Guilds

The 'Boke of Record', begun following the 1575 Incorporation of Kendal, first recorded the powerful trade guilds, whose purpose was to control the quality of goods and services and access to employment in or involvement with individual trades. These guilds or Trade Companies probably existed before 1575 but the formally became part of the governance of the town. The elite of Kendal who governed the town were generally those who had served an apprenticeship through one of the guilds and had thereby been made freemen of the Borough (others bought their freedom or were bestowed it as a mark of respect). You had to be a freeman to serve on the Corporation.

It would appear therefore that historically corporations, at least initially, were there to serve the needs of these free tradesmen, often organised into self governing trade guilds. They therefore had all the power and no obligation to the greater good whereas the general population almost no say.

A List of the Guilds 1578

Includes twelve companies:

1. Chapmen Marchants and Salters (Wholesale cloth/woollen dealers)

2. Marcers and Drapers Lynnen and Woolen (Sellers of goods and cloth products)

3. Shearmen Ffullers Dyers Websters (Wool processors)

4. Taylers Imbrodyrers and Whilters (Quilters?) (Cloth product malers)

5. Cordyners Cobblers and Curryers (Shoemakers, repairers and leather treatment)

6. Tanners Sadlers and Girdlers (Leather and leather product manufacturers)

7. Inholders and Alehowsekepers and Typlers (Beer and spirits establishments and sales) new in 1578

8. Butchers and Ffishers (Animal processing for food)

9. Cardmakers and Wyerdrawers (Wool combing)

10. Surgons Scryveners Barbors Glovers Skynners Parchemt and Poyntmakers (fine cutting trades)

11. Smythes Iron and Hardwaremen Armerers Cutlers Bowyers Ffletchers Spuryers Potters Pannrs Plumbrs Tynkers Pewterers and Metallers (Metal working trades)

12. Carpenters Joyners Masons Wallers Sclaters Thatchers Glasiers Paynters Pleysterers Dawbers Pavers Myllers and Cowpers (Building trades)

The grouping sometimes appear to be a bit odd and some more specific than others. The latter ones were possibly formed later as groups organised themselves whereas the earlier ones probably existed before the 1575 Charter and reflected historical associations and groups of trades. It is clear how important the wool trade was in the industries of the town from the fact there were four guilds.

To become a member of a guild you had to server an apprenticeship to a 'Master' (who was accredited as having previously served an apprenticeship) which was for seven years on agreed terms. Normally boys started at thirteen and were given over to the master to train often with a fee for taking them on but after that was paid his keep by the master. At the end of their apprenticeship they could claim the freedom of the borough which meant they could trade in the town, vote and in some cases gave freedom from tolls in other boroughs (important for trade outside Kendal). In Kendal most apprenticeships were shearmen, cordwainers and mercers. The apprentices typically came from out of town to seek better opportunities. Local lads may have found employment through family connections and businesses.

The apprenticeship system started to break down in the 1700s (C18) but continued in some trades into the 1800s (C19), largely due to bigger labour markets, greater mobility and the changes and increases in the numbers of trades.

The guilds, in Kendal at least had effectively disappeared by 1800 (there were only apparently seven remaining in 1770 - Nicholson & Burn)