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Alivery company is a type ofguild or professional association that originated inmedieval times inLondon, England.[1] Livery companies comprise London'strade associations and guilds, almost all of which arestyled the "Worshipful Company of" theircraft,trade orprofession.[2][3] There are 114 livery companies as of February 2026. They play a significant part in the life of theCity of London, not least by providing charitable-giving and networking opportunities. Liverymen retain voting rights for the seniorcivic offices, such as theLord Mayor andSheriffs of theCity Corporation, London's historicmunicipal authority with extensive local government powers.[3]
The termlivery originated in the designed form of dress worn byretainers of anobleman and then by extension tospecial dress to denote status of belonging to a trade. Livery companies evolved fromLondon'smedievalguilds, becomingcorporations byroyal charter responsible for training in their trades, as well as for the regulation of aspects such as wage control, labour conditions and industry standards. Early guilds often grew out ofparishfraternal organizations, where numerous members of the same trade lived in close proximity often congregating at the samechurch.[4] Like most organisations during theMiddle Ages, these livery companies had close ties with theRoman Catholic Church (before theProtestant Reformation), endowing religious establishments such aschantrychapels andchurches, observingreligious festivals and hostingceremonies as well as well-knownmystery plays. Most livery companies retain their historical religious associations, although nowadays members are free to follow any faith or none.
After theCarmen's Company received City livery status in 1848, no new companies were established until 1926 when theHonourable Company of Master Mariners was founded (granted livery in 1932).[3] Pre-1848 creations are known asancient livery companies, while post-1926 creations are known asmodern livery companies. The Worshipful Company of Human Resource Professionals, the newest, was granted livery status in February 2026, making it the 114th City livery company inorder of precedence.[5]
Many ancient livery companies maintain contact with their original trade or craft. In some cases, livery companies have chosen to support a replacement industry fulfilling a similar purpose today, e.g.plastics replacing the use of horn or ivory in the case of theHorners' Company andfashion for theHaberdashers' Company. Many but not all Modern Companies (those created after 1926) are representatives of today's professions and industries and operate in close association with these. However, many ancient crafts remain as relevant today as when their guilds were originally established. Some Companies still exercise powers of regulation, inspection and enforcement, e.g.the Goldsmiths' Company Assay Office, while others are awarding bodies for professional qualifications. TheScriveners' Company admits senior members of legal and associated professions, theApothecaries' Society awards post-graduate qualifications in some medical specialities, and theHackney Carriage Drivers' Company comprises licensed taxi drivers who have passed the "Knowledge of London" test. Several companies restrict membership to those holding relevant professional qualifications, e.g. theCity of London Solicitors' Company and theWorshipful Company of Engineers. Other companies whose trade died out long ago, such as theBowyers' Company, have evolved into being primarilycharitable foundations.[3] Many companies, for example the Pinmakers, have disappeared entirely since their creation.[6]
Many, but not all, livery companies established aguild ormeeting hall. Though these halls faced destruction in theGreat London Fire of1666 and duringthe Blitz ofWorld War II, over forty companies still own or share ownership of livery halls, some elaborate and historic, others modern replacements for halls destroyed or redeveloped. Most of these halls are made available for use by other companies not having a livery hall of their own.[4]
London's Livery companies originally began to be established in the 12th century, to guarantee that a member was trustworthy and fully qualified, and that the goods they produced were of reputable quality, the two-fold aim being to protect the public and to protect members from charlatans. They continued to be established until the 17th century, when political upheaval in England, particularly the Civil War, as well as thegrowth of London outwards from the City rendered many such livery companies, which only controlled trade within theSquare Mile, less competitive or viable. Following theStuart Restoration many livery companies were revived, but with Britain taking a leading role in the expansion ofglobal trade the City also adapted by establishingexchanges, some of which later became guardians ofbusiness conduct.
From the 1870s, there was a further revival of livery companies, with many extending their original educational purpose to technical education, supporting new industries and providing the necessary training, most notably through theCity and Guilds of London Institute.[7]
From their inception, livery companies cared for their members in sickness and old age by the giving ofalms. Today, they continue to support both their members, and wider charitable aims and activities such aseducation andtraining.[7]
Numerous educational establishments in England were founded by and retain association with livery companies, among the best-known being theHaberdashers',Merchant Taylors' andSkinners' schools.
Most livery companies maintain proud affiliations withregular andreserve units of theBritish Armed Forces,[8] providing links betweencivilian andmilitary life.
Livery companies have been active in agreeing to "uphold and support" theArmed Forces Covenant[9] and over one hundred have either signed, or indicated that they will formally sign the Covenant in collaboration with theMinistry of defence.
The livery companies have always been a constituent part of thegovernance of the City of London. The senior members of the livery companies, i.e.liverymen, elect the City'sSheriffs, Bridge Masters,Ale Conners, Auditors and members of the City Livery Committee, and approve thealdermanic candidates for election to the office ofLord Mayor of London.[7]
Entry to a livery company may be by one of four routes:
Regardless of method of entry, membership carries the same duties, responsibilities and privileges. Being clothed as a Liveryman requires the candidate to first receive thefreedom of the City of London, now essentially a necessary formality, though in the past the Freedom carried benefits, such as being able to drive a flock of sheep acrossLondon Bridge[10] at no charge.
Livery companies are governed by a Master (alternatively styled Prime Warden in some companies, or Upper Bailiff of the Weavers' Company), a number of Wardens (holding various titles such as the Upper, Middle, Lower, or Renter Wardens), and acourt of Assistants (board of directors), responsible for company business and electing its Master and Wardens. The "Clerk to the Company" is the most senior permanent member of staff, and is responsible for the day-to-day management of its activities.
The livery companies elect a majority of the members of the Livery Committee, a body administered atGuildhall. The committee oversees the elections of Sheriffs and the Lord Mayor, educates liverymen regarding the City Corporation's activities and represents the livery companies in communications with the City.[11]
Membership generally falls into two categories:freemen and liverymen.
One may become a freeman, or be admitted to the "freedom of the company", upon fulfilling certain criteria: traditionally, by "patrimony", if either parent/grandparent were a liveryman of the company; by "servitude", if one has served a requisite number of years as anapprentice to a senior company member; or by "redemption", upon paying a fee. Most livery companies reserve the right to admit distinguished people, particularly in their sphere of influence, as Honorary Freeman or Liveryman. Freemen may advance to become liverymen, after obtaining theFreedom of the City of London, and with their court of Assistants' approval. Only liverymen are eligible to vote in the annual election of theLord Mayor of London, theSheriffs and various other City civic offices, including theAle Conners andBridge Masters.
A liveryman is a full member of his/her respective company.
When a freeman is promoted to liveryman, the candidate is said to be 'clothed in the livery': indeed, alivery gown is placed on him or her at the Court meeting which is worn to the subsequent formal or social occasion. Thereafter only the Master, Wardens and Assistants wear livery gowns at company functions. Masters and Wardens wear them at the City's formal events, e.g. the two Common Halls and the United Guilds Service, and at the Lord Mayor's Show. Ordinarily, liverymen wear ties or brooches at formal functions and each company differs by allowing their members to wear distinctive items relevant to the occasion such as a tie, scarf, badge, cap or brooch.
Freemen are expected to advance to become liverymen by a vote of thecourt of each company. Liverymen no longer have any local government franchise in the City, but retain the exclusive right of voting in the election of theLord Mayor (Michaelmas 'Common Hall' 29 September) and for the Sheriffs (Mid-Summer 'Common Hall' 24 June) held at Guildhall as a ceremonial occasion. The votes are made by 'acclamation' subject to a challenge/demand from the floor for a ballot to be held a week later. Any two liverymen may nominate a candidate for the Freedom of the City.
Before theReform Act 1832 liverymen had the exclusive right to elect the fourMembers of Parliament (MPs) representing the City. Between 1832 and 1918 being a liveryman was one of a number of possible franchises which could qualify a parliamentary elector in theCity of London constituency, as it was a preserved ancient borough franchise under the terms of the 1832 Act.
As at the beginning of the 21st century, 39 out of 114 City livery companies own premises in London. Additionally, the Watermen & Lightermen (not strictly a livery company), retain headquarters still in regular use. Among the earliest companies known to have had halls are theMerchant Taylors andGoldsmiths in the 14th century, and the kitchen and the crypt of Merchant Taylors' Hall survived both theGreat Fire of London andthe Blitz, the kitchen now having been in uninterrupted use for over 600 years.
Besides part of Merchant Taylors' Hall kitchens, the oldest extant interiors of a livery hall proper are those of theApothecaries' Society, most rooms of which date from 1668 to 1671; significant portions of the fabric of this building are also medieval, from the 13th-century priory, part of which became Apothecaries' Hall. Several companies that do not have a hall of their own share office premises within the hall of another company on a semi-permanent basis, examples being theSpectacle Makers' Company, which uses part of Apothecaries' Hall, and theWorshipful Company of Shipwrights, which co-habits with theIronmongers.[3] Many livery halls can be hired for business and social functions, and are popular forweddings,commercial andsociety meetings, luncheons and dinners.
Three livery companies (theGlaziers and Painters of Glass,Launderers andScientific Instrument Makers) share a hall inSouthwark, just south the City of London, while theWorshipful Company of Gunmakers has long been based at Proof House in theLondon Borough of Tower Hamlets just east of the City. Companies without halls customarily book another livery hall for their formal gatherings, giving members and guests the opportunity to visit and enjoy different City livery halls by rotation.[3] There is an attraction in belonging to a company which isperipatetic.[3]
Blue plaques throughout the City of London indicate where companies formerly had halls.
In 1515, theCourt of Aldermen of the City of London settled anorder of precedence for the 48 livery companies then in existence, based on those companies' contemporary economic or political power.[3] The 12 highest-ranked companies remain known as the Great Twelve City Livery Companies. Presently, there are 113 City livery companies, with the newer companies generally being ranked by seniority of creation.[3] The origins of some companies, and the granting of their liveries, are now obscure.[12][13]
TheMerchant Taylors and theSkinners have long disputed their precedence, so once a year (at Easter) they swap between sixth and seventh places. This mix-up is a favourite theory for the origin of the phrase "at sixes and sevens", as has been pointed out by at least one Master Merchant Taylor; however, it is possible that the phrase may have been coined before the dispute arose,[14] as it comes from the companies both receiving theirCharters in 1327 with no proof surviving as to which was granted first.
| Name; Type of business | Date of establishment; Order of precedence | Image of arms | Blazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worshipful Company of Mercers (General merchants) | 1394 1st | .jpg) | Gules, issuant from a bank of clouds a figure of the Virgin couped at the shoulders proper vested in a crimson robe adorned with gold, the neck encircled by a jeweled necklace crined or and wreathed about the temples with a chaplet of roses alternately argent and of the first, and crowned with a celestial crown, the whole within a bordure of clouds also proper. |
| Worshipful Company of Grocers (Spice merchants) | 1345 2nd |  | Argent, a chevron gules between nine cloves six in chief and three in base proper |
| Worshipful Company of Drapers (Wool and cloth merchants) | 1361 3rd |  | Azure, three clouds radiated proper each adorned with a triple crown or |
| Worshipful Company of Fishmongers (Fish and seafood mongers) | 1272 4th |  | Azure, three dolphins embowed in pale between two pairs ofsea luces saltirewise proper crowned or on a chief gules six keys in three saltires ward ends upwards of the second |
| Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths (Bullion dealers) | 1327 5th |  | Quarterly gules and azure, in the first and fourth quarters a leopard's face or in the second and third quarters a covered cup and in chief two round buckles the tongues fesse-wise, points to the dexter all of the third |
| Worshipful Company of Skinners (Fur traders) | 1327 6th |  | Ermine, on a chief gules three crowns or with caps of the field |
| Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors (Tailors) | 1327 7th |  | Argent, a royal tent between two parliament robes gules lined ermine the tent garnished or with pennon and flagstaff of the last on a chief azure a lion passant guardant or |
| Worshipful Company of Haberdashers (Silk merchants, i.e. clothiers in sewn and fine materials) | 1448 8th |  | Barry nebulée of six argent and azure, on a bend gules a lion passant guardant or |
| Worshipful Company of Salters (Traders of salts and chemicals) | 1394 9th |  | Per chevron azure and gules, three covered salts argent garnished or overflowing of the third |
| Worshipful Company of Ironmongers (Iron merchants) | 1463 10th |  | Argent, on a chevron gules between three gads of steel azure, three swivels Or |
| Worshipful Company of Vintners (Wine merchants) | 1364 11th |  | Sable, a chevron between three tuns argent |
| Worshipful Company of Clothworkers (Wool traders) | 1528 12th |  | Sable, a chevron ermine between in chief two havettes argent and in base a teazel cob Or |
Company without Livery is a status which applies during the period between when aguild is recognised by theCourt of Aldermen and when it is granted the rights of a livery. A guild initially applies to be aLondon Guild, and may later apply to the Court to become aCompany of the City of London. After an indefinite period, such aCompany of the City of London can apply to the Aldermen for livery status; if granted, they can thereafter use the honorific prefixWorshipful Company.
Neither theCompany of Parish Clerks nor theCompany of Watermen have applied or intend to apply for livery status, which remains a long-standing City tradition. This is granted by the City Corporation in effect to control a company. The Watermen and Parish Clerks are governed by statutes and royal charters with responsibilities outside the City. The Company of Watermen and Lightermen was established byAct of Parliament in1555 to regulate thewatermen on theRiver Thames responsible for the movement of goods and passengers and remains the only ancient City guild to be formed and governed by Act of Parliament. They are then strictly not 'companies without livery' at all but simply 'companies'.
The Guild of Beadles are the engaged officials of primarily the City Livery Companies but is also open to those from the Ward Clubs, formed of both Hall and "Peripatetic" Beadles, and therefore are a recognised Guild within the City. Its primary function is to raise money for the Lord Mayor's charities, their own charities, as well as provide both social and supportive engagement with those within the Guild. It also assists the clerks of the Livery Companies by find replacements, both in an emergency and long term.
TheWard Beadles of the City of London[35] are the elected officials, not representatives, of theCity Wards so have constitutional standing. They are associated together for mainly communications and social activities; they are a corps rather than a guild.
City Livery Club,[36] founded in 1914, is a livery-oriented organisation of over 1000 members based at Bell Wharf Lane near Southwark Bridge. The club's motto isuniting the livery, promoting fellowship.
TheGuild of Young Freemen and theGuild of Freemen of the City of London, whilst not being livery companies, are popular associations amongst the freemen of the City, with the young freemen being open to those under the age of 40.
TheHonourable Company of Freemen of the City of London of North America (headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) represents Freemen and Liverymen of the City of London living in North America.
TheWorshipful Livery Company of Wales (headquartered inCardiff). Established in 1993 and receiving a Royal Charter in 2013, the company provides fellowship for its members, supports education and makes awards to Welsh people to develop their skills and talents.
The City Corporation of London retains thelordship of threemanors inSouthwark (Guildable,King's andGreat Liberty).
Now membership organisations, members are eligible to serve as ceremonialofficers orjurors in their relevantmanorialjurisdiction. These courts retain legal-standing under theAdministration of Justice Act 1977, being in no wayguilds never having been related to trading and occupational activities.
Guilds which at one point attained the status of livery companies and have since ceased to exist include the following:[12]
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