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Livery company members and apprentices

Date updated: 24/07/2023

1. About this guide

This guide explains how to find individuals who were members or apprenticed to members of City of London livery companies.

Livery companies are trade associations or guilds in the City of London. Members are known as freemen.

Livery company records are held at Guildhall Library. Please contact them to arrange a visit.

2. What do I need to know before I start? 

Until about 1800, adult males practising a trade or craft in or around the City of London would have almost certainly belonged to a City of London livery company. After this date it is increasingly unlikely.

Until the early 1700s, most would have belonged to a company corresponding with their occupation. For example, butchers joined the Butchers' Company. After this date, many joined companies unrelated to their actual occupation.

Methods of becoming a freeman of City of London livery company:

  • Apprenticeship - gained through completing a seven year apprenticeship (usually between the ages of 14 and 21) to a freeman of a livery company. Apprenticeships were very common until about 1750. After 1856 very few tradesmen or craftsmen served an apprenticeship in a livery company.
  • Patrimony - by virtue of their father's membership
  • Redemption - by payment of a fee

After becoming a freeman, they could advance to become a liveryman. A liveryman is a full member of a livery company. 

3. Which livery company? 

The following online sources can be used to identify which livery company an individual belonged to:

4. Records held at Guildhall Library

Please browse the list of livery companies on the LMA Collections Catalogue (sort by reference code and change the results per page to 100).

Select the appropriate livery company to see the list of the surviving records. 

All records must be viewed at Guildhall Library. 

5. Records held elsewhere

The following livery companies still retain their own records: Apothecaries, Barbers, Carpenters, Clothworkers, Drapers, Fishmongers, Goldsmiths, Ironmongers, Leathersellers, Mercers, Saddlers, Salters and Stationers.

For contact details, please use Find an archive on The National Archives website.