Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 7.djvu/412

 404 NOTES AND QUERIES. [us.vii.may24.i913. Saddlers.—From extracts cited by Sher- -well in his ' Account' (1889), at pp. 55 and 57, it appears that the Company's Accounts date from c. 1568, while it is stated in the introduction to the work that the Minutes are complete from 1605. A list of Masters from the latter date is given towards the end of the volume. Sailers.—At p. 3 of Welch's ' History ' •(1894) we are informed that " the official records of this ancient fraternity no longer ■exist." A list of Masters from 1758 to 1826 is set out in Gillespy's ' Account' »(1827). Shipwrights.—Sharpe's 'Account' (1876) • cites, at p. 16, extracts from the Accounts of 1653 and onward, while at p. 7 an extract is made from the Minutes of 1728. It thus appears that the Company's records begin at least as early as these respective dates. Skinners.—From the ' Account' of Wad- more (1902) we gather that the Accounts date from 1491, and the Minutes from 1551, a list of the Masters from 1485 being given by the same writer. A series of extracts from the Company's records in regard to the binding of apprentices from 1496 to 1694 (gap 1516-46), arranged alphabetically, appeared in serial form in the first volume of the Third Series of Howard's Miscellanea Oenealogica et Heraldica, from the pen of G. E. C. Stationers.—A transcript of the Registers from 1554 to 1640 was printed by Arber (1875-94), a list of the Masters being given from 1556 onward. The precise dates of opening of the Accounts and Minutes do not appear to be given, although it may readily be inferred that they are complete, or approximately complete, from the date of incorporation of the Company in 1557. Tallow-Chandlcrs.—At p. 11 of the un- finished ' Records' of Monier Williams •(1897) it is remarked that " the series of pany's possession only begin with the accession of King Edward VI." This would, of course, make the opening date 1547, so far as the general Accounts are concerned, an odd " Yeomanry " book surviving from 1518, however. Tin Plate Workers.—Ebblewhite in his ' History' (1896) gives the names of the respective Masters and Wardens of the Company from the date of incorporation in 1670 under each year's heading, in similar fashion to that adopted in the ' Memorials of the Goldsmiths' Company ' of Prideaux. Vintners.—Nothing is printed from the records by Herbert in his ' History,' it being remarked at p. 634 that " many of the documents of the Company kept at the first Hall are ' supposed to have been lost in the Fire of London.' " Watermen. — At p. 336 of vol. i. of the unfinished ' History ' of Humpherus (1874— 1879) it is stated that " the earliest Accounts of the Company remaining in their posses- sion are for the year up to the tenth of March, 1677 " ; while the first dated quota- tion from the Minutes (set out at ii. 17) relates to the year 1700, about which time they may presumably be held to commence. Wax Chandlers.—As a result of researches kindly permitted me by the Court in con- nexion with my local History I am in a posi- tion to state that the Company's Accounts date from c. 1530, the Minutes from 1584, and the Registers from 1633. Weavers.—The printed facsimile of the Company's ' Ancient Book,' produced in 1885, yields a list of the membership in 1546. Wheelwrights.—From the extracts cited in the Appendix to Scott's ' Account' (1884) it would appear that the Minutes at least are complete from the date of incorporation of the Company in 1670. A list of the Masters from this date also forms part of the Appendix. Wire Drawers.—From extracts and refer- ences in chap. viii. of Stewart's ' History ' (1891) it seems that the Company's Accounts and Minutes are alike complete from the date of incorporation in 1693. A list of Masters from this date is given, as is a list of the Court as it was sought to be con- stituted in 1623. In concluding I may, perhaps, add that, while I have sought to examine every printed work dealing with the history of an indi- vidual company, I do not claim to have investigated the whole of the numerous works dealing with the companies col- lectively, nor have I searched the back files of The City Press, consequently it may be that some few dates have escaped me. If any correspondent can supply such dates in order to render my list as complete as possible, it seems to me that a useful purpose will be served, there being at the present time no similar list available in any other direction, so far as I am aware. It will, of course, be kept in mind that it is with the Accounts, Minutes, and Registers that I have "endeavoured to deal, not with the
 * Livery ' and ' Account ' books in the Com-