Liveries
I am a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners and the Fletchers. I am a member of the governing Court of the Gardeners, where I chair the Communications Committee.
Livery companies have a proud history and traditions. Livery companies are the source of, and take a prominent part in, many of the great ceremonial occasions and add a colour and richness to the City’s heritage. Their survival has been achieved by doing what they have always done: fostering their professions, crafts and trades in a wide context, serving the community, supporting the City of London and promoting modern skills and professional development.
Between them, the liveries donate many tens of millions of pounds to UK charities every year. A survey by the Pan Livery Initiative in 2018 highlighted total charitable disbursements by the Livery as a whole of £71m annually. A recent Livery Schools Link report showed that a total of 395 schools, academies, colleges and other education establishments are supported by multiple Livery Companies.
The election of the Sheriffs and certain other officers is the prerogative of liverymen alone and the election of the Lord Mayor is a shared responsibility between liverymen and the Aldermen.
There are over 100 livery companies in all, the ‘Great Twelve’ being:
- Mercers: www.mercers.co.uk
- Grocers: www.grocershall.co.uk
- Drapers: www.thedrapers.co.uk
- Fishmongers: www.fishhall.org.uk
- Goldsmiths: www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk
- Skinners: www.skinnershall.co.uk
- Merchant Taylors: www.merchant-taylors.co.uk
- Haberdashers : www.haberdashers.co.uk/home.php
- Salters: www.salters.co.uk
- Ironmongers: www.ironhall.co.uk
- Vintners: www.vintnershall.co.uk/
- Clothworkers: www.clothworkers.co.uk