On this day in 1631 the Court decided that a separate anatomy room should be built. The entry in the Court minute book reads: Also this Court taking notice of the lack of a private dissection room for anatomical employment and that hitherto the bodies have been a great annoyance to the tables, dresser boards and utensils in […]
On this day in 1965 the Court of The Barbers’ Company met at Tallow Chandlers’ Hall. The Clerk reported with deep regret the death of Past Master J. P. Denny on the 19th September 1965 aged 96. He had been a member of the Livery for 75 years. The Court stood in silence as a […]
On this day in 1606 Percivall Jackson was committed to the Compter for several “contempts to this house”. Percivall Jackson was admitted to the Company on 22 January 1604 having been the apprentice of Randulph Pyatt. He was licensed to open his shop on 12 February 1604. Jackson appears a few times in the volume […]
As well as recording all the decisions taken by the Court to administer the Company, the Court minutes reveal glimpses in to daily life, for example, on this day in 1727 the weather was so hot that Court members were allowed to sit without wearing their gowns. […]
On this day in 1596, Sir Peter Proby was made a Liveryman of the Company. Proby was admitted to the Freedom in 1579, became an Assistant in 1609 and was Master in 1615. He held a number of City offices – Sheriff of London in 1614, Alderman of the Ward of Queenhithe, and Lord Mayor […]
On this day in 1558 the Company procured an Inspeximus Charter from Philip and Mary. It confirms the rights and privileges granted to the Company by previous monarchs going back to our first Charter of 1462 granted by Edward IV. A booklet summarising of rights and privileges of the first Charter, together with a […]
On this day in 1749 the Court ordered that the Company’s Arms be “cast in lead and affixed upon the several houses” it owned. The Company had Barber-Surgeons’ Hall and several houses on Monkwell Street together with property in other parts of London. Account books in the Company’s archive record the rents collected by the […]
On this day in 1604, the Clerk and the Middle Warden were each ordered to bestowe 4d worth of herbs and flowers every Court day. From the middle ages herbs and sweet smelling flowers were strewn on floors of houses and other buildings along with reeds, rushes, or straw, to mask the unpleasant smells emanating […]
On this day in 1637, £10 was paid towards the ransom of the surgeon Thomas Wright who had been captured by the Turks. Presumably Wright was a surgeon on board a ship. The charter granted to the Company in 1629 stated that all surgeons for the Navy were to be examined and approved by the […]