The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers is one of the oldest livery companies 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 f ...

, with one of the smallest memberships (about 120). The Wax Chandlers' Company, ranked 20th in the

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 order of precedence, has an association with the Church of St Vedast alias Foster in nearby Foster Lane.

History

Established before 1330 (when it was recorded as being invited to contribute funds to

King Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ...

) and possibly before 1199 (from when there is some documentary evidence, relating to a property in Aldersgate Street, of its existence as a body), the company received further Byelaws and Ordinances from Lord Mayor John Stodeye in 1358. New Ordinances were issued in 1371 and the company was granted 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 ...

in 1484 – one of only three known Royal Charters of

King Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Batt ...

, the others being for the

College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the British Sovere ...

and for the incorporation as a county borough of the city of

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...

. The Company remains governed under its 1663 Royal Charter of King Charles II and corresponding Ordinances of 1664. Wax chandlers (or merchants in

beeswax Beeswax (''cera alba'') is a natural wax produced by honey bees of the genus ''Apis''. The wax is formed into scales by eight wax-producing glands in the abdominal segments of worker bees, which discard it in or at the hive. The hive work ...

product Product may refer to: Business * Product (business), an item that serves as a solution to a specific consumer problem. * Product (project management), a deliverable or set of deliverables that contribute to a business solution Mathematics * Produ ...

s) traded separately from Tallow Chandlers; beeswax

candle A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as tallow, that provides light, and in some cases, a fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a method of keeping time. A person who makes candle ...

s, being expensive, were usually reserved for churches and the households of

royalty Royalty may refer to: * Any individual monarch, such as a king, queen, emperor, empress, etc. * Royal family, the immediate family of a king or queen regnant, and sometimes his or her extended family * Royalty payment for use of such things as int ...

and

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The character ...

, while

tallow Tallow is a rendered form of beef or mutton fat, primarily made up of triglycerides. In industry, tallow is not strictly defined as beef or mutton fat. In this context, tallow is animal fat that conforms to certain technical criteria, includ ...

candles were generally used in ordinary homes. In recent years, in February, the two companies have celebrated the Feast of Candlemas together.

Company today

As with many City Livery Companies today, the Wax Chandlers' Company no longer operates primarily as 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 ...

. Its role has evolved into being a civic, ceremonial, educational and charitable institution. Like other livery companies, it takes an active role in supporting the corporate governance of the

and the Lord Mayor. Examples of its charitable giving are its affiliation with Armed Forces units (

HMS Protector Seven ships of the British Royal Navy have been called HMS ''Protector'': * , a 44-gun fifth rate listed in 1749 that served in India and was wrecked on 1 January 1776 by a cyclone near Pondicherry. * ''Protector'', a fireship in service in 1758 ...

5 Rifles ''5 Rifles'' is a 1974 Hindi film produced and directed by I. S. Johar. The film stars Rajesh Khanna's look-alike Rakesh Khanna, Shashi Kapoor's look-alike Shahi Kapoor, and I. S. Johar. Music was given by Kalyanji Anandji. One particular qawwal ...

and

RAF Coningsby Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and ho ...

), the donation of candles to St Paul's Cathedral (every

Holy Cross Day In the Christian liturgical calendar, there are several different Feasts of the Cross, all of which commemorate the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus. Unlike Good Friday, which is dedicated to the passion of Christ and the crucifixion, these ...

in September), support to those in need throughout the City and Greater London (particularly in the

London Borough of Bexley The London Borough of Bexley () is a London borough in south-east London, forming part of Outer London. It has a population of 248,287. The main settlements are Sidcup, Erith, Bexleyheath, Crayford, Welling and Old Bexley. The London Boro ...

), patronage of the

National Honey Show The National Honey Show is an annual British show of honey and other bee products. It first took place in 1923 at The Crystal Palace, and continued to be held there until 1936, when The Crystal Palace burnt down. For a time it was held at St ...

and the British Beekeepers Association.

Wax Chandlers' Hall

The Company has maintained a Hall on the same site (6

Gresham Street Gresham Street in the City of London is named after the English merchant and financier Thomas Gresham. It runs from the junction of Lothbury and Moorgate at its eastern end, to St. Martin's Le Grand in the west. Gresham Street was created ...

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 ...

) since 1501. The Wax Chandlers' current premises, their sixth, were substantially rebuilt in 1954 after damage during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. Recently refurbished, the Hall is popular for hire on corporate or social occasions. Wax Chandlers' Hall can sometimes be viewed by the general public during the annual

London Open House Weekend Open House London is an annual festival celebrating the architecture and urban landscape of London. It is staged by the charity Open City which campaigns to make London a more accessible, equitable and open city. During the Open House festival, ...

or by prior arrangement. The Company owns other property on Fleet Street in London.

Membership

The Wax Chandlers' membership comprises Liverymen and Freemen (who initially join the Company by servitude (as Apprentices), by patrimony, or by redemption).
The Company is governed by the Master Wax Chandler, Wardens (''Upper Warden'' and ''Renter Warden'') and a Court of Assistants. Election Court each June determines appointments to senior office, with ceremonial installation on or around the

Feast of the Transfiguration The Feast of the Transfiguration is celebrated by various Christian communities in honor of the transfiguration of Jesus. The origins of the feast are less than certain and may have derived from the dedication of three basilicas on Mount Tabor.' ...

, in the first week of August.
The Company has supplied five Lord Mayors of London since the 18th Century, including two in the 21st: Sir Gavyn Arthur and Dame

Fiona Woolf Dame Catherine Fiona Woolf, (''née'' Swain; born 11 May 1948) is a British corporate lawyer. She served as the Lord Mayor of London (2013–14), acting as global ambassador for UK-based financial and business services. She has held and still ...

DBE.
The Company is administered by the

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 ...

and day-to-day management of the Hall is overseen by the

Beadle A beadle, sometimes spelled bedel, is an official of a church or synagogue who may usher, keep order, make reports, and assist in religious functions; or a minor official who carries out various civil, educational, or ceremonial duties on the ...

. The Company's current membership includes: *The Rt Rev & Rt Hon The Lord Williams of Oystermouth (Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, former Archbishop of Canterbury) *Dame

DBE (686th

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 pow ...

, former President of the

Law Society of England and Wales The Law Society of England and Wales (officially The Law Society) is the professional association that represents solicitors for the jurisdiction of England and Wales. It provides services and support to practising and training solicitors, as ...

)

Armssome material from Bromley and Child, ''The Armorial Bearings of the Guilds of London'' (1960)

The Company received a Grant of

Arms Arms or ARMS may refer to: *Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to: People * Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader Coat of arms or weapons *Armaments or weapons **Fi ...

from

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 ...

Thomas Holme,

Clarenceux King of Arms Clarenceux King of Arms, historically often spelled Clarencieux (both pronounced ), is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of Engla ...

, on 3 February 1485, the year following the

' foundation; the Charter of foundation of the

and that incorporating the city of Gloucester are the only known Charters of Richard III other than that which established the Wax Chandlers' Company. There were minor changes (grant of supporters and their modification), but not to the escutcheon or crest, in 1530 and 1536.
The Company’s extant

armorial bearings A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in it ...

, as confirmed in the Visitation of London in 1630, 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: * Shield: Azure on a Chevron Argent three Roses Gules seeded Or between three Mortars royal Or. (A ''mortar'' is a type of candle-holder, similar to the mortar of a pestle-and-mortar; a mortar ''royal'' is particularly splendid.) *

Crest Crest or CREST may refer to: Buildings *The Crest (Huntington, New York), a historic house in Suffolk County, New York *"The Crest", an alternate name for 63 Wall Street, in Manhattan, New York *Crest Castle (Château Du Crest), Jussy, Switzerla ...

: On a wreath Or and Gules a Maiden vested in a Surcoat of Cloth of Or furred with Ermine, kneeling among divers Flowers Proper and making thereof a Garland. *Mantling: Azure doubled Ermine. * Supporters (

grant Grant or Grants may refer to: Places *Grant County (disambiguation) Australia * Grant, Queensland, a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia United Kingdom * Castle Grant United States * Grant, Alabama * Grant, Inyo County, ...

ed in 1530, modified in 1536, but reverting to the 1530 version in 1630): On either side a Unicorn Argent gorged with a Garland of various Flowers Proper, the Horn wreathed Or and Gules.

References

External links

The Wax Chandlers' Company

Six Gresham Street Website

www.liverycompanies.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wax Chandlers, Worshipful Company of 1358 establishments in England Livery companies Corporatism Companies of medieval England Charities based in London History of the City of London