The Worshipful Company of Curriers is one of the ancient livery companies of

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, associated with the leather trade. The curriers, or "curers of

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...

", of

formed an organisation in 1272; this merchant guild was recognised in 1415 by Ordinances of the City Common Council before its grant of 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, but s ...

by King James I in 1605. The company now exists, as do most other livery companies, as an education and charitable institution, the traditional process of currying having been made more or less obsolete by technological advances. The Curriers' Company, like other livery companies, supports the work of the Lord Mayor, the

City Corporation A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally own ...

and the Sheriffs of London. The company ranks 29th 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 City livery companies. Its

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...

is ''Spes Nostra Deus'',

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

for "Our Hope is God". Most of the Curriers' Company

archives An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or ...

are kept at the

Guildhall Library The Guildhall Library is a public reference library specialising in subjects relevant to London. It is administered by the Corporation of London, the government of the City of London, which is the historical heart of London, England. The library ...

for public view.

History

The Curriers' Company dates from 1272 when the ''Art or Mystery of Curriers'' formed a

trade association A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. An industry trade association partic ...

with the tanners. In the 14th century the Curriers constituted themselves into a

guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...

linked with the

religious Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatur ...

fraternity of Carmelite

Friars A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ...

near Fleet Street. In 1415 the City Common Council granted them full autonomy over all currying and tanning trade in and within two miles of the city. Before 1580 the ''Guild of Curriers'' was recognised as a

City A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

livery company and became

armigerous In heraldry, an armiger is a person entitled to use a heraldic achievement (e.g., bear arms, an "armour-bearer") either by hereditary right, grant, matriculation, or assumption of arms. Such a person is said to be armigerous. A family or a cl ...

in 1583, although, not until 1605 did the Curriers' Company receive its

Royal Charter of Incorporation 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, but s ...

from

King James I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until hi ...

. During the ensuing four centuries the company built no less than six Curriers' halls in London. After the sale of its sixth and last hall in 1921 it moved in with its longstanding trade and livery partner, the

Worshipful Company of Cordwainers The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. Cordwainers were workers in fine leather; the Company gets its name from "cordwain" ( cordovan), the white leather produced from goatskin in Cordova, ...

, with which it maintains a close relationship. Along with many other livery halls, Cordwainers' Hall in

Cannon Street Cannon Street is a road in the City of London, the historic nucleus of London and its modern financial centre. It runs roughly parallel with the River Thames, about north of it, in the south of the City. It is the site of the ancient London ...

was itself destroyed by enemy action in 1941 and since then the Curriers have been without their own hall. However, from 1942 onwards the company has been housed at Tallow Chandlers' Hall, where it holds its Court meetings. Historically several streets in the now

London Borough of Camden The London Borough of Camden () is a London borough in Inner London. Camden Town Hall, on Euston Road, lies north of Charing Cross. The borough was established on 1 April 1965 from the area of the former boroughs of Hampstead, Holborn, and ...

's environs were named after the currying trade, ''eg.'' Curriers' Alley, Curriers' Lane, ''etc''.

Charitable activity

The Curriers' Company donates to charities which benefit the young, the elderly, the disabled and the socially disadvantaged. It primarily supports City of London charities and cultural organisations, general educational establishments and the training of young people in leathercraft. The educational institutions which it regularly assists financially include: the London College of Fashion; Capel Manor College

Enfield Enfield may refer to: Places Australia * Enfield, New South Wales * Enfield, South Australia ** Electoral district of Enfield, a state electoral district in South Australia, corresponding to the suburb ** Enfield High School (South Australia) ...

and Northampton University's Leather Conservation Centre; these foster the conservation, creation and restoration of leather objects and materials. In 2000 the Curriers' Millennium Healthcare Bursary was established. This annual bursary endows research or personal study to improve the health care of underprivileged sectors of London's population or elsewhere. Though originally directed towards general practitioners, the scope of the bursary was widened in 2003, since when it has also attracted submissions from dentists, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, mental health workers and an ophthalmologist. The Curriers' Company London History Essay Prize on the

history of London The history of London, the capita ...

is competed for by young graduates of British universities; endowed by

Donald Adamson Donald Adamson (born 30 March 1939), is a British literary scholar, author and historian. Books which he has written include ''Blaise Pascal: Mathematician, Physicist, and Thinker about God'' and '' The Curriers' Company: A Modern History''. H ...

( Master Currier, 2012–13), it is assessed by the

Institute of Historical Research The Institute of Historical Research (IHR) is a British educational organisation providing resources and training for historical researchers. It is part of the School of Advanced Study in the University of London and is located at Senate Hou ...

and presented annually by the Lord Mayor. The Company also presents 16 annual prizes in mathematics and history for pupils aged 14 to 15 at the four London

academies An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosop ...

of the

Oasis Trust Oasis Charitable Trust, commonly known as Oasis, is a UK-based Christian registered charity. It was founded by the Reverend Steve Chalke in September 1985. Chalke had been assistant minister at Tonbridge Baptist Church, Kent, for four years. He ...

. Annually, each newly elected Master Currier has the option of designating a charity of choice: Master's Charitable Appeal. The Master and Company make initial donations: liverymen, freemen and others are invited to follow suit. The Company encourages any enterprise which supports its charitable giving. The Curriers' Company is affiliated to military units in HM Armed Forces: 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal);

No. 7 Squadron RAF No. 7 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook HC6 from RAF Odiham, Hampshire. History Formation and early years No. 7 Squadron was formed at Farnborough Airfield on 1 May 1914 as the last squadron of the Royal Flying Corp ...

; and,

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a College town, university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cam ...

URNU. The present

Clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...

to the Curriers' Company is Lt Col Adrian Rafferty, whose role combines that of executive officer as well as supporting the

Master Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...

: Nicholas Bryant (''for 2022-23''). Its Honorary Chaplain is the Revd Ann McNeil.

Notable liverymen

Sir ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...

Carl Aarvold * Dr

Henry Spencer Ashbee Henry Spencer Ashbee (21 April 1834 – 29 July 1900)(Walter) was a book collector, writer, and bibliographer. He is notable for his massive, clandestine three-volume bibliography of erotic literature published under the pseudonym of Pisanus Frax ...

* Judge Brian Barker * John Belcher * Norman Birkett, 1st Baron Birkett *

Peter Cadbury Peter Egbert Cadbury (6 February 1918 – 17 April 2006) was a British entrepreneur. Early life and education Cadbury was born at Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, the son of Sir Egbert Cadbury and his wife, Mary Forbes, the daughter of Rev. Forbes Ph ...

Oliver Chesterton * Thomas Dewar, 1st Baron Dewar * Gordon Hewart, 1st Viscount Hewart * George Jarvis, founder of Jarvis plc * Francis Jeune, 1st Baron Saint Helier * Sir Richard Jolly * The Earl Jowitt *

David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during ...

, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor * Sir Robert Lush * John Maberly, MP *

John Rylands John Rylands (7 February 1801 – 11 December 1888) was an English entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was the owner of the largest textile manufacturing concern in the United Kingdom, and Manchester's first multi-millionaire. After having lea ...

* Sir Frank Sanderson, Bt * Sir Philip Shelbourne * Sir Lawrence Verney * Sir

Godfrey Russell Vick Sir Godfrey Russell Vick King's Counsel, QC (24 December 1892 – 27 September 1958)''Who Was Who 1897-2006'' (2007) was an England, English lawyer, judge and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party politician. Background Vick was born at Strathmore Ho ...

Former halls

(1) In 1485 the Curriers' Company had its hall in the parish of St Mary Axe, by London Wall in

Aldgate Ward Aldgate () was a gate in the former defensive wall around the City of London. It gives its name to Aldgate High Street, the first stretch of the A11 road, which included the site of the former gate. The area of Aldgate, the most common use of ...

. (2) Circa 1583 the Curriers' Hall was situated close to the site of the

Boar's Head Inn The Boar's Head Inn is the name of several former and current taverns in London, most famously a tavern in Eastcheap that is supposedly the meeting place of Sir John Falstaff, Prince Hal and other characters in Shakespeare's '' Henry IV'' play ...

, on a property which had been devised to the company in 1516. It stood in the parish of

St Alphege ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

, on the south side of the street leading along London Wall; Boar's Head Alley lay between Philip Lane and Little Wood Street. Curriers' Hall was one of the 44 (out of 52) livery halls destroyed in the Great Fire of London early in September 1666. (3) Curriers' Hall in 1670 was perhaps the most attractive of the company's five halls on the Boar's Head site. (4) In 1820 a new and smaller hall was rebuilt to the east of the old one. (5) The Curriers' Hall begun in 1873 and completed in the following year extravagantly was demolished in 1875 before it could even be furnished. (6) Between 1874 and 1876 a new Curriers' Hall was built in the

French Gothic French Gothic architecture is an architectural style which emerged in France in 1140, and was dominant until the mid-16th century. The most notable examples are the great Gothic cathedrals of France, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, Reims Cathedra ...

style. It abutted on London Wall. It was sold in 1921 and destroyed by enemy action on 29 December 1940.

Arms

The arms of the company are

blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The vi ...

ed:- ''Arms'': Azure a Cross engrailed Or between four pairs of Shaves in saltire Argent handled Or. ''Crest'': On a wreath Or and Azure out of the Clouds Proper two Arms embowed in carnation the shirt sleeves folded beneath the elbows Argent in the hands a Shave Argent handled Or. ''Supporters'': Dexter, an Elk Proper attired and unguled Or; Sinister, a Goat Argent flashed Sable. These armorial bearings were granted to the Curriers' Company on 8 August 1583.

References

External links

*
Walsall Leather Museum
{{authority control 1272 establishments in England Curriers' Company Leather crafting Corporatism Companies of medieval England History of the City of London 1870s in London Charities based in London Curriers