The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers is a
livery company of the
city of London
The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...
originally and presently concerned with the fruit trade, and a charitable institution.
History
The Company was founded in 1463 and received a
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, bu ...
in 1605. As a guild it was concerned with the sale and quality of fruit brought into London, training apprentices, supporting its members and doing charitable works. The connection of the Company to the fruit trade had diminished by the late nineteenth century, but in the later twentieth century its connections were revitalized. It is known for its special recognition of individuals in the fruit industry and for its support of related research and development. Currently, over half the livery is made up of industry representatives.
The Awards Council
The Awards Council was founded in 1931 as a sub-committee reporting directly to the Company's Court of Assistants. The awards focus on matters relating to fruit culture.
* The triennial awards:
** Ridley Medal for outstanding achievements in fruit culture
** Lewis Award for outstanding achievements in the marketing of fruit
** Matthew Mack Award for outstanding achievements in training within the industry
* The annual awards:
** Fruit Culture Award (awarded annually at the National Fruit Show)
** Fruiterers' Management Award (awarded annually at the Company's Dinner in November)
The Awards Council also makes an annual presentation of fruit to the
Lord Mayor of London
The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional powe ...
, organises the annual City Food Lecture in
Guildhall
A guildhall, also known as a "guild hall" or "guild house", is a historical building originally used for tax collecting by municipalities or merchants in Great Britain and the Low Countries. These buildings commonly become town halls and in som ...
(established in 2000), awards prizes at the Cherry and Soft Fruit Show and National Fruit Show, and supports scholarships and research.
Order of precedence
The Company ranks forty-fifth in the
order of precedence
An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance and can be applied to individuals, groups, or organizations. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments, for very formal and state o ...
of Livery Companies. Its motto is ''Deus Dat Incrementum'', Latin for ''God Gives the Increase''.
See also
*
British Apples and Pears
External links
The Fruiterers' Company
{{DEFAULTSORT:Worshipful Company Of Fruiterers
Fruiterers
A greengrocer is a person who owns or operates a shop selling primarily produce, fruit and vegetables. The term may also be used to refer to a shop selling primarily produce. It is used predominantly in the United Kingdom and Australia.
In the ...
1463 establishments in England