Part 1

A SHORT HISTORY

The Worshipful Company of Horners

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Price Five Shillings net.

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London: BLADES, EAST & BLADES, 23, ABCHURCH LANE, E.C.

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JANUARY, 1912.

The Worshipful Company of Horners.

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Master:

CHARLES EVES, Esq., Capel House, 62, New Broad Street, E.C.

Upper Warden:

W. B. CRANFIELD, Esq., 6, Poultry, E.C.

Renter Warden:

Capt. L. G. MARCUS, C.C., 65, London Wall, E.C.

Court of Assistants:

*Mr. Deputy MILLAR WILKINSON, Seatonross, Christchurch Park, Sutton, Surrey. Sir DAVID STEWART, Banchory House, Aberdeen. *W. SPENCER CHAPMAN, Esq., The Cottage, Warminster, Wilts. *A. W. TIMBRELL, Esq., C.C., 44, King William Street, E.C. *Dr. W. J. HILL, 25, Craven Street, Strand, W.C. *H. BURT, Esq., J.P., Parkfield, Potters Bar. *Col. Sir J. ROPER PARKINGTON, J.P., D.L., 58, Green Street, Park Lane, W. *W. PHENE NEAL, Esq., C.C., 62, London Wall, E.C. *P. H. P. WIPPELL, Esq., LL.M., B.A., 4, Paper Buildings, Temple, E.C. *J. DIX LEWIS, Esq., J.P., 85, Gresham Street, E.C. *Rev. C. C. HOYLE, M.A., New Westminster, Canada. CECIL HARTRIDGE, Esq., 17, Old Broad Street, E.C. *H. S. FOSTER. Esq., J.P., Grosvenor Mansions, 82, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W. *J. T. EDMONDS, Esq., 19, Great Winchester Street, E.C. W. R. TAYLOR CARR, Esq., 108a, Cannon Street, E.C. A. GOODINCH WILLIAMS, Esq., Union Place, Stonehouse, Plymouth. Major CHARLES WALLINGTON, V.D., 4, Tokenhouse Buildings, Bank, E.C. G. R. BLADES, Esq., 23, Abchurch Lane, E.C. Ald. JAMES ROLL, Adelaide Place, London Bridge, E.C. Rev. H. G. ROSEDALE, D.D., F.S.A., 7, Gloucester Street, Victoria, S.W. A. F. BLADES, Esq., 23, Abchurch Lane, E.C. E. PARNELL, Esq., Devon Lodge, 14, Wickham Road, Brockley, S.E. Col. and Ald. Sir W. H. DUNN, 11, St. Helen’s Place, Bishopsgate, E.C. G. R. GLANFIELD, Esq., 58, Canfield Gardens, Hampstead, N.W. Rev. H. T. CART DE LAFONTAINE, M.A., 49, Albert Court, Kensington Gore, S.W. JAMES WEBSTER, Esq., 38, Wickham Road, Brockley, S.E. HUGH T. TAYLOR, Esq., 9, Wood Street, E.C. HORACE E. BOWLES, Esq., 66, Bishopsgate Street, E.C. A. H. MICHELL, Esq., 5, Devonshire Place, W. M. R. SEWILL, Esq., C.C., 2, Porchester Square, Hyde Park, W. JAMES CURTIS, Esq., 179, Marylebone Road, N.W.

Hon. Chaplain:

Rev. H. G. ROSEDALE, D.D., F.S.A., 7, Gloucester Street, Victoria, S.W.

Clerk and Solicitor:

HOWARD DEIGHTON, Esq., C.C., 44, King William Street, E.C.

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Those marked (*) have served the office of Master.

PREFACE.

The discovery of the “Old Book of the Worshipful Company of Horners,” which has probably been missing for some 250 years, has brought added interest to the consideration of what is, perhaps, the oldest of the City Gilds.

In studying the documents and compiling the account of that book, recently distributed to the members of the Company by the kindness of the late Master, Mr. Edmonds, I was drawn to take in hand the lengthy and difficult task of reconstructing the life history of this interesting Craft Gild. Such a work is the product only of years of patient labour, but, in the meantime, at the request of the Court, I am glad to offer some preliminary details which may serve at least to show the age and dignity of the Worshipful Company of Horners.

I have endeavoured, where possible, to incorporate passages from the late Mr. Compton’s paper before the British Archæological Society, but, owing to many discoveries having been made which were not at his disposal, I have had to take a different course in some respects.