City Livery Companies

London’s 107 livery companies, the oldest of which trace their history back to medieval trade guilds, are today groups of men and women committed to charitable giving for schools, crafts, training, almshouses and much more besides.

Some 40 still have their own Hall and there are 26,000 liverymen and 15,500 freemen overall. It is estimated that City Livery Companies give some £40m a year to charitable causes and St Paul’s has been very fortunate to have enjoyed the support of City livery companies, in some cases over many hundreds of years. 

In 1878 the Cathedral’s new ring of bells in the NW tower were funded by the Clothworkers (1), Drapers (2), Fishmongers (1), Grocers (1), Merchant Taylors (1), Salters (1) Turners (4) and indeed the City Corporation (1).

In the late 1890s, the sparkling quarter Dome mosaics were commissioned from William Blake Richmond thanks to support from the Mercers, Grocers, Goldsmiths and Merchant Taylors whose shields appear below each mosaic. 80 livery companies were able to support the St Paul’s Cathedral 300th Anniversary Restoration Campaign at some point between 2000-8 for which the Dean & Chapter are most grateful.

It is sometimes possible for St Paul’s to link the original craft of the livery company with some aspect of the Cathedral’s work; the Clothworkers (whose first recorded donation to St Paul’s was in 1631), Broderers and Gold & Silver Wyre Drawers supported new sets of clerical vestments; the Leathersellers donated funds for new leathers for the Grand Organ and repairs to leather-bound books in the Library; the Ironmongers and Blacksmiths supported ironwork railings in the Churchyard; the Lightmongers the interior lighting; the Glaziers a glass honours board; the Wax Chandlers the High Altar candles and the Musicians a chorister.

18 livery companies currently support choristerships at St Paul’s, some featured in this recent line-up in the Quire:

Every year the Cathedral hosts a number of occasions which representatives of livery companies attend including the United Guilds Service, held at St Paul’s every year since 1943.

Between the March 2009 and 2010 services, the Dean and Chapter of St Paul’s Cathedral most gratefully acknowledge the support of the following livery companies:

Apothecaries, Barbers, Blacksmiths, Brewers, Builders Merchants, Carpenters, Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, Clothworkers, Coopers, Cordwainers, Curriers, Cutlers, Drapers, Dyers, Engineers, Fan Makers, Fishmongers, Founders, Fruiterers, Gardeners, Girdlers, Glass Sellers, Glaziers & Painters of Glass, Glovers, Goldsmiths, Grocers, Innholders, Insurers, Ironmongers, Leathersellers, Lightmongers, Marketors, Mercers, Musicians, Needlemakers, Parish Clerks, Paviors, Plaisterers, Plumbers, Saddlers, Scriveners, Shipwrights, Spectacle Makers, Tallow Chandlers, Tin Plate Workers, Tobacco Pipe Makers and Tobacco Blenders, Turners, Tylers & Bricklayers, Vintners, Wax Chandlers, Woolmen.

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