London Occupations

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108 livery companies have operated in London. Wikipedia maintains a list of The City Livery Companies, along with links to company websites. The Livery Companies Database is a helpful resource that supplies contact details for each active company.

Histories have been written on many London livery companies. The British Library has compiled a detailed list.

Livery Company Records
A detailed list of surviving records from each company was published in 1985. The list is available online.

Apprenticeship records are one of the most valuable genealocial sources created by London livery companies. They often name the following information about an apprentice's father: name, residence, and occupation. Cliff Webb has abstracted the records of many companies:


 * London Apprenticeship Abstracts 1442-1850, courtesy: British Origins ($); also available in book form (48 vols.):.

Records from the following companies are included in Webb's abstracts: apothecaries, armourers and brasiers, basketmakers, blacksmiths, bowyers, brewers, broderers, brown bakers, butchers, carmen, coachmakers and coach harness makers, combmakers, cooks, curriers, cutlers, distillers, dyers, fan makers, farriers, feltmakers, fishmongers, fletchers, founders, framework knitters, fruiterers, gardeners, glass-sellers, glaziers, glovers, gold and silver wyre drawers, grocers, gunmakers, horners, innholders, ironmongers, longbowstring makers, loriners, makers of playing cards, masons, musicians, needlemakers, painter-stainers, pattenmakers, paviors, pewterers, pinmakers, plaisterers, plumbers, poulters, saddlers, spectaclemakers, tallow chandlers, tinplate workers, tobacco pipe makers and tobacco blenders, turners, tylers and bricklayers, upholders, vintners, waxchandlers, and woolmen.

In 1696, oaths from livery company members were recorded. This source acts as a census of liverymen:


 * Association Oath Rolls for City of London Livery Companies, 1696, courtesy: British Origins ($)

77 companies are represented: Grocers, Mercers, Drapers, Fishmongers, Goldsmiths, Skinners, Merchant Taylors, Haberdashers, Salters, Ironmongers, Vintners, Clothworkers, Dyers, Brewers, Leathersellers, Pewterers, Barbers, Cutlers, Bakers, Wax Chandlers, Tallow Chandlers,Armourers and Brasiers, Girdlers, Butchers, Saddlers, Carpenters, Cordwainers, Painter-Stainers, Curriers, Masons, Plumbers, Innholders, Founders, Poulters, Cooks, Coopers, Tylers and Bricklayers, Bowyers, Fletchers, Blacksmiths, Joiners and Ceilers, Weavers, Woolmen, Scriveners, Fruiterers, Plaisterers, Stationers, Broderers, Upholders, Musicians, Turners, Basketmakers, Glaziers, Horners, Farriers, Paviours, Lorimers, Apothecaries, Shipwrights, Spectaclemakers, Clockmakers, Glovers, Combmakers, Feltmakers, Frameworkknitters, Silk Throwers, Carmen, Pinmakers, Needlemakers, Gardeners, Soapmakers, Tinplateworkers, Wheelwrights, Distillers, Hatbandmakers, Pattenmakers, Glass-Sellers, Tobacco Pipemakers, Coachmakers, Watermen, Officers and Yeomen of Guard, Trinity House, Ordnance Office, Officers of Tower, Officers and builders of St Paul's, Heralds, Lutestring Company, Clergy: Archdeaconry of London, Clergy: Archdeaconry of Middlesex, London Dissenters.

Web Sites

 * Livery Company Records and Furthering Your Ancestry (free online lesson)
 * Guide to the archives of city Livery Companies and related organisations in Guildhall Library (pamphlet, 1982)