Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
Encyclopedia
The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers is one of the 108 Livery Companies
of the City of London
, being a guild
of the sellers of fish and seafood in the City. The Company ranks fourth in the order of precedence
of the Livery Companies, making it one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies.
in 1272. A predecessor guild was fined as adulterine in 1154. It took the name Stock Fishmongers' Company as the result of another Royal Charter of 1508. Then, in 1537, it combined with the Salt Fishmongers' Company to form the Company of the present name.
The most famous fishmonger is Sir William Walworth
, who, as Lord Mayor of the City of London in 1381, ended the Peasants' Revolt
by stabbing the rebel Wat Tyler
to death at Smithfield
in the presence of King Richard II
.
In 1383, Lord Mayor John of Northampton persuaded the City's Common Council to declare that the fishmongers had no power to monopolise the trade in fish, and that was confirmed by Parliament. However, in a Royal Charter granted to the fishmongers by Richard II in 1399, all their privileges were restored. By the same Charter, they were to elect six Wardens, the number which continues to the present day.
Until the end of the 14th century the fishmongers had their own court of law, called Leyhalmode, at which disputes concerning fish and seafood trade were judged by the Wardens of the Company.
From 1555 to the present day, the Company has acted as the trustee of Gresham's School
in Holt, Norfolk
.
In the early 17th century, the Company was granted lands at Ballykelly and Banagher
in northern Ireland
, by the Crown. It remained a major landowner there until the 20th century, and the villages contain some of the most interesting buildings erected in Ulster
by the Plantation companies
.
In 1714, the Irish actor Thomas Doggett
gave money to endow a boat race called Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race
in honour of the new king, George I of the house of Hanover
. The race was originally to be rowed annually on 1 August on the River Thames
, by up to six young watermen who were not to be out of their apprenticeship by more than twelve months. The prize for the champion oarsman is a fine red coat with a large silver badge on one arm, bearing the white horse of Hanover and the word 'liberty'. Since Doggett's death, the Fishmongers' Company has organised this event annually, and it is now believed to be the world's longest continually-running sporting event and also the world's longest boat race – 4 miles, 5 furlongs (7,400 m).
By the 18th century, references to fish were hard to find in the court minutes of the Fishmongers' Company, and the Company's main business had become managing its extensive property and administering its charities and trusts, such as Gresham's School]] and St. Peter's Hospital, an almshouse at Newington
in Surrey.
Early in its existence, the Company acquired a monopoly
of the sale of fish in the City of London. Today, this monopoly is no longer absolute, but under powers established by a Charter of James I
in 1604, the staff of the Company (known as fishmeters) still inspect all fish imported to the City. This applies especially to Billingsgate Fish Market
, the largest such market in the United Kingdom.
The Company is intimately concerned with salmon and fresh water fishing as well as shellfish throughout the waters of the United Kingdom, and it supports research and publishes books on fish, such as Fish and Shellfish and The Fishmongers' Company Cook Book. Thus, the Company continues many of its original trade duties, unlike some of the other Livery Companies which have become entirely charitable or ceremonial institutions.
The Company is also a significant educational charity. As well as Gresham's School, it has also long-supported the City and Guilds of London Art School and the City and Guilds of London Institute.
Company members number nearly 300 and continues to include a good representation of working fishmongers. Liverymen of the Company are also members of the City's Common Hall and thus can vote in the election of the Lord Mayor of the City of London each year on Michaelmas Day (29 September) or on the closest weekday, and also in the election of the Sheriffs of the City of London
on every Midsummer's Day. Voting is by show of hands, but if any liveryman demands a ballot, this is to be held two weeks later.
The Company's hall in the City of London is called Fishmongers' Hall (sometimes shortened to Fish Hall); the earliest recorded hall was built in 1310. A new hall, on the present site, was bequeathed to the Company in 1434. Together with 43 other Company halls, this one was destroyed in the Great Fire of London
in 1666 and a replacement hall designed by the architect Edward Jerman opened in 1671. Jerman's hall was taken down when the new London Bridge
was constructed in 1827. The next hall, opened in 1834, was designed by Henry Roberts
although his assistant Gilbert Scott
made the drawings for the new building, and built by Cubitts, the firm founded by Thomas Cubitt
. After severe bomb damage during the Blitz
, Fishmongers' Hall was restored by Austen Hall and reopened in 1951.
The hall contains many treasures, including the dagger with which Lord Mayor Walworth
killed Wat Tyler
in 1381, Pietro Annigoni
's first portrait of Her Majesty The Queen, a collection of 17th- and 18th-century silver, an embroidered 15th-century funeral pall, two portraits by George Romney
, and river scenes by Samuel Scott. The hall is located in Bridge ward
, next to London Bridge
.
in Holt, Norfolk
, in accordance with the wishes of Lord Mayor Sir John Gresham
(1492-1556). Among other things, the Company provides more than half of the school's governors, including the chairman of the governing body, which meets at Fishmongers' Hall.
In 1729, the Fishmongers' Company presented the school with "...a valuable and useful library, not only of the best editions of the Classics and Lexicographers, but also with some books of Antiquities, Chronology, and Geography, together with a suitable pair of globes".
In May 1926, in accepting membership of the Company by right of patrimony, the future King George VI
said: "I hope that it may be possible for me, at some future date, to prove my interest by personally visiting Gresham's School, of which I have frequently heard such excellent accounts".
of the Company are blazoned:
Arms: Azure three Dolphins naiant embowed in pale argent finned toothed and crowned or between two pairs of Stockfish in saltire argent over the mouth of each Fish a Crown or on a Chief gules three pairs of Keys of St Peter in saltire
Crest: Upon a Helm on a Wreath argent and sable, two Cubit arms the dexter vested or cuffed azure the sinister vested azure cuffed or the Hands argent holding an Imperial Crown proper
Supporters: On the dexter side a Merman armed and holding in his right hand a Falchion and with his left sustaining the Helm and Timbre, and on the sinister side a Mermaid holding in her left hand a Mirror and supporting the Arms with her right hand, all proper
Motto: Al Worship Be To God Only (shared with Gresham's School
)
Note: In heraldry
, naiant means swimming to the viewer's left, while embowed means curved like a bow. For the meaning of azure, argent, sable, and or, see Tincture
.
Livery Company
The Livery Companies are 108 trade associations in the City of London, almost all of which are known as the "Worshipful Company of" the relevant trade, craft or profession. The medieval Companies originally developed as guilds and were responsible for the regulation of their trades, controlling,...
of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, being a guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
of the sellers of fish and seafood in the City. The Company ranks fourth in the order of precedence
Order of precedence
An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of items. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments...
of the Livery Companies, making it one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies.
History
The Company has an unbroken existence of more than 700 years - although it probably existed earlier, it received its first Royal CharterRoyal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
in 1272. A predecessor guild was fined as adulterine in 1154. It took the name Stock Fishmongers' Company as the result of another Royal Charter of 1508. Then, in 1537, it combined with the Salt Fishmongers' Company to form the Company of the present name.
The most famous fishmonger is Sir William Walworth
William Walworth
Sir William Walworth , was twice Lord Mayor of London . He is best known for killing Wat Tyler.His family came from Durham...
, who, as Lord Mayor of the City of London in 1381, ended the Peasants' Revolt
Peasants' Revolt
The Peasants' Revolt, Wat Tyler's Rebellion, or the Great Rising of 1381 was one of a number of popular revolts in late medieval Europe and is a major event in the history of England. Tyler's Rebellion was not only the most extreme and widespread insurrection in English history but also the...
by stabbing the rebel Wat Tyler
Wat Tyler
Walter "Wat" Tyler was a leader of the English Peasants' Revolt of 1381.-Early life:Knowledge of Tyler's early life is very limited, and derives mostly through the records of his enemies. Historians believe he was born in Essex, but are not sure why he crossed the Thames Estuary to Kent...
to death at Smithfield
Smithfield, London
Smithfield is an area of the City of London, in the ward of Farringdon Without. It is located in the north-west part of the City, and is mostly known for its centuries-old meat market, today the last surviving historical wholesale market in Central London...
in the presence of King Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
.
In 1383, Lord Mayor John of Northampton persuaded the City's Common Council to declare that the fishmongers had no power to monopolise the trade in fish, and that was confirmed by Parliament. However, in a Royal Charter granted to the fishmongers by Richard II in 1399, all their privileges were restored. By the same Charter, they were to elect six Wardens, the number which continues to the present day.
Until the end of the 14th century the fishmongers had their own court of law, called Leyhalmode, at which disputes concerning fish and seafood trade were judged by the Wardens of the Company.
From 1555 to the present day, the Company has acted as the trustee of Gresham's School
Gresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
in Holt, Norfolk
Holt, Norfolk
Holt is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is north of the city of Norwich, west of Cromer and east of King's Lynn. The town is on the route of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham where access to the...
.
In the early 17th century, the Company was granted lands at Ballykelly and Banagher
Banagher, County Londonderry
Banagher is a parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, and a ward of Derry City Council. The parish is made up of the medieval parish of Banagher and parts of the ancient parish of Boveva and the townland of Tireighter and Park, once in the parish of Cumber...
in northern Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, by the Crown. It remained a major landowner there until the 20th century, and the villages contain some of the most interesting buildings erected in Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
by the Plantation companies
Plantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
.
In 1714, the Irish actor Thomas Doggett
Thomas Doggett
Thomas Doggett was an Irish actor.Doggett was born in Dublin, and made his first stage appearance in London in 1691 as Nincompoop in Thomas D'Urfey's Love for Money. In this part, and as Solon in the same author's Marriage-Hater Matched, he became popular...
gave money to endow a boat race called Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race
Doggett's Coat and Badge
Doggett's Coat and Badge is the prize and name for the oldest rowing race in the world. Up to six apprentice Watermen of the River Thames in England compete for this prestigious honour, which has been held every year since 1715. The 4 miles 5 furlongs race is held on the Thames between London...
in honour of the new king, George I of the house of Hanover
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
. The race was originally to be rowed annually on 1 August on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, by up to six young watermen who were not to be out of their apprenticeship by more than twelve months. The prize for the champion oarsman is a fine red coat with a large silver badge on one arm, bearing the white horse of Hanover and the word 'liberty'. Since Doggett's death, the Fishmongers' Company has organised this event annually, and it is now believed to be the world's longest continually-running sporting event and also the world's longest boat race – 4 miles, 5 furlongs (7,400 m).
By the 18th century, references to fish were hard to find in the court minutes of the Fishmongers' Company, and the Company's main business had become managing its extensive property and administering its charities and trusts, such as Gresham's School]] and St. Peter's Hospital, an almshouse at Newington
Newington, London
Newington is a district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It was an ancient parish and the site of the early administration of the county of Surrey...
in Surrey.
Functions
The Company is governed by a Prime Warden, five other Wardens and a Court of 28 livery members.Early in its existence, the Company acquired a monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
of the sale of fish in the City of London. Today, this monopoly is no longer absolute, but under powers established by a Charter of James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
in 1604, the staff of the Company (known as fishmeters) still inspect all fish imported to the City. This applies especially to Billingsgate Fish Market
Billingsgate Fish Market
Situated in East London, Billingsgate Fish Market is the United Kingdom's largest inland fish market. It takes its name from Billingsgate, a ward in the south-east of the City of London, where the riverside market was originally established...
, the largest such market in the United Kingdom.
The Company is intimately concerned with salmon and fresh water fishing as well as shellfish throughout the waters of the United Kingdom, and it supports research and publishes books on fish, such as Fish and Shellfish and The Fishmongers' Company Cook Book. Thus, the Company continues many of its original trade duties, unlike some of the other Livery Companies which have become entirely charitable or ceremonial institutions.
The Company is also a significant educational charity. As well as Gresham's School, it has also long-supported the City and Guilds of London Art School and the City and Guilds of London Institute.
Company members number nearly 300 and continues to include a good representation of working fishmongers. Liverymen of the Company are also members of the City's Common Hall and thus can vote in the election of the Lord Mayor of the City of London each year on Michaelmas Day (29 September) or on the closest weekday, and also in the election of the Sheriffs of the City of London
Sheriffs of the City of London
There are two Sheriffs of the City of London. The sheriffs are elected annually by the Liverymen of the Livery Companies, and it is a requirement for a Lord Mayor of the City of London to previously have served as a Sheriff. Sheriffs have only nominal duties now, but previously had large judicial...
on every Midsummer's Day. Voting is by show of hands, but if any liveryman demands a ballot, this is to be held two weeks later.
Hall
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
in 1666 and a replacement hall designed by the architect Edward Jerman opened in 1671. Jerman's hall was taken down when the new London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
was constructed in 1827. The next hall, opened in 1834, was designed by Henry Roberts
Henry Roberts (architect)
Henry Roberts was a British architect best known for Fishmongers' Hall in London and for his work on model dwellings for workers.-Biography:...
although his assistant Gilbert Scott
Gilbert Scott
Gilbert Scott may refer to several of a family of British architects:* Sir George Gilbert Scott , who was principally known for his architectural designs for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and St Pancras Station...
made the drawings for the new building, and built by Cubitts, the firm founded by Thomas Cubitt
Thomas Cubitt
Thomas Cubitt , born Buxton, Norfolk, was the leading master builder in London in the second quarter of the 19th century, and also carried out several projects in other parts of England.-Background:...
. After severe bomb damage during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
, Fishmongers' Hall was restored by Austen Hall and reopened in 1951.
The hall contains many treasures, including the dagger with which Lord Mayor Walworth
William Walworth
Sir William Walworth , was twice Lord Mayor of London . He is best known for killing Wat Tyler.His family came from Durham...
killed Wat Tyler
Wat Tyler
Walter "Wat" Tyler was a leader of the English Peasants' Revolt of 1381.-Early life:Knowledge of Tyler's early life is very limited, and derives mostly through the records of his enemies. Historians believe he was born in Essex, but are not sure why he crossed the Thames Estuary to Kent...
in 1381, Pietro Annigoni
Pietro Annigoni
Pietro Annigoni was an Italian portrait and fresco painter, who became world famous after painting Queen Elizabeth II in 1956.-Life:Born in Milan in 1910, Annigoni was a painter who was influenced by the Italian Renaissance....
's first portrait of Her Majesty The Queen, a collection of 17th- and 18th-century silver, an embroidered 15th-century funeral pall, two portraits by George Romney
George Romney (painter)
George Romney was an English portrait painter. He was the most fashionable artist of his day, painting many leading society figures - including his artistic muse, Emma Hamilton, mistress of Lord Nelson....
, and river scenes by Samuel Scott. The hall is located in Bridge ward
Bridge (ward)
Bridge is a small ward of the City of London and is named from its propinquity to London Bridge. Bridge ward is found within the boundary formed by the River Thames, Swan Lane, Arthur Street, Fish Street Hill, Gracechurch Street, Fenchurch Street, Rood Lane, Lovat Lane and Lower Thames Street.The...
, next to London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
.
Gresham's School
Since 1555, the Company has acted as the trustee of Gresham's SchoolGresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
in Holt, Norfolk
Holt, Norfolk
Holt is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is north of the city of Norwich, west of Cromer and east of King's Lynn. The town is on the route of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham where access to the...
, in accordance with the wishes of Lord Mayor Sir John Gresham
John Gresham
Sir John Gresham was an English merchant, courtier and financier who worked for King Henry VIII of England, Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell. He was Lord Mayor of London and founded Gresham's School.-Life:...
(1492-1556). Among other things, the Company provides more than half of the school's governors, including the chairman of the governing body, which meets at Fishmongers' Hall.
In 1729, the Fishmongers' Company presented the school with "...a valuable and useful library, not only of the best editions of the Classics and Lexicographers, but also with some books of Antiquities, Chronology, and Geography, together with a suitable pair of globes".
In May 1926, in accepting membership of the Company by right of patrimony, the future King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
said: "I hope that it may be possible for me, at some future date, to prove my interest by personally visiting Gresham's School, of which I have frequently heard such excellent accounts".
List of Prime Wardens
- c. 1370: Sir William WalworthWilliam WalworthSir William Walworth , was twice Lord Mayor of London . He is best known for killing Wat Tyler.His family came from Durham...
- 1664: Abraham Johnson
- 1676: William Allington
- 1977: Kenneth Mackay, 3rd Earl of InchcapeEarl of InchcapeEarl of Inchcape is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1929 for the Scottish shipping magnate and public servant James Mackay, 1st Viscount Inchcape. He was Chairman of the P and O Steam Navigation Company...
- 1989–1990: Robert Kindersley, 3rd Baron KindersleyBaron KindersleyBaron Kindersley, of West Hoathly in the County of Sussex, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1941 for the businessman Sir Robert Kindersley, chiefly in recognition of his work as President of the National Savings Committee. His second son, the second Baron, was a...
- 2000–2001: Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll
- 2011–2012: Thomas W. Boyd
Notable liverymen of the Guild and Company
- King George VGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
- King George VIGeorge VI of the United KingdomGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
- Alexander McDonnell, 9th Earl of Antrim
- William AskhamWilliam Askham-Career:Askham was an apprentice of the famous City of London fishmonger and Lord Mayor Sir William Walworth. He prospered in his trade and eventually followed in his master's footsteps as Sheriff of London in 1398 and Lord Mayor in 1403.-Coat of arms:...
, Lord Mayor - Eric Lubbock, 4th Baron AveburyEric Lubbock, 4th Baron AveburyEric Reginald Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury, PC is an English politician. A Liberal Member of Parliament from 1962 to 1970, he succeeded as Baron Avebury in 1971...
- John Knatchbull, 7th Baron BrabourneJohn Knatchbull, 7th Baron BrabourneJohn Ulick Knatchbull, 7th Baron Brabourne, CBE , professionally known as John Brabourne, was a British peer, television producer and Academy-award nominated film producer....
- David Cairns, 5th Earl CairnsDavid Cairns, 5th Earl CairnsRear-Admiral David Charles Cairns, 5th Earl Cairns GCVO CB , was Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom from 1962 to 1971....
, Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
admiral - Ralph Stonor, 7th Baron CamoysRalph Stonor, 7th Baron CamoysRalph Thomas Campion George Sherman Stonor, 7th Baron Camoys, , was Lord Chamberlain of the United Kingdom from 1998 to 2000...
- Sir Richard Carew Pole
- Hugh Cavendish, Baron Cavendish of FurnessHugh Cavendish, Baron Cavendish of FurnessHugh Cavendish, Baron Cavendish of Furness FRSA , who usually uses the name Hugh Cavendish, is a British Conservative politician and landowner. He owns Holker Hall, and its 17,000 acre estate, that overlooks Morecambe Bay in Cumbria...
- George VilliersGeorge Villiers, 7th Earl of ClarendonGeorge Frederick Laurence Hyde Villiers, 7th Earl of Clarendon was the son of George Herbert Arthur Hyde Villiers, Lord Hyde and Hon. Marion Feodorovna Louise Glyn . He succeeded to the family titles upon the death of his grandfather in 1955.He married Jane Diana Dawson in 1974...
- Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of DevonshireEdward Cavendish, 10th Duke of DevonshireEdward William Spencer Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, KG, MBE, TD , known as Marquess of Hartington , was the head of the Devonshire branch of the Cavendish family...
- Thomas DoggettThomas DoggettThomas Doggett was an Irish actor.Doggett was born in Dublin, and made his first stage appearance in London in 1691 as Nincompoop in Thomas D'Urfey's Love for Money. In this part, and as Solon in the same author's Marriage-Hater Matched, he became popular...
- Anthony Duckworth-ChadAnthony Duckworth-ChadAnthony Nicholas George Duckworth-Chad OBE DL , of Pynkney Hall, near King's Lynn, Norfolk, England, is a landowner, City of London business man, and a senior county officer for Norfolk.-Education :...
- Prince Philip, Duke of EdinburghPrince Philip, Duke of EdinburghPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
- Peter Mackay, 4th Earl of InchcapePeter Mackay, 4th Earl of InchcapeKenneth Peter Lyle Mackay, 4th Earl of Inchcape , known as Peter Inchcape, is an earl in the Peerage of the United Kingdom....
- Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll
- George Petty-FitzMaurice, 8th Marquess of LansdowneGeorge Petty-FitzMaurice, 8th Marquess of LansdowneGeorge John Charles Mercer Nairne Petty-Fitzmaurice, 8th Marquess of Lansdowne DL , known as George Petty-Fitzmaurice until 1944, was a British peer and Conservative politician.-Background:...
- Sir John LemanJohn LemanSir John Leman was a tradesman from Beccles, England who became Lord Mayor of London.-Career:Leman's business interests grew across the district of Waveney, which spans the Norfolk-Suffolk border. In the 1580s he moved to London and extended his business interests to trading in dairy products...
, Lord Mayor - Mark Lennox-BoydMark Lennox-BoydSir Mark Alexander Lennox-Boyd is a British Conservative politician and a son of the 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton.Lennox-Boyd was MP for Morecambe and Lonsdale from 1979 to 1983, and the Morecambe and Lunesdale from 1983 until his defeat by Labour's Geraldine Smith in 1997...
- Sir John LovekynJohn LovekynSir John Lovekyn was a City of London fishmonger who was three times Lord Mayor of London.He served as Sheriff of the City of London in 1342 and first became Lord Mayor in 1348, and was elected to a second term in 1358. His third term was more unexpected. On 28 October 1365, Adam de Bury was...
, Lord Mayor - Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of NorfolkEdward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of NorfolkEdward William Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, is the son of Miles Stapleton-Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk and his wife Anne Mary Teresa Constable-Maxwell. The principal seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle....
- Cranley OnslowCranley OnslowCranley Gordon Douglas Onslow, Baron Onslow of Woking KCMG PC was a British politician and served as the Conservative MP for Woking from 1964 to 1997....
- Isaac Penington, Lord Mayor
- Lady Perry of SouthwarkPauline Perry, Baroness Perry of SouthwarkPauline Perry, Baroness Perry of Southwark is an educationalist, a Conservative politician and a member of the British House of Lords. She was Chief Inspector of Schools in England....
- Francis Phillimore, 5th Baron Phillimore
- Sir John ReynwellJohn Reynwell-Career:Askham was a City of London fishmonger. He prospered in his trade, became a Sheriff of London in 1412, Lord Mayor of London in 1426 - 1427 and was knighted.-Coat of arms:Askham's arms were a chevron between three dolphins embowed...
, Lord Mayor - Guy Innes-Ker, 10th Duke of RoxburgheGuy Innes-Ker, 10th Duke of Roxburghethumb|right|Portrait by [[Allan Warren]]Guy David Innes-Ker, 10th Duke of Roxburghe , is a British aristocrat. He was the elder son of the 9th Duke by his second wife Elisabeth McConnel...
- Ralph Stonor, 7th Baron CamoysRalph Stonor, 7th Baron CamoysRalph Thomas Campion George Sherman Stonor, 7th Baron Camoys, , was Lord Chamberlain of the United Kingdom from 1998 to 2000...
- Sir Gervais Tennyson-d'EyncourtGervais Tennyson-d'EyncourtSir Eustace Gervais Tennyson-d'Eyncourt, 2nd Baronet .-Early life:Tennyson-d'Eyncourt was the son of Sir Eustace Tennyson-d'Eyncourt, 1st Baronet, and of his wife Janet , the elder daughter of Mathew Finlay, of Langside, Glasgow, and the widow of John Burns.He was educated at Charterhouse...
- Sir William WalworthWilliam WalworthSir William Walworth , was twice Lord Mayor of London . He is best known for killing Wat Tyler.His family came from Durham...
, Lord Mayor - Field Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood
- George Frederick BodleyGeorge Frederick BodleyGeorge Frederick Bodley was an English architect working in the Gothic revival style.-Personal life:Bodley was the youngest son of William Hulme Bodley, M.D. of Edinburgh, physician at Hull Royal Infirmary, Kingston upon Hull, who in 1838 retired to his wife's home town, Brighton, Sussex, England....
- Ben TraversBen TraversBen Travers AFC CBE in London) was a British playwright best remembered for his farces.Born in the London borough of Hendon, Travers was educated at Charterhouse, where today there is a theatre named for him...
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Arms
The armsHeraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
of the Company are blazoned:
Arms: Azure three Dolphins naiant embowed in pale argent finned toothed and crowned or between two pairs of Stockfish in saltire argent over the mouth of each Fish a Crown or on a Chief gules three pairs of Keys of St Peter in saltire
Crest: Upon a Helm on a Wreath argent and sable, two Cubit arms the dexter vested or cuffed azure the sinister vested azure cuffed or the Hands argent holding an Imperial Crown proper
Supporters: On the dexter side a Merman armed and holding in his right hand a Falchion and with his left sustaining the Helm and Timbre, and on the sinister side a Mermaid holding in her left hand a Mirror and supporting the Arms with her right hand, all proper
Motto: Al Worship Be To God Only (shared with Gresham's School
Gresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
)
Note: In heraldry
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
, naiant means swimming to the viewer's left, while embowed means curved like a bow. For the meaning of azure, argent, sable, and or, see Tincture
Tincture (heraldry)
In heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to emblazon a coat of arms. These can be divided into several categories including light tinctures called metals, dark tinctures called colours, nonstandard colours called stains, furs, and "proper". A charge tinctured proper is coloured as it would be...
.
Sources
- The Fishmongers' Company Official site
- Fishmongers' Hall and Fish Street Hill at british-history.ac.uk
- Arms of the Fishmongers' Company Heraldic Media
- Gresham's School - Official site
- Holland & Hannen and Cubitts - The Inception and Development of a Great Building Firm, published 1920