THE BROCHURE SERIES |
| PLATE LIX | HABERDASHER'S HALL: GREAT HALL |
THE | ||
| 1900. | AUGUST | No. 8. |
THE GUILD HALLS OF LONDON.
Perhaps there are no corporatebodies now existing in Englandwhich can trace their beginnings ina more unbroken line to the earliest recordedhistorical events of the country,and surely none which have exercised sogreat political and civic influence, as thefamous trade-guilds of London. Therenow exist in that city about one hundredsuch associations, the twelve most prominentand influential of them being styledas the Twelve Great Livery Companies,and these associations exercise no slightshare in the government of the world'smetropolis. From rights which have survivedto them from ancient charters, theirmembers, although self-elected and notderiving their power from any popularsuffrage, still choose the Lord Mayor ofLondon from among the twenty-six aldermenof the city's wards, and his electiontakes place at the Guildhall, or centraloffice of all the companies.
The ceremony is a most interesting one.The floor of the Hall is strewn with aromaticherbs, which is perhaps the onlysurvival of the mediæval method of carpetinga floor with rushes. The aldermenor heads of the city wards, gather in theirscarlet gowns, and are met by the representativesof the companies, all clad in therobes or "liveries," which, by ancientgrants bestowed upon them, they are privilegedto wear, whence their name of "Liverymen"is derived. To this assemblythe recorder or law officer of the city thenmakes a short, set speech, declaring thatfrom the time of King John the liverymenhave possessed the rights of electionwhich they are now to exercise. Theliverymen thereupon proceed to choose,by vote, two of the aldermen for the officeof Lord Mayor, and from these two theincumbent Lord Mayor and the aldermenwith formal ceremony select one, who isto become Lord Mayor of London forthe ensuing term. This selection theliverymen must ratify by stating thatthe man named is their free choice. Onthe evening of his election the new LordMayor presides at a splendid feast in theGuildhall, and among the illustrious companyassembled not the least picturesquefigures are the liverymen of London intheir gowns edged with fur, wearing thegolden chain-like collars from which dependjewelled badges.