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Yes, ordinary members of the public can go to the Guildhall :-)

Thank you all for the links

WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF WEAVERS - AIM25 collection ...
www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/detail?coll_id=14208... - Block all www.aim25.ac.uk results
1155-8 (Guildhall Library Ms 4621). It had control of weaving in the City of London, as well as Westminster and Southwark. The Company had a hall in ...

records held at the London Metropolitan Archives Islington

Reference code(s) : GB 0074 CLC/L/WC
Held at : London Metropolitan Archives - click here to see details of the physical location of collection
Full title : WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF WEAVERS
Date(s) : 1155-1971
Level of description : Collection
Extent : 513 production items
Name of creator(s) : Worshipful Company of Weavers

40 Northampton Road
London
EC1R 0HB
England

Tel: 020 7332 3820
Fax: 020 7833 9136
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma
Online map: streetmap
Head Archivist : Dr Deborah Jenkins

more!!
WEAVERS' COMPANY TODAY

The Worshipful Company of Weavers, first recorded in the early 12th Century, today fulfils a significant role in the modern textile industry. Although it no longer controls "the art and mystery of weaving", it makes a major contribution to textile weaving through its many awards, scholarships and bursaries, and many of its members are involved in the textile industry.

No longer is the Company's charity required for its needy members, but it is widely distributed through its Benevolent Fund and through its Almshouse Charities, which at Weavers' House in Wanstead offer comfortable sheltered homes for the elderly. The Company also supports two primary schools in the more underprivileged areas in East London.

The Company plays its part in the City government in the ancient ceremonial of elections in Guildhall, and in City hospitality and fellowship, especially when the full splendour of the Church

The Huguenots, who escaped from France and the Low Countries in the 17th Century, settled in the Spitalfields area of London and established the Silk Weaving industry. Not all the Weavers were Huguenots, many were of English families who had been weavers for centuries and there were others, such as ex farm workers, who moved to the metropolis and took up the trade. The Spitalfields area became so crowded that the industry expanded into the Bethnal Green, Mile End and Shoreditch areas. The industry was regulated by the Weavers Company, a type of guild, which

The profitability of the industry depended upon the level of customs duty levied on imported silk goods, this protection having been in place for some considerably period. In 1765 and 1776 import regulations were strengthened and in 1773 the first of the Spitalfield Acts was passed but these were repealed in 1824 and some import duties relaxed two years later. During the period of the strengthened protection, the industry experienced stability and much less poverty. The removal of the remaining import duties in 1860 spelt the demise of the London Silk Weaving industry."

Weavers, generally speaking were not well paid and a government commission in the 1830s established that many journeyman weavers and their families were living in poverty. However, it should be stressed that by and large they were no worse off than their neighbours employed in other trades. Another commission in 1839 found that weavers' children were brought up into the industry and tended to marry into other weaver families. It is apparent that by the middle of the 19th century, most weavers were trying to establish themselves in other types of work. That some were not successful is evident from the number of families who ended up in the Workhouse. endeavoured to maintain a high standard of craftsmanship. Unfortunately, the Company grew lax in its supervision and allowed non weavers to buy themselves into the Company, some even becoming Freemen.

I noticed from watching Who do you think you are? that Len Goodman was able to find out details about his silk weaver ancestor. I have a silk weaver ancestor who is on the 1841 census as being a silk weaver in Bethnal Green. A London Guild was mentioned that a silk weaver would need to be registered with. Does anyone know the address? Can members of the public find information about silk weaver ancestors in the same way as Len did? I wish the BBC would put on more details of sources used.