Haberdashers' Hall
| Haberdashers' Hall | |
|
Middlesex | |
|---|---|
 Haberdashers' Hall | |
| Type: | Livery hall |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TQ31808161 |
| Location: | 51°31’5"N, 0°6’7"W |
| City: | London |
| History | |
| Address: | 18 West Smithfield |
| Livery hall | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers |
Haberdashers' Hall is the livery hall of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, an ancient merchant guild of City of London, and one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies. Historically the company was associated with the silk and velvet trades.
Haberdashers' Hall was for many centuries situated near the Guildhall in Bassishaw Ward, but from 2002 the company took additional premises in the City Ward of Farringdon Without where it is now based.
History
The Company
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The Haberdashers' Company follows the Mercers' Company (incorporated in 1394) in precedence, receiving its first Royal Charter in 1448 and holds records dating back to 1371. The formal name under which it is incorporated is The Master and Four Wardens of the Fraternity of the Art or Mystery of Haberdashers in the City of London.
The company was originally responsible for the regulation of silk and velvet merchants, but lost control after the Industrial Revolution. Through careful stewardship of corporate bequests and funds, the company now serves as a significant educational and charitable institution whilst maintaining links with its heritage by giving awards for fashion education. It founded a boys' school in Hoxton in 1690, which is now the Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Elstree, Hertfordshire, with Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls adjacent. Other schools founded by the Company and run by its charitable trusts are found elsewhere in the United Kingdom.[1][2]
The company ranks eighth in the order of precedence of City livery companies and, as such, it is recognised as one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies.
The Hall
The Haberdashers' Company moved to its new hall at 18 West Smithfield on 15 April 2002, located opposite the King Henry Gate of St. Bartholomew's Hospital.
On 24 October 2002 Queen Elizabeth II was welcomed by the Master Haberdasher, Nicholas Lund, to formally declare its Hall open.
Haberdashers' Hall, with its various meeting and function rooms as well as offices, is centred on a cloistered courtyard, entered through the façade at Market View, Smithfield, and also includes residential apartments and retail units. On the south side of the property, the company has developed office space which opens onto Hosier Lane.
Within the hall, its cloisters to the right-hand side lead via a circular staircase to the first floor where its Court Room, Committee Room and a luncheon room lead off a reception gallery. The reception gallery leads to the banquet hall, which has a high vaulted ceiling and is entirely oak-panelled. There are also offices for company staff, facilities for catering staff with storage and cellars below the hall, together with accommodation for the Master and the Beadle.
Central courtyard of Haberdashers' Hall
Coat of arms of the Company, and foundation stone of the present Hall
Reception gallery
Livery Hall
Outside links
References
- ↑ Haberdashers' Aske's Charity - Registered Charity no. 313996 at the Charity Commission
- ↑ William Jones's Schools Foundation - Registered Charity no. 525616 at the Charity Commission
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