Discovering Londons Guilds and Liveries

(Paperback)

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Description

The City of London has one of the strongest unbroken traditions of livery companies in the world. Over one hundred companies, some six centuries old, maintain strong, colourful, beneficial, traditional and independent lives, and many of them have beautiful halls. This book traces the history of the guilds and liveries in various countries and shows their influence on the Government of the City, on which the Westminster model is based, on the actual trades, on royalty and on the history of Britain and other lands. The author compares the guilds of Britain with those of Europe and describes each of the City guilds, their halls, history, tradition, work and influence.

Author Bio

John Kennedy Melling was Master of the Poulters in 1980/81, by patrimony, his father being a liveryman and his grandfather a freeman. He is also a Baker a Farrier (for which company he edited a history) and a Constructor. Former editor of 'The Liveryman' magazine, and author of 'London and the Guilds of Europe' and 'The Poulters of London', he is a lecturer, historian, broadcaster and critic, playwright and author on subjects from antiques to crime fiction. A fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, former committee member of the Crime Writers' Association, member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and of various chivalric orders, he is an International Life President of the American Federation of Police. He is a member of the NACOP Drug Task Force. A bachelor chartered accountant, he was born in Westcliff-on-Sea and lives in Blackheath and Westcliff.