Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh facts for kids

Melville Street, showing Ashfield (far left), headquarters of The Convenery of the Trades of Edinburgh.

The Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh are special groups of skilled workers and craftspeople in Edinburgh, Scotland. Think of them like old clubs or associations for people who did the same kind of work, such as bakers, tailors, or goldsmiths. They are similar to the Livery Companies in London, but on a smaller scale. These groups are not called "guilds" in Scotland. They were actually formed a long time ago, mostly in the late 1400s, to help protect the interests of craftspeople against powerful merchant groups.

By 1562, these different trade groups joined together to form an even bigger group called The Convenery of Trades of Edinburgh. This umbrella group still exists today. It helps look after the interests of all the Incorporated Trades in the city. The Convenery includes the leaders (called Deacons) from each trade group. It also includes all the members, their assistants (journeymen), and trainees (apprentices), working together and supporting each other.

In the past, to join one of these trade groups, you first had to become a Burgess of Edinburgh. A Burgess was someone with special rights in the city. Once accepted, you could start your own business and hire others. The trade groups could stop anyone from outside their group from doing their trade in Edinburgh unless they paid their fees. Today, the Convenery works with the Royal Company of Merchants to suggest people to become Burgesses of Edinburgh.

Even though they are no longer an official part of the City of Edinburgh Council, the Convenery of Trades still has connections with the city. They take part in many important traditional events in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh's Historic Trade Groups

The old symbol of the Edinburgh Incorporation of Weavers.

The Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh used to have the power to control how their specific trades worked in the city. There are fifteen of these groups in Edinburgh. Fourteen of them had leaders (Deacons) who were always part of the Convenery of Trades from the very beginning.

Unlike similar groups in London, which are ranked by how old they are, Edinburgh's trades are ranked by an official rule. This rule was set by King James VI in 1583. The reason for this was that many groups had lost their original founding documents. So, they didn't know exactly when they started.

In 1583, a rule called the Act of Sett said that six of the Deacons should be full members of the city council. These were called the Council Deacons. The other eight Deacons, called Extraordinary Deacons, would join council meetings only for certain topics. They also took part in yearly elections for council members. Until 1833, the Deacons of the fourteen Incorporated Trades regularly met with the Town Council. However, changes to local government in 1973 removed their official role in the City of Edinburgh Council.

What is the Convenery of Trades?

The Convenery of the Trades of Edinburgh is made up of the elected leaders (Deacons) from all the different trade groups. Today, it acts as the main governing body for the Incorporated Trades. Its main focus now is on various charities and events run by the trade groups. They also help the individual trade groups whenever they can.

The Convenery is led by the Deacon-Convener of the Trades of Edinburgh. This person is considered the most important tradesperson in Scotland. They are also the third most important citizen of Edinburgh, after the Lord Provost and the Lord Dean of Guild. From 1598 to 1858, the Convenery of Trades met in the Magdalen Chapel in Cowgate. Today, they meet at their own headquarters, called Ashfield, at 61 Melville Street. This building also has a special museum.

How to Join a Trade Group

To become a full member (Freeman) of any trade group, you used to first need to become a Burgess of Edinburgh. Historically, the Lord Dean of Guild, an official in the City of Edinburgh Council, granted Burgess-ship. This happened after a trade group or the Merchant Company suggested someone.

However, changes in local government in 1973 changed this. The role of Lord Dean of Guild was moved to the Merchant Company of Edinburgh. The City of Edinburgh Council still gives out honorary Burgess-ship. This is given to people who have done great things for the city. This caused a problem for the Incorporated Trades. Their future members had to ask the Merchant Company of Edinburgh for their Burgess ticket first.

To fix this, the Edinburgh City Council helped create an agreement. Now, both the Merchant Company and the Convenery of Trades can suggest people for Burgess-ship. A special committee with members from both groups decides. In 2017, a new group called the Burgess Association of Edinburgh was formed. It includes all Burgesses and helps build friendship between the Merchant Company and the Convenery. The City Council gave this Association the job of keeping the list of Burgesses. They also collect fees for new Burgess tickets. These tickets must be signed by the Lord Dean of Guild, the Deacon Convener of the Trades, and the Lord Provost.

How the Trades Were Run

The Edinburgh Trades' Maiden Hospital, a charity founded by the craftsmen of Edinburgh.

Deacons: The Leaders

Each trade group elects a leader called a Deacon. This role dates back to 1424. Originally, their job was to make sure that the products made by their trade met high quality standards. Later, the Deacon's role often combined with being a 'Kirkmaster' or 'Boxmaster' (treasurer).

The Deacons used to sit on the Town Council, but this privilege was removed in 1833. Deacons also took on other important duties. For example, the Deacon of the Goldsmiths was also in charge of checking the quality of precious metals at the Edinburgh Assay Office until 1681. They still help run this organization today. Over time, Deacons also became trustees for various charities. They were also governors of the Edinburgh Trades Maiden Hospital, a charity started by Edinburgh's craftspeople and Mary Erskine (1629-1707). This charity still exists today, but it is now called the Edinburgh Trades Fund.

One famous Deacon was Deacon Brodie. He was the Deacon of the Wrights (carpenters). Sadly, he used his knowledge of houses to become a housebreaker and thief.

Boxmaster: The Treasurer

One of the most important things for each trade group was its "trade box." This box held their money and important documents. These boxes were often decorated with symbols of the trade. For safety, the person holding the box might not have had the key, and the key might have been held by someone else. Over time, "Boxmaster" became another name for the treasurer of the group.

Past Roles of the Trades

The main job of the Incorporated Trades was to act like a trade association and a governing body for skilled craftspeople. They made sure that standards were kept high within their trades in the city. This meant they helped set rules for their industry locally. You couldn't practice a trade without being part of its Incorporation. So, these groups also helped train apprentices and journeymen in their crafts.

Over time, the Incorporated Trades became more important. They even held positions within the city's Town Council. At different times, they had representatives in the Common Council of the city. The Deacon Convener even sat as one of the city's magistrates. These council members were chosen by popular vote from within the trades. The Merchant Company, on the other hand, appointed their council members themselves.

Flags of the Incorporated Trades.

As the Trades became more powerful, more important people wanted to join them. The Trades encouraged this to grow their influence. Historically, most members were from the Burgess class, as you needed a Burgess Ticket to join. However, over time, even some people from higher social classes wanted to join, often as amateur craftspeople.

For example, in 1657, a lawyer named Mr. Charles Smith was accepted into the Hammermen (blacksmiths). He showed his skill by making "the portrait of a horse's leg, shoed with a silver shoe." This was considered a very skilled piece of work. Another example is Sir George Mackenzie, who joined the Hammermen in 1697. Even the Duke of Cumberland joined the Hammermen in 1746.

The Incorporations also became places for people to meet, make business connections, and socialize. The Incorporation of Masons, for example, met at Mary's Chapel. In 1491, they were allowed to have "recreation in the commoun luge." This shows their meeting place was used for more than just training and administration. The "luge" refers to a "lodge," which is what masons call their meeting place.

In 1634, the Mary's Chapel Lodge of Edinburgh accepted Sir Anthony Alexander, who was the Master of Work to the Crown of Scotland. Anthony was not a working stonemason. This event is thought to be the beginning of "speculative" Masonry, later known as Freemasonry. This might be because masons had to be Burgesses of Edinburgh, meaning they were "free" from being tied to a specific lord, unlike English masons. Because Sir Alex joined and because of old records from 1599, the Lodge of Edinburgh (Mary's Chapel) claims to be the oldest Freemasonic Lodge in the world. Other similar groups formed from other trades in Scotland, like the Order of Free Gardeners.

What the Trades Do Today

The Blue Banner being lowered at the Mercat Cross during the Edinburgh Riding of the Marches, remembering the Battle of Flodden.

Many of the trade groups now focus more on charity work. Some even accept members who haven't received a Burgess ticket.

The Incorporation of Surgeons is now called The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. It is one of the four main surgical colleges in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The others are in England, Glasgow, and Ireland.

The Incorporation of Goldsmiths owns and runs the Edinburgh Assay Office. Today, its members include jewellers, goldsmiths, silversmiths, bankers, and financial experts. In the past, many members helped start the Bank of Scotland in 1695. The Goldsmiths still have the legal job of testing and marking gold, silver, platinum, and palladium items before they can be sold.

The Kirking of the Deacons

Every year, the Deacons take part in a ceremony called The Kirking of the Deacons. This happens around Beltane (early May). The Deacons march in special clothes with their banners. They are led by the Convenery's Officer carrying the Blue Blanket, a very old banner. They are escorted by the High Constables of Edinburgh. The procession goes from Candlemakers' Hall to Greyfriars Kirk.

There, they are met by the Lord Provost and some city council members. A ceremony is led by the Convenery's Chaplain. They sing hymns and say Clement Cor's Prayer, which is a traditional prayer for the Convenery. After this, they process from the church to the grave of Mary Erskine. She helped the Incorporated Trades found the Trades Maiden Hospital in 1704. Before 1973, the entire Edinburgh Council took part in this ceremony. They were reminded of their duties to the city.

The Riding of the Marches

The Riding of the Marches is a modern event that brings back an old tradition. This tradition stopped in the early 1700s. It's an annual event in Edinburgh that remembers a historical moment from 1513. In that year, the Captain of the City Band, Randolph Murray, returned holding the ancient 'Blue Blanket Banner'. This banner belonged to the Edinburgh tradesmen. It was said to have been given to them by King James III in 1482. Murray brought news of the Scottish Army's defeat at the Battle of Flodden.

Order of Importance

The order of precedence (which group comes first) among the trade groups is not based on how old they are. It's decided by the Act of Sett of the Burgh of Edinburgh, agreed by King James VI in 1583. Here is the order:

• 1. The Incorporation and Royal College of Surgeons
• 2. The Incorporation of Goldsmiths
• 3. The Incorporation of Skinners (people who worked with animal skins)
• 4. The Incorporation of Furriers (people who worked with furs)
• 5. The Incorporation of Hammermen (metalworkers like blacksmiths)
• 6. The Incorporation of Wrights (carpenters and woodworkers)
• 7. The Incorporation of Masons (stoneworkers)
• 8. The Incorporation of Tailors (clothes makers)
• 9. The Incorporation of Baxters (bakers)
• 10. The Incorporation of Fleshers (butchers)
• 11. The Incorporation of Cordiners (shoemakers)
• 12. The Incorporation of Weavers (cloth makers)
• 13. The Incorporation of Waulkers (cloth finishers)
• 14. The Incorporation of Bonnetmakers & Dyers (hat makers and dyers)
• 15. The Incorporation of Candlemakers

Other Crafts and Trades

Besides the main Incorporated Trades, there were other crafts whose members also formed companies. For various reasons, these crafts never became official Incorporations. They were eventually joined with one of the existing Incorporated Trades.

For example, the Armourers, Blacksmiths, Cutlers, and Locksmiths all became part of the Hammermen. The Bowyers (bow makers), Coopers (barrel makers), Glaziers (glass workers), and Plumbers joined the Masons. The Painters and Upholsterers became part of the Wrights, who then joined the Masons.

The Society of Barbers was linked with the surgeons early on. In 1505, they formed a single group called the "Incorporation of Surgeons and Barbers." However, by 1722, the two jobs had become very different. Surgeons saw themselves as a profession, not just a craft. Barbers didn't need the same medical training. So, in 1722, the barbers were allowed to form their own separate Society. But they were not allowed to form a full Incorporation with their own Deacon. This Society closed down in 1926.

Meeting Places (Halls)

The trade groups owned halls and rooms across the city. These places were where members could meet to vote and manage their group's business.

Incorporation	Image of Hall	Hall Name and Location
Incorporation and Royal College of Surgeons	Surgeons' Hall	Surgeons' Hall - Located in the South Side, designed by William Henry Playfair and finished in 1832. The Old Surgeons' Hall, built in 1697, is in Surgeons' Square in the Old Town.
Incorporation of Goldsmiths	Goldsmiths Hall	Goldsmiths Hall - Located on Broughton Street. It used to be a church, built in 1816. It was fully renovated and opened as the assay office in 1999 by Princess Anne.
Incorporation of Skinners		Skinners Hall - Located on New Skinner's Close. It's a three-storey building from 1643. It's now privately owned and has been converted into flats since the 1980s.
Incorporation of Furriers		Shared the Skinners Hall with the Incorporation of Skinners.
Incorporation of Hammermen	Magdalen Chapel	Magdalen Chapel - Located in the Old Town, built between 1541 and 1544. The Hammermen owned it until 1858.
Incorporation of Wrights		Shared St Mary's Chapel on Niddrie's Wynd with the Incorporation of Masons.
Incorporation of Masons	Mary's Chapel, Edinburgh	St Mary's Chapel on Niddrie's Wynd was torn down for Edinburgh's South Bridge, which was finished in 1788. After that, the Masons moved to a new hall called Mary's Chapel on Burnet's Close. This building was later used for religious worship.
Incorporation of Tailors	Tailors' Hall	Tailor's Hall - Located in the Cowgate. The building was finished in 1621. In 1801, a brewery bought most of the Tailors' property, except for one building next to the Hall. It is now used as a hotel.
Incorporation of Baxters	Baxters Tolbooth	The old Tolbooth in Dean Village. It was originally built as a granary in 1675. It was sold and changed in 1900 to become the Cathedral Mission for St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral.
Incorporation of Fleshers
Incorporation of Cordiners
Incorporation of Weavers
Incorporation of Waulkers
Incorporation of Bonnetmakers & Dyers
Incorporation of Candlemakers	Candlemakers Hall	Candlemakers Hall - Built in 1722 on Candlemakers Row near Greyfriars.

See also

• Merchant Company of Edinburgh
• City of Edinburgh Council
• Livery company