History
HISTORY
The Weavers' Company is the oldest recorded City Livery Company. It is mentioned in the Pipe Roll of 1130 and its earliest Charter (still in the Company's possession), granted to it by King Henry II in 1155, refers to the Guild as being in existence in the time of his grandfather, King Henry I. By this Charter, the Company gained the monopoly of its craft, rights of supervision ensuring a high standard of workmanship, power to punish infractions of its privileges, and full control of its members.
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| Company Charter 1155 |
The wealth, and hence the maritime and political power, of England from the 14th and 17th Century was based largely on the textile industry. This was mainly centred on and controlled from London by the Guilds governing its production, manufacturing and marketing.
The introduction of the Flemish weavers under Edward III caused difficulties for two centuries and there was bitter rivalry between the Company and the alien Guilds. Finally, in 1497, they agreed to unite, partly owing to the rivalry they were experiencing from country weavers. But these quarrels had weakened the hold of the parent Company over its branches, and led to the incorporation of the Mercers (1393), the Drapers (1361) and others as separate Companies.
The Weavers' Company continued to be associated chiefly with silk textiles and the same battle was fought over the immigration of the Huguenot weavers in the 17th and 18th Centuries as with the earlier Flemish weavers until they too became a source of strength instead of strife to the Company.
With the Industrial Revolution the Weavers' Company (in common with almost all of the other City Companies) gradually lost the active control of its trade, but it has always remained in touch with it and today many members of the Company are in one way or another closely connected with the textile industry.