The City of London’s livery companies

The City of London’s livery companies are more than simply historical institutions: they are at the forefront of innovation and opportunity, writes Caroline Roddis

The Lord Mayor’s Show, an 800-year-old pageant chronicled by Pepys, painted by Canaletto and the first outdoor event ever to be televised live, is a fixture of English life. So too are the City of London livery companies whose colourfully robed members comprise a key part of this show, and which are built on an endearing and enduring combination of ritual, innovation, philanthropy and community spirit that’s quintessentially British.

Background to the City of London livery companies

Each of these liveries is the ‘Worshipful Company’ of a particular trade and draws its members from those connected with, or supportive of, the relevant industry. You don’t have to be a baker to join the Worshipful Company of Bakers, for example, but you might struggle to get in if you’re a devotee of the keto diet or still upset about the Great Fire of London. (For which the Company did apologise. In 1986.)

The companies’ names reflect their origins as medieval guilds: there were around 40,000 across England by the 14th century. Most faded over time but many liveries survived thanks to the City of London’s singular economic and political importance – it was given the right to appoint its own mayor in 1215 by a beleaguered King John – and despite periodically being forced to repurchase their own governing documents, Royal Charters, by cash-strapped monarchs. Over time, these liveries shifted from regulators to industry pioneers, advancing their trades while raising significant funds for charities and the Armed Forces.

By 1515 there were 48 liveries – so called thanks to the regalia each adopted to distinguish its members – and an order of precedence had to be established to stop them constantly jostling for position. This was literal as well as metaphorical: in 1484 a fatal incident between vessels in the Lord Mayor’s river procession led to the Skinners’ and Merchant Taylors’ companies being forced to swap positions in rank each year to stop them arguing, giving birth to the phrase ‘at sixes and sevens’. The first 12 in the order of precedence are known as the ‘Great XII’.

Until 1835 only those belonging to a livery could gain the Freedom of the City and thereby trade within the Square Mile. The Freedom Ceremony, now open to all, is still conducted every weekday in an ancient Court in London’s Guildhall. “The Freedom is about community really,” explains Clerk of the Chamberlain’s Court Laura Miller, who leads nervous candidates through the deeply symbolic experience with elan. “Today it is often a way for people to show their affection and sense of belonging to London. They don’t have to live here, just have a connection or feel an affinity. There seems to be one truism, however: you rarely encounter a dull Freeman.”

There are now 113 livery companies, with two added to this flourishing roster in 2025 alone. For many, it’s the balance of tradition and innovation that provides the attraction. “The livery movement is an incredible part of the City of London, rich in history but also full of energy and opportunity for the future,” explains Grace Abba, Master of the Guild of Young Freemen, which provides professionals under 40 with a welcoming gateway into the livery. “Personally, as a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, I’ve come to appreciate how much livery companies do not just in preserving centuries-old crafts but in supporting education, apprenticeships and philanthropy. There’s a real opportunity for young professionals to get involved, bring fresh ideas and ensure these historic institutions remain relevant and impactful for generations to come.”

All livery companies are similar in structure: each has a Clerk and a Beadle, formidable individuals who are paid to keep both members and the Court of volunteers that governs the Company in line. To become a full member of a company you have to be ‘clothed’ as a liveryman, at which point you are eligible to attend ancient traditions such as the Silent Ceremony (an annual tradition in the City of London where the newly elected Lord Mayor is formally admitted into office), to compete for your Company in everything from pétanque to skiing, to be elected to the Court and perhaps someday to serve your year as Master. Yet each company has a purpose, traditions and idiosyncrasies that make it unique. Take a look at just some of the examples below.

The Worshipful Company of Gunmakers

The Gunmakers are one of just two companies that still runs the business specified in its original charter. (The other is the Goldsmiths’ Company, which runs the Assay Office.) This charter was hard-won: it was only awarded in 1637 after a group of working gunmakers, mostly members of the Armourers’ and Blacksmiths’ companies, were successful in their long battle to create a dedicated institution that would protect and support the art of gunmaking, train apprentices and provide guarantees to the purchasers of firearms.

Those guarantees still exist today thanks to the proofing process that every gun must go through before being sold in the UK. The Gunmakers’ Company has operated the London Proof House in its current location just outside Aldgate since 1675.

The charter also entrusts the Company with preserving the soul of the gun trade by overseeing the transition of apprentices to Master Gunmaker. “At one award ceremony we had more than 800 years of experience of Master Gunmakers amassed in the Courtroom of the Proof House,” says Master of the Gunmakers and owner of Gallyon Gun & Rifle Makers Richard Hefford-Hobbs. “Seeing talented individuals receive their Master Gunmaker certificates is a profound reminder of the hard work, dedication and passion that go into perfecting this historic craft. Each award represents years of commitment, training and mastery, showcasing the highest standards of craftsmanship worldwide.”

The founders’ spirit of fighting for the trade is also evident in the Gunmakers’ Trust, which awards life-changing bursaries to those learning the ‘art, craft and mystery of gunmaking’. It’s also evident at every social event – you might discover that the liveryman next to you is a stockmaker, the owner of a sporting estate or one of the Gunmakers’ women’s team hoping to bag the trophy at the fiercely contested Inter-Livery Shoot.

The Worshipful Company of Farriers

Founded in 1356, the Farriers have stayed close to their original remit. “The Company has played a direct role in setting and maintaining standards in the training and examination of farriers for hundreds of years,” explains Jeanette Allen, chief executive officer of The Horse Trust, the world’s oldest equine charity, who joined in 2013. “Times change but the horse is always at the centre of the Livery’s focus.”

The Company’s events provide a forum for both professionals and horse lovers to foster vital connections that improve equine care. “I’ve also been able to develop new relationships,” adds Allen. “Some of our rescue cases get rehomed into carriage-driving rather than riding homes and having a stronger network in this world has been hugely helpful.”

The Worshipful Company of Butchers

The Butchers have a proud tradition in Smithfield that dates at least as far back as 975AD. Today the Company, which counts HRH The Princess Royal as a Past Master, is an important focal point for the meat trade across the UK and Ireland. “I joined the Butchers’ Company in 1985,” says John Absalom, the founder of wholesaler Absalom & Tribe. “I was one of the youngest and newest traders in Smithfield, and as such it was a natural progression to join.”

As well as connections and camaraderie with others in the trade, “being a liveryman has enabled me to enjoy my main hobby of sailing, through my membership of the City Livery Yacht Club”, explains Absalom. This club is one of several panlivery groups open to all in the civic city.

The Worshipful Company of Vintners

This Company is the spiritual home of the international wine trade, one of the Great XII livery companies and a key supporter of The Drinks Trust charity. It also happens to own a lot of swans on the Thames.

“We don’t actually feel we own them,” clarifies this year’s Swan Warden, James Handford MW. “All we’re doing is taking responsibility for them voluntarily.” This includes the annual Swan Upping, in which the three organisations with ancient rights to the birds – the Vintners, the Dyers and the Crown – collect data and check the health of the cygnets. This July event is a beloved spectacle whose pageantry is matched by the Vintners’ Swan Feast (at which swan is no longer served) in November. “I process in behind the chef in my swan-feathered hat, doffing it to everyone with medieval pipers and lute players in the background,” explains Handford.

Beyond the eye-catching outfits, these events have a strong conservation and charitable focus, reflecting the Company’s ethos of giving back. “This year I worked closely with our swan charities, raising funds and awareness,” says Handford. “Swan Support rescues around 2,000 wild birds annually.”

The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries

Founded in 1617 after breaking away from the Grocers’ Company, this old-fashioned-sounding Company has had an indelible impact on modern medicine. It founded the Chelsea Physic Garden in 1673, licensed and regulated doctors from 1815 until the foundation of the General Medical Council in 1858, and continues to offer extensive postgraduate activities today. It’s also left its mark in literature: Agatha Christie, who sat the Apothecary Hall Examination in 1917, attributed all her knowledge of poisons to their teaching.

At least 85% of liverymen are medically qualified, including Master Apothecary Dr Julia Neild, who joined as a junior doctor. This makes the Company well placed to support medical students in financial hardship and provide impactful training.

“We aim to identify unmet needs and create courses to address them,” she explains. “The military approached us 40 years ago about a diploma in conflict and catastrophe medicine, which became the first of its kind and continues today.”

The Company also collaborates with other livery companies, recently partnering with the Armourers on a symposium exploring materials science in healthcare.