Evening,
I am interested in looking into guild/company records for Shropshire. I have found some ref's on the SA catalogue and am wondering if anyone has much experience for such records in Shropshire; and in particular what company would one be attached to if they lived in a rural area, say Worthen.
Hello David
The Index-Catalogue of the Reference Department of the former Shrewsbury Free Public Library, Local Section (Published 1903) has the following entry:-
Guilds of Shrewsbury. Register of the Glovers' and Skinners' Company, 1638 Mss Ref.No:1507 1 Volume
This is the only entry under Guilds. If you stipulate the occupation(s) you are interested in then it is possible something might show up but as far as I know these records are always organised by Trade or Occupation and probably only in the town, Shrewsbury in our case. They were a way of regulating who could carry on a trade or business within the town. I don't think the farmers of Worthen would have or need such an organisation.
There appears to be a publication (manuscript No:998) 'Influence and Development of English Gilds as Illustrated by the History of the Craft Gilds of Shrewsbury' by Francis A. Hibbert dated 1891. I don't know why this uses the spelling Gilds instead of Guilds but they are probably interchangeable.
My dictionary defines a Gild as a formal association of people with similar interests = club, guild, lodge, order, social club, society.
Mike
Records of the Shrewsbury guild or company of Carpenters survive, and from at least the mid 17th century, and are at Shropshire Archives. (I have extracts taken by a kinsman).
Very many men resident in Worthen were burgesses of Shrewsbury, but that was by male descent from an original burgess resident in the town. See H E Forrest's index published in 1924. On the shelves in the topographical section.
In some trades the London guild may have had influence throughout the country. There is a hint that a waterman's guild existed c.1700 but no records survive.
Thank you for that reminder, Peter. Goldsmiths and silversmiths were controlled by the Goldsmiths' Company in London (who, I believe, still have responsibility for the Assay Office and hallmarking - i.e. originally testing and stamping of ware in the Company's Hall); printers and booksellers and publishers, to the Stationers' Company, at least until the first Copyright Act. Apothecaries similar, I believe but have not researched the point. Practitioners in Security form the 108th and latest London Guild.
Is an Honourable Company of Wheel-Clampers due next ?
Thanks for the help APU.
Most seem to be listed under "Company" in the cat.:
Weavers and Clothiers Company, Shrewsbury
Mercers, Ironmongers and Goldsmiths Company of Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury Draper's Company
Glovers' Company of Shrewsbury
Tailors and Skinners Company of Shrewsbury
Company of Smiths, Shrewsbury
Tanners Company of Shrewsbury
Carpenters and Bricklayers Company of Shrewsbury
Company of Carpenters, Bricklayers, Brickmakers, Plasterers, Tilers etc of Shrewsbury
Guild Merchant of Shrewsbury
Weaver's Guild
Palmers Gild of Lodelowe
Tanners' Guild Shrewsbury
Glovers Guild of Shrewsbury
Ancient Company of Stitchmen of Ludlow
Some records from the old Guilds and similar trade organisations were transcribed and published in the 1800s and can be found via Google Books (sometimes using a proxy service to get round copyright restrictions which prevent full access outside of the USA). Two examples (published in Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological & Natural History Society) are:
The Combrethren of Painters, Galziers, Plumbers, Curriers, and others
These accounts give details of the agreements members had to sign up to, lists of names, and additional information such as money expended on charitable and related purposes which shed light on happenings centuries ago - fascinating reading.
Steve
@ Atcherley.org.uk, thanks, I didn't realise you could access some of the inaccessible Google Books via proxy.
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I am not aware of any territorial affiliations, David. These were guilds by chosen trade; though the formal name might cover loosely connected trades.
Records of defunct companies (the Drapers famously survives) may well have formed part of the old pre 1974 Shrewsbury Borough archives, and as such may not be listed in the online catalogue.
There is a printed book, kept behind the counter, that lists many if not all of these, such as burgess admission material. Certainly the latter are not online.