“Paid for a dynner when the Lord Protector was feasted att Grocers’ Hall
0026 04 02”
After Cromwell’s death, when the Restoration was approaching, “the Lord
Tichborne” was appointed one of a large committee to arrange for a
banquet to the Lord General Monk and his lady, which took place on the
5th April, 1660. The following entry refers to this occasion:—
“Paid for a dynner, April Vth, for the Lord Generall Moncke, the
Councell of State, and the Feild Officers
0476 12 09”
In May following the Company provided £504 towards a present from the
City to the King and the Dukes of York and Gloucester: and various other
sums were paid in connection with the reception of Charles II, including
“the interteynement of his Ma^{tie} to a Feast att Guildehall.” The
change of circumstances is further attested by the following entries:—
“1660–61. Paid the vergers att Poulis, Januarye 30, being a daye of
humiliation
000 05 00
Paid June 12, att the Myter Taverne, being a daye of humiliation which
turned to a daye of rejoycing by meanes of faire weather
000 15 10”
In the autumn of the year 1660 Tichborne was tried as a regicide by the
Special Commission, and sentenced to death, but was not executed. His
property was, however, confiscated, and he passed the remainder of his
life in confinement, and died a prisoner in the Tower of London in 1682.
The following entries in 1661–62 show that the Company were not
prevented by the heavy taxes on their loyalty from giving effect to
their interest in learning:—
“1661–2. Paid the royall present for the Kinge’s Ma’tie according to an
order of Courte of the xxixth of August
200 00 00
Paid to the M’r and Fellows of Pembrooke Hall in Cambridge towardes the
charge of their building according to an order of Courte of the
viiith of Julye
66 13 04”
In 1665 came the Great Plague, followed, in 1666, by the Great Fire of
London, in which the old Skinners’ Hall shared the fate of so many
others of the City Halls. The Company’s valuables were saved, but the
Hall itself was destroyed, and for some years after the meetings of the
Company were held in other halls and buildings which had escaped the
fire. Little time was lost in rebuilding. Outstanding loans were called
in, land was sold, contributions were levied upon members, and by 1672
the new buildings were sufficiently completed for occupation by Sir
George Waterman, the Skinner Lord Mayor of 1671–2, on whose accession to
office one of the numerous pageants provided by the Company was
represented. It was usual at that period for the Hall to be let to City
functionaries for their term of office, and the Court Books record a
number of such lettings. Mention may be made of such lettings to Sir
Robert Hanson, Lord Mayor, 1672–3, and Sir Owen Buckingham, Sheriff,
1695–6. From Christmas, 1698, to Michaelmas, 1707, the East India
Company had the use of the Hall, and four silver candlesticks presented
by them are still in the possession of the Company. In its leading
features the Hall remains as it then was, but various alterations and
improvements have been made from time to time. The Great Dining Hall was
improved in 1847–8, and again in 1890–1, and is now in course of
decoration with historical paintings by Mr. Brangwyn, A.R.A. The famous
Cedar Drawing-room, commemorated by Lord Macaulay, was fitted with a new
ceiling in 1876; the Oak Parlour was restored in 1889, and a second
entrance from Cloak Lane has very recently been constructed.
The more important pieces of plate in the possession of the Company were
presented in the seventeenth century. The Cokayne cups, already referred
to, belong to the sixteenth century, but with this important exception
the plate earlier than the nineteenth century all dates from the
seventeenth. Special mention may be made of the Peacock Cup,
representing a silver peahen, with removable head, accompanied by three
peachicks, the gift of Mary, widow of James Peacock, Master, 1638–9,
presented in 1642; the Master’s Salt, bequeathed by Benjamin Albin,
Master 1669–70, who had taken an active part in rescuing the Company’s
plate at the time of the Great Fire: the Leopard Snuff-box, presented by
Roger Kemp, Master 1680, which is always placed in front of the Master
at banquets, school prize-givings, and other functions; and the Monteith
Bowls, purchased with money bequeathed by Sir Richard Chiverton, Master
1654, Lord Mayor 1657.
At the Court of May 4th, 1681, “Major Manley signifyed that the Right
Hono^{ble} the Earl of Shaftesbury would doe the Company the honour to
take his ffreedome of this Socyety w^{ch} moc’on the Court agreed to and
ordered the Master and Wardens (and certain others named), or as many of
them as conveniently can, to attend his Lordship, and to acquaint him
with their readiness to receive his Lordship into their Society.” And on
November 30th of the same year, it was ordered that Lord Shaftesbury,
Lord Herbert, and Francis Charlton, Esq., should have their freedoms
presented to them in silver-gilt boxes, engraved with the Company’s
arms.
In 1684–5 the Company erected in the Royal Exchange a statue of Edward
III. A small model of this statue was kept by the Company, and on April
26th, 1738, “Mr. Deputy Nash was desired to get the modell of King
Edward the III’ds statue repaired, and to get a handsome frame and glass
case to be set up above the Master’s chair at the upper end of the
Hall.” This model is still preserved in the Cedar Drawing-room.
The Company’s charters were seized on a writ of _quo warranto_ in the
reign of Charles II, and a fresh charter was granted by James II; but
the seizure and the new charter were set aside by Act of Parliament, 2
Wm. and M., Sess. I, cap. 8, and the Company was restored to its
previous position.
The sympathies of the Company at this crisis in the national history are
sufficiently evidenced by an entry in the Court-Book for 1687,
subscribed by thirty-seven names: “Now whose names are hereunder
subscribed doe declare that noe fforeigne prince, person, prelate,
state, or potentate hath or ought to have any jurisdiction, power,
superiority, pre-eminence, or Authority Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall
within this Realme. Soe help me God.”
During the struggle which led to the deposition of James II, a very
leading part was taken by Sir Thomas Pilkington, Master in 1677 and
1681. He was elected M.P. for the City of London in 1679, and again in
1680 and 1689. He was Sheriff in 1681, and was very conspicuous in his
opposition to the Court party at the election of his successor in the
following year. Before steps could be taken against him for his conduct
on this occasion, he had already, in November, 1682, been sent to
prison, where he remained until June, 1686, for words spoken in
disparagement of the Duke of York. On being tried, while a prisoner, for
his behaviour at the election of Sheriffs, he was again convicted and
fined, but this judgment was set aside by the House of Lords in 1689. He
and others, including Roger Kemp, the donor of the Leopard snuff-box,
were removed from the Court of the Company at the instance of the Crown,
but by Order in Council of September 25th, 1687, they were ordered to be
re-admitted, and those who had been substituted for them to be
displaced: which was carried out by order of the Court on the 15th
October, 1687. He had been Alderman of Farringdon Without since 1680,
but removed to Vintry in 1688; and on the death of Sir John Chapman, the
Lord Mayor, in March, 1689, he was elected to succeed him for the
remainder of the year. Such was the esteem in which he was held, that he
was re-elected at the end of the year, and again for a third year. On
his becoming Lord Mayor, the King and Queen were present at his banquet,
together with the Prince and Princess of Denmark (afterwards Queen
Anne), and most of the dignitaries of the Kingdom and foreign
representatives. The Company provided a pageant on his re-election in
1689; and so enthusiastic were his colleagues in the Company that, on
his second re-election to the Mayoralty, the Court, on November 25th,
1690, passed a resolution which, after setting out various claims which
he had to their gratitude, proceeded as follows:—“This Co^t therefore,
well weighing the p’misses and calling to minde his Lo^{pps} sufferings
by the excessive ffines and exorbitant veredicts formerly given against
him, meerly for the faithfull discharge of his duty and trust when
Sheriffe of this Citty, and opposeing the arbitrary and popish designs
then carrying on for the subversion and totall overthrow of the Lawes
and Established Religion of the Kingdom, and that his Lo^{pp} by his
wise and prudent government of this Citty for ye yeare last past (being
a yeare of extraordinary difficulty) hath done great service to their
Ma^{ties}, the Nation, and the Citty. This Co^{rt} did and hereby doe
unanimously agree to pr’sent his Lo^{pp} with the use of the Hall for
the yeare ensueing. And did alsoe agree that the Master and Wardens and
the body of all the Assistants of the Worp^{ll} Company now p^rsent
should immediately attend S^{r.} Thomas Pilkington, Knight, the p^rsent
Lord Maior, and acquaint his Lo^{pp} with their Order and
acknowledgement, and likewise to returne his Lo^{pp} their hearty
thankes for the good service he hath done their Ma^{ties}, the Nation,
and this Citty in his Lo^{pps} last yeares prudent and good Governm^t
thereof.” Lord Mayor Pilkington’s picture, painted at this time by order
of the Court, still hangs in the Court-Room.
In 1689, the honorary freedom was presented to the Earl of Monmouth
(Master in the following year), Sir Rowland Gwyn, the Earl of Portland,
and Lord Sydney; and on Nov. 12th, 1689, it was “Ordered that the Ma^r
and Wardens (and others) be desired as a Comm’ee to joyne with the Right
Honorable the Lord Mayor and the other Honorary Members of this Comp^a
to attend on their Mai^{ties} when the noble persons aforesaid shall
appoint to p^rsent them with the copyes of their Freedomes, each in a
Box of Gold, of which the Ma^r, Wardens, and Comm^{ee} aforesaid were
desired and ordered to provide the same.” This was followed up by the
following order on Nov. 5th, 1690:—“Ordered that boxes of gold to ye
value of £60 p^rsented to their Ma^{ties} with their ffreedomes, and
that the R^t Hon^{ble} the M^r (the Earl of Monmouth) be acquainted with
it, and that the Wardens attend his Lo^{pp} touching the same and to
follow his Lo^{pps} direc’con therein.”
The time of the Court was not entirely occupied with matters of state.
On June 25th, 1689, the following entry occurs:—“M^r Glover (Thomas
Glover, the executor of Lewis Newbury, the founder of the almshouses at
Mile End) appeared and complayned of diverse great disorders com’itted
by severall of the Pen’coners or Almesffellowes in the Almshouses at
Mile End of the erec’con of Mr. Lewis Newberry, perticularly of the Wid:
Barrett, her unruly sons sometimes comeing in at unseasonable houres and
lodgeing there, and of an impudent girle of ill Fame w^{ch} Tho. Row
employs there; likewise of others selling ale on Sabbath daies after
sermon, namely Goodwife Dawson and Wid: Carver. All which were
respectively called in and their sevrall misbehaviours rep^rsented to
them and rebuked for it; but upon their promise of amendm^t for the
future (and this being the first compl^t against them), the Court was
pleased to pardon their sevrall offences at p^rsent.” This warning seems
to have been only partially successful, for on Dec. 11th, 1696, the
following further entry appears:—“This Co^rt being informed that the
widow Carver and the widow Goodwin, who inhabit in the almeshouses at
Mile End, did sell strong water and ale, haveing been cautioned ag^t the
same, yett nevertheless do still persist therein. Itt was therefore
ordered they should have notice given them that unless they discontinue
their practice in a week’s time from the date hereof, they shall bee
removed from their almeshouses and penc’ons.”
After the close of the seventeenth century, the matters recorded are of
less interest, and the troubles of the Company were of a minor order.
Thus, in July, 1738, “Mr. Thomas Zachary acquainted this Com^{ee} that
he had casually dropt out of the Bag the little keys of this Compa^{ys}
small iron chest wherein the Seal of this Company was put, and also the
Key of the Poors Box, whereupon this Com^{ee} sent for Mr. Cooke, the
Smith, and directed him to break open the said small Chest and Poors
Box, which was done in their presence, and the Seal of this Company and
the other things therein contained was taken out of the small iron
chest, and also twelve pounds fifteen shillings and six pence out of the
Poors Box, and were put into a bag and sealed up by this Com^{ee} and
lockt up in this Compa^s large iron chest untill such time as the Smith
could mend the Locks and make new keys to the said chest and Poors box,
which they ordered him forthwith to do.”
The Honorary Members elected in the eighteenth century were:—in 1766,
H.R.H. the Duke of Cumberland; in 1767, the Rt. Hon. C. Townshend,
Chancellor of the Exchequer; in 1794, Earl Howe, Admiral of England.
The Honorary Members elected in the nineteenth century were:—in 1834,
Viscount Strangford, a descendant of Sir Andrew Judd; in 1861, Lord
Clyde; in 1877, the late Earl of Dartmouth, a descendant of Sir Thomas
Legge; in 1878, T. G. Kensit, Esq., Clerk of the Company, 1828–1878; in
1886, Sir Saul Samuel, Agent-General for New South Wales (on the
occasion of the Colonial Exhibition); in 1893, the present Earl of
Dartmouth; in 1895, the Rt. Hon. A. W. Peel, Speaker of the House of
Commons, afterwards Viscount Peel, and the Most Rev. E. W. Benson,
Archbishop of Canterbury; in 1896, the Most Rev. W. Alexander,
Archbishop of Armagh, an old Tonbridge scholar; in 1897, the Rt. Hon. W.
C. Gully, Speaker of the House of Commons, afterwards Viscount Selby; in
1900, General the Rt. Hon. Sir Redvers Buller.
Since the commencement of the present century the following have been
elected:—in 1905, the Most Revd. R. Davidson, Archbishop of Canterbury,
and the Earl of Cromer; in 1906, the Rt Hon. J. W. Lowther, Speaker of
the House of Commons, and Viscount Milner.
The later decade of the nineteenth century, and especially the last
twenty-five years, have constituted a period of great activity and
progress on the part of the Company, especially in the direction of
education; and it has been a matter of great satisfaction to the Company
to see the number of young persons, trained up under their direction,
increased from the two hundred, or fewer, boys, educated at Tonbridge
School so late as the early ’eighties, to approximately 1,100,
distributed over four schools, of which the second in point of date was
opened so recently as 1887. Out of the 1,100, nearly 400 are girls.
These schools are, in addition to Tonbridge School, of which the numbers
now exceed four hundred, the Commercial School at Tonbridge, also on Sir
Andrew Judd’s Foundation, opened in 1888; the Company’s Middle School
for Boys at Tunbridge Wells, opened in 1887; and the Company’s Middle
School for Girls at Stamford Hill, opened in 1890. Important buildings
have been erected at all these new schools. The rebuilding and
enlargement from time to time of Tonbridge School have been already
mentioned.
The Company has also contributed very large sums to the City and Guilds’
Institute during the last twenty-five years, for the support of its
Central Technical College at South Kensington, its Technical College at
Finsbury, its Art School at Kennington, and its Technological
Examinations. It also took an active part in the foundation at
Clerkenwell, on a site adjoining the Company’s Clarke’s Close Estate, of
the Northampton Polytechnic Institute, to which it contributes annually.
It has also given material assistance to the Leather Industries’
Department of the Yorkshire College, Leeds, now the Leeds University.
Members of the Company take an active part in the government of these
various institutions.
In 1887, the Company took steps to obtain the consolidation of their
almshouses and of their minor pension charities, and in 1891 a Scheme,
framed by the Charity Commissioners at the suggestion of the Company,
came into operation, by which such charities were consolidated, and in
place of the Judd almshouses in Great St. Helen’s, and the Newbury
almshouses at Mile End, new and more convenient almshouses were erected
at Palmer’s Green. In connection with this Scheme, the various
charitable charges upon the Company’s properties were redeemed, and the
Company’s estates are now free from any such charges.
In furtherance of the policy of Parliament to make the occupiers of land
in Ireland the owners of their holdings, the Company resolved in 1886 to
give their Irish tenants an opportunity of purchasing their holdings
under the Land Acts; and the Pellipar Estate, in the County of
Londonderry, has now passed entirely into the hands of the tenants.
The Company’s Hall premises have been greatly improved. Special mention
may be made of the decoration of the dining-hall, which is now
frequently placed at the disposal of other Companies, and literary and
scientific institutions, on special occasions, and thus made more
frequently useful, and of the renovation of the beautiful Oak Parlour,
which had been allowed to fall into disuse.
In these various directions the present Court of the Company claim to
have shown themselves not unworthy of the heritage handed down to them
by their predecessors.
Quorum pars parva fui.
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