All freemen practising as journeymen or assistants, if Barbers, Surgeons, or Barber-Surgeons were “sessed at the Hall,” that is, their wages were settled for them by the Court, and entered in a book, together with the period for which they agreed to serve, the period being never less than one year nor more than three. These men were often called “covenant servants,” but they paid quarterage, and were entitled to all the privileges of freedom, excepting that they could not take apprentices.
If a freemen desired to start in business, the By-laws of 1530 required that he should prove to the Court as an act precedent to his so doing, that he was possessed of goods to the value of ten marks.
A certain class of members called “Foreign Brothers” are very frequently alluded to in the Books, and it has been a matter of some difficulty to ascertain what their status exactly was, but by collation of numerous entries I have come to the conclusion that, with very few exceptions, they were all of them practising Surgeons, and that they had not been apprenticed to freemen of the Company. If practising within the jurisdiction of the Company, they were compelled to join, or else to forbear to practise, and it seems that on admission they were required to satisfy the Court by the production of their Indentures of apprenticeship to Country or other Surgeons that they had duly served seven years, and to give ample proof of their skill and knowledge before the Examiners; exceptions to the production of indentures were, however, made in favour of those who came with recommendations from persons of quality, or of such as had acquired eminence and position in the profession. All sea surgeons were “Foreign Brothers” and paid a fine (generally seven guineas) on admission, they also paid quarterage as freemen, and when they resided within the jurisdiction were subject to all the rules and ordinances of the Company as other freemen, being frequently fined and imprisoned for malpractice, etc., though they were not entitled to the benefit of the charities, to come to the dinners, or to confer the right of admission by patrimony upon their sons, nor do they seem to have been necessarily free of the City. Many Surgeons practising in the Country became Foreign Brothers for the sake of the diplomas granted at Barber-Surgeons’ Hall.
There are a few instances of “Barbers” being compelled to become Foreign Brothers, for which I am unable to give an explanation, unless they be errors of description by the Clerk for “Barber-Surgeons.”
Every freeman on admission formerly paid 3s. 4d., and every apprentice on “presentation” 2s. 6d. For many years the names of these persons are entered in the Audit Books, and thus it has been possible to ascertain the number admitted extending over a considerable period.
It appears that from the year 1603 to 1674, 3,479 persons were admitted to the freedom, an average of about 48 per annum; and 9,554 apprentices were presented, an average of about 133 per annum. The greatest number of freemen admitted was in the year 1647 when 82 came on, and the least in 1666 when but 23 were admitted. With apprentices the greatest number presented was in the year 1629 when there were 219, and the least again in the year of the Great Fire when there were but 54.
Between 1674 and 1745, about 75 freemen and 162 apprentices would be the yearly average.
After the separation in 1745, and indeed down to the beginning of this century, a respectable average was maintained, being about 40 freemen and 60 apprentices per annum.
In the hundred years between 1746 and 1845, 2,964 persons were admitted to the freedom and 4,298 apprentices were presented, being an average of about 30 of the former and 43 of the latter for each year. The least number of freemen coming on was in 1845, when only 5 were admitted, and of apprentices in 1844, when but 4 were presented.