The Worshipful Company of Dyers is one of the

Livery Companies A livery company is a type of guild or professional association that originated in medieval times in London, England. Livery companies comprise London's ancient and modern trade associations and guilds, almost all of which are Style (form of a ...

of the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

. The Dyers' Guild existed in the twelfth century; it 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, but ...

in 1471. It originated as a trade association for members of the

dyeing Dyeing is the application of dyes or pigments on textile materials such as fibers, yarns, and fabrics with the goal of achieving color with desired color fastness. Dyeing is normally done in a special solution containing dyes and particular ...

industry but is now mainly a charitable institution. Each year the company participates in the ceremony of Swan Upping along the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...

. The Dyers' Company ranks thirteenth in the order of precedence of Livery Companies. The company's motto is ''Da Gloriam Deo'', Latin for "Give Glory to God".

Current activities

The activities of the company are focused on the development of dyeing techniques and the support of various charitable causes. The Dyers' are associated with several organisations, including the

Society of Dyers and Colourists Logo The Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC) is an international professional society, with headquarters in Bradford, England, specializing in colour in all its manifestations, but particularly in relation to textiles. Founded in 1884, it was g ...

, the

University of Leeds The University of Leeds is a public research university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was established in 1874 as the Yorkshire College of Science. In 1884, it merged with the Leeds School of Medicine (established 1831) and was renamed Y ...

and

Heriot Watt University Heriot-Watt University () is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was established in 1821 as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world's first mechanics' institute, and was subsequently granted university status by royal ...

. The company also maintains the

Dyers Almshouses The Dyers Almshouses are a group of 30 almshouses belonging to the Worshipful Company of Dyers, a London Livery Company. Built in three stages between 1939 and 1971, they are located close to the town centre of Crawley, a New Town and borough in ...

, a group of 28

almshouses An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) is charitable organization, charitable public housing, housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the Middle Ages. They were often built for the povert ...

built between 1939 and 1971, in the Northgate area of

Crawley Crawley () is a town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in West Sussex, England. It is south of London, north of Brighton and Hove, and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Crawley covers an area of and had a populat ...

, West Sussex. In education, the company is associated with several schools including Boutcher School,

Norwich School Norwich School (formally King Edward VI Grammar School, Norwich) is a private selective day school in the close of Norwich Cathedral, Norwich. Among the oldest schools in the United Kingdom, it has a traceable history to 1096 as an episcop ...

and

St Saviour's and St Olave's Church of England School St Saviour's and St Olave's Church of England School is a comprehensive secondary school and sixth form for girls located on New Kent Road near Elephant and Castle, in the London Borough of Southwark, England. It is a voluntary aided Church of ...

Dyers' Hall

The hall of the Dyers was originally located west of

London Bridge The name "London Bridge" refers to several historic crossings that have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark in central London since Roman Britain, Roman times. The current crossing, which opened to traffic in 197 ...

, but was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. The current hall, designed by Charles Dyer and constructed in 1839–40, is at 10–13 Dowgate Hill in the

Coat of arms

The blazon for the coat of arms is: ''Sable, a chevron engrailed argent, between three bags of madder of the last, corded or. Crest, on a wreath of the colours, three sprigs of a graintree erect vert, fructed gules. Supporters, two panthers incensed rampant guardant argent, spotted various colours, fire issuing from their ears and mouths proper, both ducally crowned or''.

Gallery

File:Arms of the Worshipful Company of Dyers.svg, Worshipful Company of Dyers: Da Gloriam Deo (Give Glory to God) File:Leopards_Rampant_(19191297559).jpg, Worshipful Company of Dyers: Da Gloriam Deo (Give Glory to God) File:Livery company 20130324 064 (2).jpg, Worshipful Company of Dyers: Da Gloriam Deo (Give Glory to God)

References

External links

* Dyers 1471 establishments in England Grade II* listed livery halls Charities based in London {{London-stub