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London Metropolitan Archives

WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF UPHOLDERS


IDENTITY STATEMENT

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

Held at: London Metropolitan Archives

Title: WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF UPHOLDERS

Date(s): 1634-2007

Level of description: Collection

Extent: 52 production units

Name of creator(s): Worshipful Company of Upholders

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

There are references to a "Mystery" of Upholders [upholsterers] from at least 1361, but the earliest surviving records of the Company date from the 17th century. The Company Hall was based at Lambeth Hill but was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and not rebuilt.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Worshipful Company of Upholders, including a transcript of the 1626 charter, and registers of freedom admissions 1698-1976 and of apprentice bindings 1704-72. Also Court minute books; financial accounts and papers relating to property.

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.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

To assist the user, the catalogue has been arranged in sections representing sub-groups each with an archival classification code as follows:
A Constitutional records
B Court records
C Membership records
D Financial records
F Clerk's 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:

Many of the Company archives are believed to have been destroyed during World War II. The surviving archives were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1952, 1993, 1995 and after. The records have been catalogued by various members of staff over many years.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Publication note:

The Printed Books Section holds the following histories of the Company: The Worshipful Company of Upholders: financial history 1678-1934 (published by the Company in 1934, reprinted 1999); and J. F. Houston, Featherbedds and Flock Bedds: the early history of the Worshipful Company of Upholders of the City of London (Sandy, 2006).

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
Freedom admissions | Documents | Information sources
Freedom of a city | Rights and privileges | Administration of justice
Freemen | People by roles | People
Trade guilds | Guilds | Associations | Organizations
Upholsterers | Textile industry personnel | Personnel | People by occupation | People
Upholstery | Textiles

Personal names

Corporate names
Worshipful Company of Upholders

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