date mentioned, their specialization, website, and some available information on record holdings and/or membership lists when available.
Barbersurgeons, 1308 – dealt with barbering and surgery until 1745 when latter split off http://barberscompany.org/ Has a library/archives
Bakers 1155– dealt with baking [original building destroyed in WWII] www.bakers.co.uk Does not deal with genealogical enquiries
Clothworkers, 1528 – dealt with textile creation https://www.clothworkers.couk/ Has an archives.
Registers of Freemen from 1545 to the present day and Registers of Apprentices survive for the period 1606-1908. Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
Drapers, 1364 – dealt with cloth trade Has an archives. www.thedrapers.co.uk Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
Dyers, n.a. – dealt with the dyeing of cloth Most early records lost in Great Fire of 1666. Has a spreadsheet of liveryman, but too late for JS purposes. www.dyerscompany.co.uk
Fishmongers, c.1300 – dealt with buying and selling of fish. Most important records seem to have survived the Great Fire and WWII www.fishHall.org.uk
Girdlers, 1327 [charter date] – dealt with the manufacture of girdles/belts. www.girdlers.co.uk Records are at the Guildhall Library https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/guildhall-library/Pages/default.aspx. Available on line at: http://www.londonrollorg/search
Goldsmiths, 1327 [charter date] – dealt with craft of gold and silver products www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk. Has a library and archives and good records. Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
Grocers, 1345 – dealt with selling of foodstuffs [starting with black pepper]. www.grocershall.co.uk
Imbroderers, 1561 [charter date] – dealt with workers embroidering www.broderers.co.uk
Extensive losses due to fires and bombing.
Innholders, 1514 [charter date] – dealt with providing drink, bed and board for travelers and their mounts. www.innholders.org.uk
Most early records were lost in Great Fire of 1666.
Ironmongers, 13th century – dealt with creation of iron and steel products www.ironmongers.org Records are at the Guildhall Library and most survive from 1454 https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/guildhall-library/Pages/default.aspx See also searchable lists at: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/city-of-london-ironmongers-apprentices-and-freemen-1511-1939 [this is not a pasteable url]
Leathersellers, 1444 [charter date] – dealt with the inspection of leather and leather products www.leathersellers.co.uk Records are very good. For a list of masters, see: http://www.leathersellersco.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/List-of-Masters-1.pdf and for list of wardens, see: http://www.leathersellers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/List-of-Wardens.pdf
Mercers, 14th century – dealt with sale/trade of luxury fabrics [such as silk]. www.mercers.co.uk The records are very good. Lists of freeman and apprentices are Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
Merchant Tailors, 1327 [first charter as tailors] – dealt with tailoring of clothing www.merchant-taylors.co.uk Records are very good and are housed at Guildhall Library. Genealogical enquirers should be directed to: [email protected]
Salters, n.a. – dealt with the salt trade and salting of meat and fish https://www.salters.co.uk/ Many records lost in Great Fire in 1666. Membership records from 1636 [too late for Jamestowne purposes] are Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
Skinners, 1327 – dealt with fur dressing and trade www.skinnershall.co.uk
Stationers, 1403 – dealt with bookselling and printing www.stationers.org Archives are good, but not onsite accessible. Membership lists are Available on line at: http://www.londonroll.org/search
Last Update: 16 March 2021
