Guilds of the City of Dublin

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Lantern slide of Weaver's Hall featuring a statue of George II

The Guilds of the City of Dublin were associations of trade and craft practitioners, with regulatory, mutual benefit and shared religious purposes. In their eventual number they were sometimes called the "25 minor corporations", in contrast to the city's principal authority, the Dublin Corporation). They operated in various forms from near the time of the Norman invasion of Ireland - the Merchants’ Guild existed in some form by 1192 - until the mid-19th century, and a few of which have descendent operations to the present day.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

The guild system in Ireland was first established under a royal charter from Prince John in 1192.[7] It largely ceased between 1840 and 1845, but subsequently some guilds developed residual activities.

The Guilds elected 96 of the up to 144 members of the Common Council, the lower house of the City Assembly, the governing body of Dublin Corporation, with 31 seats controlled by the Merchants Guild, and each of the others electing 2, 3 or 4 Common Councillors.[8] The remainder of the Common Council consisted of up to 48 Sheriffs' Peers, former holders of the office of Sheriff of Dublin City, while the upper house of the Assembly was the Board of Aldermen, with 24 aldermen, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, elected from a slate of nominated aldermen, and two Sheriffs, who had to have a certain level of property value.

List of Guilds of the City of Dublin[]

Order[a][5] Name[5] Other name(s)[5] Meeting place / Hall[5] Date established[5] Date of cessation Common Council seats[8] Notes[5]
1 Merchants Holy Trinity Guild Merchants' Hall, Wellington Quay 1192 (reputedly, first explicit charters mentioned re. 1451 and 1438) 31 The Tailors ceded precedence to the Merchants, who had by far the greatest electoral share in Dublin Corporation elections. Operated for most of its history from the Tholsel, the city's assembly hall, prior to its demolition in 1809. It moved to William Street, and later moved again to a dedicated premises, Merchants' Hall (the city insisted on the breaking through of Merchant's Arch) on Wellington Quay, built c. 1821, by 1824.[9] Cooperated with the Tailors' Guild with regard to the latter's endowed school. By the 19th century, possessed two properties other than their Hall, the rental from which covered operating expenses.
2 Tailors Guild of St John the Baptist Tailors' Hall, Back Lane 1207 (reputedly, first formal charters known 1418, 1419)[5] 4 Claimed precedence of all guilds, but then ceded first place to the Merchants, and remained second in precedence thereafter. Tailors' Hall was used by many other guilds over time (as was Carpenters' Hall). By the 19th century, possessed multiple properties on Back Lane, a mill and other plots in central Dublin, the area of Baskin in north Dublin, and multiple properties near Wicklow town. Assets transferred to Trust in 1841, school formed, moved to Merchants' Arch 1873, then to Molesworth St.;[5] Trust subsists.
3 Smiths Guild of St Loy Used Merchants' Arch, Tailors' Hall on Back Lane and Audeon's Arch; previously Gormond's Gate 1474 (earliest known charter) 1841 (dissolution) 4 Third in precedence from early times. As of 1688, included ironmongers and girdlers, and by the 19th century also included glaziers, pewterers, braziers, founders, tinplate workers, pattern makers, wire-drawers and workers, embroiderers and trunk makers.[5]
4 Barbers and Surgeons Guild of St Mary Magdalen Used Tailors' Hall, Back Lane (previously based at the Pole Gate (tower, Werburgh St.), a hall on Smock Alley and various pubs)[10] 1446 (as Guild of Barbers, later Barber-Chirurgians or Barber-Surgeons, or at one point "of Barbers, of Chirurgeons, of Apothecaries and of Periwig-Makers")[10] 2 Chartered 15 years before the equivalent London guild. Second charter granted 1577, which formally took in surgeons, though they had been joining the guild for many years already. As of a new charter in 1687, included apothecaries and wig-makers.[10] Professions also split off over time; much of the role taken over by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (split off in 1784).[10]
5 Bakers Guild of St Anne and St Clement Used Carpenters' Audeon's-arch,[11] Bakers' Tower on Wood Quay, Bakers' Hall near St Audeon's 1478 (first known charter; banners showed 1483)[12] 4 See Saint Anne's Guild. Additionally various "Bakers' Societies" operated over time - including the Boot Lane, Little Britain St., New Lane West, Werburg St. and other Bakers', or Operative Bakers' Societies.
6 Butchers Guild of the Virgin Mary Used Tailors' Hall, Back Lane 1684 3
7 Carpenters, Millers, Masons and Tylers Guild of the Fraternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the house of St Thomas the Martyr Audeon's-arch 3 The hall at Audeon's Arch was the headquarters of the Carpenters' Guild, who then allowed other guilds to use it. As of the 1830s, there was a ruinous hall on St Andrew's Lane, and some plots on Thomas St.
8 Shoemakers Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary Used Carpenters' Audeon's-arch 4 Held two houses on each of High Street and Castle Street to provide rental income
9 Saddlers, Upholders, Coach and Coach-harness makers Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary Used Tailors' Hall, Back Lane 3
10 Cooks and Vintners Guild of St James the Apostle Dawson Street 2 The Cooks' Guild operated out of a hall on Cook street until 1782. They later moved to the Eagle Tavern on Eustace street until 1816, before having a listed address at 1 Dawson Street (Morrison's Hotel) until the last meeting was held in 1841.
11 Tanners and Curriers Guild of St Nicholas Used Tailors' Hall, Back Lane 2 Also known as the Guild of the Arts and Mysteries of Tanners[8]
12 Tallow-chandlers Guild of St George Used Carpenters' Audeon's-arch 2 Also known as the Guild of Tallow-chandlers, Soap-boilers and Wax-light makers[8]
13 Glovers and Skinners Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary Used Tailors' Hall, Back Lane 2
14 Weavers Guild of St Philip and James (at least two charters: Guild of the Blessed Virgin Mary)[13] Weaver's Hall, Coombe (built 1681-2, new Hall nearby started 1745) 1446[13] 3[13] Jurisdiction in city and within 6 miles of its precincts. Reconstituted 1688. Combers added as a wing, 1697.[13] Also known as the Corporation of the Arts and Mysteries of Weavers.[8] Guild ceased in 1840. The much altered Weavers' Hall in the Coombe area, and two adjacent houses, were finally demolished only in 1956.[14]
15 Sheermen and Dyer Guild of St Nicholas Used Tailors' Hall, Back Lane 2
16 Goldsmiths Guild of All Saints Goldsmith's Hall, Golden Lane 1637[15] Successor office still in operation[15] 4 Existed in some form in the 15th century but formally incorporated when issued with royal charter by Charles I, 22 December 1637.[15] Its successor the Dublin Assay Office is still in operation.
17 Cooper Guild of St Patrick near Dublin 93 Abbey Street 1501 1983 Received its royal charter from Charles II in 1666. The guild survived until 1983 when its remaining members voted it out of existence. See also Amalgamated Society of Coopers
18 Felt-makers Used Carpenters' Audeon's-arch 1668 2
19 Cutlers, Painters, Paper Stainers and Stationers Guild of St Luke the Evangelist Capel Street 3 The Dutch golden age painter Ludowyk Smits was a member from 1681 - 1688.
20 Bricklayers and Plasterers Guild of St Bartholomew Used Carpenters' Audeon's-arch 1670 2 Later operated from a dedicated guildhall on Cuffe Street, Dublin 2 which was constructed in 1812 until it was demolished as part of a Dublin Corporation road widening scheme in the 1980s[16]
21 Hosiers and Knitters Guild of St George Weaver's Hall, Coombe 2
22 Curriers Guild of St Nicholas 4 French Street
23 Brewers and Maltsters Guild of St Andrew Morrison's, Dawson Street 4
24 Joiners, Coylers and Wainscotters Used Tailors' Hall, Back Lane 2
25 Apothecaries Guild of St Luke Mary Street Successor body still in operation 2 Previously members of the Guild of Barber-Surgeons, see above. See Apothecaries' Hall of Ireland - this body was incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1791, having its own hall in Mary Street, Dublin, and it was operated parallel to the Guild for decades, and survived the demise of the Guild. It is now hosted by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland at their building on Kildare Street

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Webb, John J. (1917). "The Guilds of Dublin". The Irish Monthly. pp. 507–514. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  2. ^ DOYLE, MEL (1977). "The Dublin Guilds and Journeymen's Clubs". Saothar. pp. 6–14. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  3. ^ Whelan, Edward (2012). "The guilds of Dublin and immigrants in the seventeenth century: The defence of privilege in an age of change". Irish Economic and Social History. pp. 26–38. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  4. ^ Devine, Francis (1994). "Dublin's Trade Guilds: A Source for Labour Historians". Saothar. pp. 118–120. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Guinness, Henry S. (1922). "Dublin Trade Gilds". The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. pp. 143–163. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Wilson's Dublin directory, for the year 1830..." Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Dublin City Assembly". Dublin City Council. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons (1830). Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons. Ordered to be printed. pp. 3–.
  9. ^ "1821 – Merchant's Hall, Wellington Quay, Dublin". Archiseek - Irish Architecture. 26 April 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Berry, Henry F. (30 September 1903). "The Ancient Corporation of Barber-Surgeons, or Gild of St. Mary Magdalene, Dublin". Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries in Ireland. 33 (Fifth Series, Vol. 13) (3): 217–238.
  11. ^ "Archiseek - Irish Architecture - 1190 - St Audoen's Church of Ireland, High Street, Dublin". Archiseek - Irish Architecture. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  12. ^ Swift, John (1977). "The Bakers' Records". Saothar. Irish Labour History Society. 3: 1–5.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Stubbs, William Cotter (30 June 1919). "Weavers' Guild". Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries in Ireland. 9 (Sixth Series) (1): 60–88.
  14. ^ "1747 – Weavers Hall, The Coombe, Dublin". Archiseek - Irish Architecture. 17 November 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b c McAleer, Michael (1987). "The Company of Goldsmiths in Ireland". Irish Arts Review. 4 (4 (Winter)): 30–32.
  16. ^ "1812 – Bricklayers Hall, Cuffe St., Dublin". Archiseek - Irish Architecture. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2021.

Notes[]

  1. ^ of Precedence in Common Council and on the procession of Riding the Franchises
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