MEDIEVAL GUILDS, OR MEDIEVAL TRADE GUILDS

London's Medieval Guilds, or Medieval Trade Guilds played an enormous part in the everyday lives of London's citizens during Medieval Times in London.

They eventually held more power in the city than the Medieval Kings themselves did.

Wherever you travel in this ancient city of London, you are constantly reminded of the existance of these tradesmen and merchants during Medieval Times in London, of their importance to the old city, and in which areas of the old city, these tradesmen lived and practised their trades,

Areas or street names, such as Cordwainer (workers in fine leather i.e. shoemaker), Fish Street Hill, Bread Street, Milk Street, (cows were kept in this part of the city for milking purposes) Threadneedle Street was the tailor's district, Lombard Street was originally a piece of land granted to goldsmiths from Lombardy in Northern Italy by King Edward I, Poultry, Pudding Lane, all spring right out at you, as you wander through the city and explore it's ancient streets.

These Guilds, were associations of artisans or craftsmen, who were united in a common purpose, which was to maintain the highest standards of skill and fairness practiced within their trade and to look after their members, in times of sickness and also death, where help would be given in times of need to the families of deceased or ailing members of that particular guild.

After the Battle of Hastings and subsequent domination of England by the Normans, French Merchants began to settle in London. They brought with them several innovative ideas, one of which was that cities and towns should be able to manage themselves, independent of the king.

The first recorded royal charter was in 1067 or thereabouts, when the citizens of London, had the rights and privileges they had enjoyed since the time of Edward the Confessor, confirmed by King William the Conqueror.

The City of London gradually gained some independence and in the year 1189, at the start of the reign of King Richard I, Henry Fitz-Ailwyn, became the first person to hold the office of mayor.

However, it was still the wealthiest men who controlled the city as Aldermen. In 1215, London was given a royal charter by King John, whereby iy could annually elect a mayor, rather than the appointment be made by the Sovereign.

As time passed, the Aldermen found it increasingly necessary to seek help from the city's common people. This was recognised by setting up the Court of Common Council in the middle or latter part of the fourteenth century.

This Council would represent the Commoners, as most people, which were the majority of men and all women did not have the right to vote.

It was only Freemen who had the right to vote, and it was usually only those who had served an apprenticeship of at least seven years in a recognised craft or business.

Apprentices could, and usually did, live with their master for several years while they were being taught the craft by a member of the Guild, who would be paid by the parents of the boy.

Certain rules were expected to be honoured by the apprentice, such as not getting married until his apprenticeship was over and in return, his master who was also a member of one of the Medieval Guilds, would promise to teach him well.

At the conclusion of his apprenticeship, the young man became a journeyman, who had fully learned his trade but was not yet a master. He was now paid a wage and was expected to save enough money to set out on his own and start up his own business.

For the journeyman to become a master, he had to submit a master work piece to a guild for judgment. If the work were deemed worthy, the journeyman would be admitted to the guild as a master.

In each town, with the intention of maintaining high quality of their merchandise, only members of that towns individual guilds could sell their products there.

However, certain days, known as market days, were set aside, where anyone could sell their goods in the marketplace, skilled or unskilled. Annual fairs were other occasions where people could come and gather from far and wide to sell their wares.

Of course apprenticeships were controlled by London's Medieval Guilds and therefore they also had control over who was allowed to gain the freedom of the city.

The Medieval Guilds, in effect ran the city and controlled it's commerce, and it was from the Alderman within their ranks that the Lord Mayor and Council were elected to form the government of the city.

Each of these guilds had their own coat of arms and their own hall in which they met. Collectively, each one of them would be represented at meetings in a place called the Guildhall, which was the actual powerhouse of the city.

In medieval times, the Lord Mayor of London held more power and influence in the city than the ruling monarch and it was in the Guildhall, where these powerful merchants held their court.

From within the walls of the Guildhall, all trading regulations and laws which helped to create London's wealth, the process of which has been passed down from generation to generation to make it the city it is today, were formulated and then fine-tuned.

Each of London's Medieval Guilds had their own distinctive regalia or uniform, known as their livery, which was extremely important to them, as it distinguished them all, one from another on ceremonial and other special occasions.

MEDIEVAL GUILDS TO BE CONTINUED.

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