expelled, a general shaking of hands appears to have taken place, for
we read:--
30th July, 1644. This Court doth thinke fitt and soe order That
a Sermon be made on the next Election day of thankes giveing to
Almighty God for peace and amity which is now begun to be restored
among the members of the Company And that M{r} Sharpe be desired to
performe the same.
9th March, 1645. This day M{r} Callice Barber being complayned of
for teaching to trimm to other then his Apprentices contrary to the
Ordinance of this House did absolutely deny the same upon the Oathe
that he tooke upon his admission into the ffreedome.
17th March, 1645. Mr. William Kings this day freely gave for the
Ornament of this House a great Tortershell Whereon at his owne charge
he hath given order for the Companyes Armes to be painted.
This shell is preserved at the Hall.
7th January, 1646. M{r} Michaell Markeland appeareing to this Court
at the request of our M{r} he was here complayned of to have embalmed
severall humane Bodyes within this City against the Ordinance of this
Company in that behalf being an Apothecary and not a Surgeon approved
according to Law Nor a ffreeman of this Company which M{r} Markeland
acknowledged But alleadged It was through his ignorance Not knowing
that the right thereof was in approved Surgeons and ffreemen of this
Company only and none other And being now well satisfyed thereof
haveing heard the said Ordinance read unto him promised not to doe
the like againe.
2nd June, 1646. This daye Mr. Lawrence Loe Chirurgeon a Member of
this Company through his good affection thereunto Did for the worship
thereof freely offer to give for the beautifying of the Hall soe
many stones of black and white Marble as shalbe sufficient for the
Pavement thereof.
These marbles were laid to form the floor at the upper end of the Hall,
and when the Hall was pulled down they were preserved and now form the
pavement in the Entrance to the Hall from Monkwell Street.
There is a Memorandum that Mr. John Bancks by his will left--
To the Company of Barber Chirurgions London so long as they shall
performe the uses hereafter limitted (or els not) To be paid them
betwixt the first and seaventh day of May next after the decease
of the said John Banckes and so yearely for ever the sum̃e of
Twenty shillings w{ch} Twenty shillings shalbe by the said Company
distributed in forme following viz{t} To Twelve poore householders or
widowes of the same Company To each of them ffower poundꝭ weight of
good beefe Two penny loaves of good sweet bread Two pence a peece in
mony and each of them one Woodden platter.
14th December, 1646. This Court doth at the humble suite of the
Ordinary of the Goale of Newgate freely give unto him 10{s} for his
releife in his present want.
7th July, 1647. This Court doth give to John ffranck Chirurgeon who
hath bin for a long time in Captivity in Turkey iiij{li} towards the
setting him forth to sea and doth order that he be admitted into the
ffreedome gratis when he shall desire it.
See the Minute 5th February, 1629. John Franck (the son of a Liveryman)
was doubtless a “foreign brother,” and entitled to his freedom by
patrimony upon payment of the fine, which the Court now ordered to be
dispensed with if he wished to take up his freedom. Being a Sea Surgeon
only, it was not necessary that he should be free of the Company. He
had probably been in slavery 18 years!
Several entries similar to the following are to be found in the books.
9th August, 1647. Upon the humble suite of Thomas Tomlinson an
ancient Member of this Company and of the Livery now fallen into
greate Poverty and Want for some charitable releife from this
Company. This Court being moved in Compassion to his deplorable
Condic͠on and calling to mind his former good service to this Company
Doth freely give him 10{li.} out of the Stock of this House.
14th September, 1648. Samuell Needler an examined Chirurgeon
complayned to this Court that he was required to beare Armes
notwithstanding his exempc͠on therefrom and therefore craved this
Courts Assistance in his defence therein which was granted.
27th October, 1648. M{r} Warden Madocks and certaine others of
the Assistants here present desireing to peruse our Charter for
theire informac͠on the better to enable them for the Governement of
this Company had a sight thereof and were well satisfyed in every
particuler.
13th August, 1655. Mr. John Gale of Bushey (son of William Gale, M.
1595) a Surgeon of this Company, by his Will of this date left to the
Barber-Surgeons £16 per annum, payable out of certain houses on Snow
hill, in the parish of Saint Sepulchre, for the founding of an Anatomy
lecture in the name of Gale’s Anatomy. This trust was transferred to
the Surgeons’ Company in 1745.
Our Minute Books from the year _1651 to 1689_ are unhappily lost;
they are known to have been at the Hall as recently as 1832. Should
any reader ever light upon them, he is particularly entreated to
communicate with the Clerk of the Company or with the author.
1689. The practice was now adopted of entering all admissions to the
freedom, etc., in the Court Minute Books (as well as in the Register)
the forms being as follows:--
3rd September, 1689. For an apprentice:
Johẽs Rawson app̃r Caroli Peters admĩs est ex Rẽl Magr̃i & Jur̃.
for a freeman by patrimony:
Ptrũs Hartley Stac͠oner filˀ Thome Hartley Civis & Barbitonsorˀ &
Chirurgˀ London admĩs est pˀ patrimõn ex Rẽl Isaacii Boddington
Weaver & Wil̃l̃i Bletsoe Grocer, Wil̃l̃i Bateman Barbitonsorˀ &
Chirurgorˀ London & Jur̃.
for a freeman by redemption:
Henr̃ Chamberlane admĩs est pˀ redemc͠on vˀtute orᵭem Curˀ Majorˀ &
Alᵭrn Dat xviij{o} die Augusti 1689 & Jur̃.
17th January, 1690. This day an order was sealed to presse 40
Surgeons mates for the Kings service in Ireland.
At this period all freemen on their admission “took the oathes
menc͠oned in a late Act of Parliament & subscribed the Declarac͠on
therein named”: these were the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy as
required by the “Bill of Rights” (passed December, 1689).
2nd July, 1690. Ordered that the Clarke keep an accompt of all pˀsons
faleing at a Court of Assistants and that every one faileing for
every such time soe doeing shall forfeit v{s} & shall not be admitted
to binde or make ffree untill he or they have made payment of the
same of which they are to have notice except S{r} John Letheullier
S{r} Humfry Edwin & M{r} Thomas Canham.
29th April, 1693. Ordered that the 2 Chirurgeons Governo{rs} & whome
they shall thincke fitting to call to them Attend the Archbishopp of
Canterbury conserning his Barber practiceing Chirurgery.
20th July, 1693. Ord{d} that a lease bee taken of the Archbishopp for
one & twenty yeare from the 19{th} day of July 1693 for the Barge
house[166] & that as the Governo{rs} have agreed a ffine of the same
they pay to his Grace the sume of one hundred pounds besides ffees.
[166] At Lambeth.
3rd October, 1693. Ordered that the Bargeman have a new coate &
britches &c.
19th July, 1694. Ordered that M{r} George Minikin bee warned before
the Lord Major to shew cause why he doe not attend the Court of
Assistants as he hath been chosen one of them.
18th June, 1696. A new sun dial was ordered to be put up.
About this period there seems to have been a general disinclination
to serve as an Assistant, many of the Livery being fined £10 for
refusing to serve the office, while some who had sat as Assistants were
dismissed the Court for non-attendance.
25th October, 1697. Ordered that the Barge house bee mended & M{r}
Warden Pinke take care to see it done.
18th August, 1698. Ordered that the Govern{rs} dispose of the Barge &
let the Barge house from yeare to yeare.
12th October, 1698. Ordered That there may be papers made for a
subscriptõn for a Barge.
21st October, 1700. Ordered that the ill manadgement of the late
Master M{r} Tho: Lichfeild as to his office of Master and his other
offices of Warden bee pˀsented to the next Court of Assistants in
order to bee expelˀd the sˀd Court it being the opinion of this
Comittee that he deserves soe to bee as alsoe for being any longer
an examin{r} he haveing acted contrary to the establish{mt} of the
Corporac͠on in the s{d} offices.
8th November, 1700. A Committee of the Court having waited upon the
Commissioners of the Navy and reported that Mr. Lichfeild had committed
irregularities in certifying men as qualified Surgeons for sea service,
such men not being duly qualified, the Court adjudged him to be
dismissed from his office of an Examiner in Surgery, and out of the
Court of Assistants.
10th March, 1707. The new Clerk, Mr. Chas. Bernard, seems to have
been industrious in searching out practising Barbers not free of the
Company, as also others who had committed abuses; several were fined
and compelled to take up their freedom and this day the following
entries occur:--
Clyett being sum̃oned for Shaveing on Sunday last appeared before the
Comittee and the fact being plainly proved against him the Comittee
fined him ten shillings for his said offence.
Newland being sum̃oned for the like offence appeared also before
the Comittee but there being no possitive proofe against him he was
dismissed.
John Gould a Dutchman being sum̃oned for keeping a Shopp and
exercising the trade of a Barber not being free of this Company And
the matter being plainly proved against him the Comittee ordered him
to be prosecuted on the statutes of the 32nd of Hen 8{th} and the
5{th} of Queen Elizabeth.
Ordered that a Second Sum̃ons be sent to all such Defaulters as have
not appeared with intimation that theire ffines will be levied on
them by distresse.
Ordered that Thomas Latham be sum̃oned to take upp his ffreedome &
that all other persons exerciseing Barbery not being ffree of this
Company be sum̃oned.
17th March, 1707. Nineteen delinquents who had been summoned appeared,
and their cases were heard; a few examples will suffice--One Darby was
“seen to comb a persons haire on Sunday morning last but alleadging
that it was his ffather,” he was let off with 5_s._ fine.
Lewis Roger made answer that it “was onely his Apprentice combing a
persons haire without his knowledge and that it was his first offence,”
he likewise escaped with a 5_s._ fine.
James Good was more fortunate, for proving that his offence “was onely
the Combing of a Lodgers Wigg,” he escaped.
Willm. Haslegrove appears to have filled up the measure of his
iniquity, for being detected in “actually shaveing a person on Sunday
morning,” he was fined 10_s._
Samuel Beaumont, charged with keeping two Barbers’ shops, had a month
given him to part with one of them, and John Shoard who, not being free
of the Company, kept a Barber’s shop in Cloth Fair, was ordered to quit
the same within two months.
31st March, 1707. Elizabeth Presbury being sumoned appeared &
alleadged that she was very poore & that her husband was an Idle man
and promised to reforme her method whereupon the Comittee excused her.
The number of Barbers fined for working on Sundays, or for keeping shop
not being free, was enormous, and it becomes wearying to travel through
the records of their offences and fines.
17th June, 1708. Ordered that the Company’s Barge house and the
Dwelling house thereunto belonging be forthwith repaired.
13th January, 1709. Sir Edward Northey was appointed standing counsel
to the Company with a yearly retainer of two guineas.
15th April, 1709. Upon complaint made against one Henry Drudge for
exerciseing Barbery & Surgery w{th}in the City not being ffree he
attended and alleadged that he haveing been a Soldier in the late
Warr thought himself intituled to keep his Shoppe without takeing
up his ffreedome, by Virtue of the Act of Parliament made upon the
disbanding the Army which gives liberty to disbanded soldiers to
exercise any trade within the Corporations or places where they were
borne, althoˀ they had not served seven years to it But the Court
believing that act did not extend to Drudge by reason he was not
borne in London, ordered that in case he did not shut up his Shop in
a month’s time he should be prosecuted.
21st July, 1709. In consequence of the great expense to which the
Company had been put in the repairs to the Hall, the Court determined
to call thirty-one freemen into the Livery, and the fine being £10 each
on admission or £20 on refusal, a considerable sum was realized.
It having been suggested to the Court that the yeomanry objected to
pay 20_s._ for “corn money” when called to the Livery, the Clerk was
directed to enquire into the origin of that tax, and finding that it
had been originally levied on each member taking his livery, to satisfy
the precepts made in 1633, and afterwards for providing a stock of
corn for the City; and for that at the present time the Company had no
Granary or stock of corn to provide, and “being out of debt,” it was
ordered that in future this fine should be discontinued.
18th August, 1709. At the Election, ten of the Livery who had attended
without their gowns, were severally fined and paid 1_s._ each, and
there are other references to Assistants being fined for not appearing
in their gowns.
4th October, 1709. A complaint being made against Richard Stockwell
for being copartner with a fforreigner & the fact being made appeare
pritty plain against him the Court fined him five pounds being the
penalty imposed by the By Law, But upon his promise to discharge his
said partner the Court were pleased to remitt his ffine.
18th April, 1710. M{r} John Booth a Surgeon at Warrington in
Lancashire applying to this Court to be admitted a fforeign brother
& he being examined in Surgery & approved It was ordered that upon
his payment of ten Guineas he should be admitted a fforeign brother
of this Company, But the said M{r} Booth refusing to take that part
of the fforeign brothers oath whereby he was sworne to be true to the
Queen he was not for that reason admitted.
1st June, 1710. It is ordered that the Members present at this Court
shall be excused from wearing their gowns in regard to the heat of
the weather.
20th October, 1710. It is ordered for the accomodation of the Members
of this Court of the Barbers side for the seeing & being heard at
Courts of Assistants That for the future at all Courts of Assistants
the Governo{rs} on the Surgeons side shall set even with the Ma{r}
next on his right hand & the Governo{rs} on the Barbers side next
on his left. But that at all other Courts all the Governo{rs} shall
according to their seniority sett along the side of the Parlour Table
on the left hand of the Master in such maner as has been accustomed.
11th January, 1711. The Clerk’s and Beadle’s houses were ordered to be
insured against fire, for £600 in the “Amicable Society.”
20th February, 1711. Mr. Willm. Smith, an Assistant, complained that
Mr. Joseph Cosins, also an Assistant, and his junior in the freedom,
had always taken precedence of him at the Courts, whereupon the matter
was considered and the following order made:--
Forasmuch as it appeared that M{r} Cosins was first chosen into the
Court of Assistants & that it is in the power of this Court to chuse
whom they shall think fitt to be an Assistant out of the whole Livery
without respect to Seniority & for that M{r} Cosins continued for
many years in his present station as Assistant The Court were of
opinion & did so declare themselves to be That the s{d} M{r} Cosins
shou’d continue to take place of the said M{r} Smith as he formerly
had done.
9th July, 1711. The Common Seal of the Company being worn out a new one
was ordered to be cut in steel, together with an “Ingine,” wherewith to
make the impressions.
6th May, 1712. Ordered that the Porter who shaves att the Custome
house be sum̃oned.
27th May, 1712. Walter Browne being “one of the people called Quakers,”
was admitted into the freedom and took a “solemn affirmation.”
7th April, 1713. Valentine Day Tallow Chandler was admitted into
the freedom of this Company by Redempc͠on and at the same time was
admitted to ffine for all offices to the Parlour door for both which
he paid a ffine Clock worth 30{li.}
5th October, 1714. It is ordered that the Musitioners shall have five
pounds for attending on the day of the Kings Entrance. (George I.)
5th June, 1716. Nathanael Charles owned that he has several times
let blood for One shilling & sixpence upon which the Company ordered
him to be prosecuted as also his Mast{r} Joseph Roe; twas observed
that Roe could not write his name having sett his mark only to the
Inᵭre.[167]
[167] Indenture.
15th August, 1717. M{r} William Highmore Jun{r} haveing marryed the
Vintners widow who kept the Bell Taverne in Nicholas Lane applying to
this Court and acquainting them that he had quitted the Barbers Trade
and had undertook the trade of a Vintner, and was for that reason
under a necessity of becomeing a freeman of the Vintners Company
or of takeing a License from the Crown to retail wine and praying
of this Court to translate him from this Company to the Company of
Vintners, This Court after hearing the By-Law in that behalf read and
due considerac͠on had thereof doth order that the said M{r} William
Highmore shall be translated from this Company into the Company of
Vintners upon payment of £20 to the use of this Company and upon
Condic͠on that he shall not from henceforward exercise the trade of a
Barber or Perriwig maker.
1st October, 1717. Robert Rainsford, the Company’s Barge Master, was
ordered to have a new livery provided for him.
24th June, 1718. The Theatre was ordered to be repaired and beautified.
21st April, 1720. Mr. Berney, Mr. Burroughs and Mr. Fitzhugh, Liverymen
Barbers, applied to the Court, giving their reasons and praying that
the Court would petition the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council
to suspend the act of Common Council restraining them from employing
foreigners as journeymen, whereupon the matter was considered and
the Court thought it would be contrary to their oaths to join in any
such petition, because it was a standing By-Law of the Company, as
well as of the City, that no Barber should employ any foreigner as a
journeyman; it was also considered that such a liberty would prove a
great discouragement to apprentices and that the present inconvenience
complained of would soon be cured if Masters would sufficiently
instruct their apprentices so as to make them useful during their
servitude and competent as journeymen afterwards. The Court further
decided to oppose, by every means in its power, the movement set on
foot by Mr. Berney and his friends.
24th June, 1722. The lease of the Barge-house at Lambeth expiring in
April, 1723, and the Archbishop having offered to renew the same for
21 years at £10 per annum and £100 fine, it was resolved not to renew
it, in consequence of its being an unprofitable property, and the
Company not then having a barge. The Barber-Surgeons let off part of
their Barge-house to the Drapers and Ironmongers, and the Clerk was
instructed to give those Companies notice that it was not the intention
of this Company to renew the lease from the Archbishop.
2nd December, 1729. In consequence (as was alleged) of the difficulty
in sometimes procuring a full Court, it was ordered that in future each
Assistant who attended within one hour of the time mentioned in his
summons and remained till the rising of the Court, should receive a fee
of 2_s._ 6_d._
1st February, 1731. It is ordered that all the Liverymen shall attend
on Election day and Lord Mayors day in their Gowns and at publick
anatomys in their Capps upon Forfieture of Three shillings and
Fourpence for every offence.
8th July, 1731. A precept coming from the Lord Mayor recommending the
Company to contribute “towards the relief of the poor sufferers by the
late fires at Blanford Tiverton & Ramsey being read The Court upon
considerac͠on had thereof and from a just sense of the calamity and
distress of their fellow subjects the late inhabitants of the said
towns,” ordered £20 to be paid into the Chamber of London.
1732. The following fines were in force at this date, viz.:--
£6 6_s._ 0_d._ for a Barber admitted to the freedom by redemption.
£10 for a free Barber admitted to the Livery.
£30 for a Barber’s or Surgeon’s apprentice, made free by servitude,
admitted to the Livery, and for all offices to the parlour door.
£7 7_s._ 0_d._ for examination, admission and diploma of a foreign
brother.
£3 3_s._ 0_d._ for the same, if the applicant had been bound to a
foreign brother at the Hall.
5th March, 1733. It is hereby referred to the Master & Wardens M{r}
Serj{t} Dickins M{r} Serj{t} Amyand M{r} Petty M{r} Shott M{r} Parker
& M{r} Maurice to receive proposalls for Building a Cupola in the
Hall parlor and report the same to the next Court of Assistants.
19th July, 1733. Several of the livery attending upon a complaint
against a Jew in Duke’s place for exercising the trade of a Barber
without being free of the Company or having served seven years
apprenticeship It is ordered that the Clerk of the Company shall sue
the said Jew in such manner as he shall think fitt or be advised at
the Company’s expence.
4th May, 1736. At this Court Abraham Diaz Delgadoa Jew was admitted
into the freedom of the Company by Redemption for Ten pounds Ten
shillings which he paid down and was sworn upon the Old Testament
being a Jew.
3rd August, 1738. The Company contributed five guineas towards the
Organ recently set up in the Church of Saint Alban, Wood Street.
3rd April, 1739. M{r} John Owen a Freeman of the Company & who lives
at Islington was chosen Musicianer to the Company in the room of M{r}
Brown dec̃ed.
11th November, 1740. It is ordered (in regard this Company have no
Barge) That the Waterman shall forthwith deliver up his Livery coat
and Badge belonging to the Company to the Beadles and that he no
longer be annually intitled from this Company to a new Coat nor make
use of nor wear the old one but that when he shall be employed in
the Companies service. And also that for the future on every Lord
Mayor’s day that this Company shall walk in procession in order to
attend the L{d} Mayor a Stand or proper building shall be provided
at the Companies expence for the better accomodation of the Livery
belonging to this Company and in such manner and fform as several
other Companies of this City are usually provided with on that day.
1745. The Surgeons are now separated from the Barbers.
8th August, 1745. The Clerk reporting that many of the Company, as well
as Surgeons lately free of the Barber-Surgeons’ Company, were greatly
in arrear in their quarterage, he was ordered to acquaint them that
unless the said arrears were paid up forthwith, they would be sued.
17th September, 1745. The Company of Surgeons sent to the Company of
Barbers two documents under their Common Seal, the one authorising
Mr. Joseph Cruttenden to peruse and copy any Charters or documents in
the possession of the Barbers, and the other empowering him to take
possession of any books, papers or writings relating to Surgeons or
Surgery only, on behalf of the Company of Surgeons; whereupon the Court
acceded to the request, and gave instructions as to the same.
4th December, 1745. Mr. Cruttenden applied on behalf of the Surgeons’
Company for £510 (the Arrisian endowment) which had been directed to
be paid by the Act of Parliament, whereupon the Master told him that
by reason of the late fall in the Public Stocks, the Company could
not without great loss, raise the money, but were ready to give the
Surgeons a proper bond for the same, with Interest.
19th February, 1746. Forty-one freemen were reported as being fit and
able persons to take the Livery, and were ordered to be summoned for
the same with the intimation that if any refused he or they would be
sued for the penalty of £20 each upon such refusal.
Of these, seven appeared at the next Court, took the livery and paid
the fine of £10; six others begged to be excused. The remaining
twenty-eight did not appear till later Courts, when some were excused,
and others ordered to be sued; subsequently a large proportion of those
nominated, accepted and paid their fines.