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London Metropolitan Archives

WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF SADDLERS


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0074 CLC/L/SA

Held at: London Metropolitan Archives

Title: WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF SADDLERS

Date(s): 1555-1995

Level of description: Collection

Extent: 7 production units

Name of creator(s): Worshipful Company of Saddlers

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Saddler's Company received its first charter in 1272 and was incorporated in 1395. The company retains close links with saddlery, giving prizes at horse shows and show jumping events. Their Hall in Foster Lane dated from the 14th century but was destroyed in the 1666 Great Fire. It was subsequently rebuilt only to be damaged again in another fire. The repaired building was again damaged by bombing in 1940. The present Hall was opened in 1958.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Worshipful Company of Saddlers, 1555-1995. IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACCESS: These records are stored at the Guildhall Library site rather than the LMA Clerkenwell site. Researchers wishing to access these records should do so at the Guildhall Library Rare Books table. The Library is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 16:45. Researchers will need to have an Archives History Card or a Library Readers Card. An archivist will be available at Guildhall Library on Thursday mornings to answer any queries.

The most significant records are listed below, with location of original and copies (if any):

a) Charter of James I, 1607 (at Saddlers' Hall)
b) Charter of Charles II, 1684 (at Saddlers' Hall)
c) Charter of Elizabeth II, 1995 (at Saddlers' Hall; photograph at Guildhall Library, Ms 29915)
d) "Record book", 1364-1698 (at Saddlers' Hall; photographic copy at Guildhall Library, Ms 05385A)
e) Ordinance and subscription book 1560-date (original at Saddlers' Hall; microfilm copy at Guildhall Library, Ms 30000)
f) Court minute book, 1606-65 (Guildhall Library Ms 05385)
g) Audit book, 1555-1822 (Guildhall Library Ms 05384)
h) Apprentice binding register, 1800-1962 (at Saddlers' Hall; microfilm copy at Guildhall Library, Ms 30491)
i) Alphabetical list of pensioners, 1831-1929 (at Saddlers' Hall; microfilm copy at Guildhall Library, Ms 30490)
j) Court minutes from 1892, account books from 1904 and wardens' minutes from 1914 (at Saddlers' Hall). There is a full list in the Saddlers' Company accession file
k) Database of all known members of the company compiled from the 1950s from various sources including the records listed above and the records of City freedoms (at Saddlers' Hall)

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English and Latin.

System of arrangement:

The records and copies of records held at Guildhall Library have been catalogued by various members of staff over many years. To assist the user, the catalogue has been arranged as follows:
A Constitutional records
B Court records
C Membership records
D Financial records
G Charities and estates.

Conditions governing access:

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACCESS: These records are stored at the Guildhall Library site rather than the LMA Clerkenwell site. Researchers wishing to access these records should do so at the Guildhall Library Rare Books table. The Library is open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 16:45. Researchers will need to have an Archives History Card or a Library Readers Card. An archivist will be available at Guildhall Library on Thursday mornings to answer any queries. For further information please see LMA Research Guide "Consulting Archives at Guildhall Library", available at http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Leisure_and_culture/Records_and_archives/Visitor_information/free_information_leaflets.htm

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright: Depositor.

Finding aids:

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

The majority of the records of the Saddlers' Company were destroyed in 1940 when the Company's third hall was bombed. Some records were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1949 and copies of others in 1969 and 1995. The Manuscripts Section merged with London Metropolitan Archives in 2008.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Related material:

Some records are retained by the Company.

Publication note:

For further information relating to Livery Companies, particularly using the company records for family history, please see Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section "Livery Company Membership Guide" and Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section "Leaflet Guides to Records: Searching for Members or those apprenticed to Members of City of London Livery Companies" (both available online).

For a general introduction to the history of the City of London Livery Companies please see entry in The London Encyclopaedia, ed Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert.

DESCRIPTION NOTES Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: Oct-09


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Apprenticeship records | Documents | Information sources
Saddleries | Commercial premises
Saddlers | Craft workers | Skilled workers | Workers | Personnel | People by occupation | People
Trade guilds | Guilds | Associations | Organizations

Personal names

Corporate names
Worshipful Company of Saddlers

Places
City of London | London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe