1666–7. The following interesting entries relate to the Great Fire and the providential preservation of the Holbein painting.
| To a souldier two dayes & two nights on the trained bands when the great fier was & for powder | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| ffor carrying of the Companyes goods by Porters to Moorefeildꝭ, howse roome there & carrying thence to Holborne bridge | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| To a seaman that quenched the top of the theater when fired | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| To other labourers at that time | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| To one hurt in that service | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| ffor drinke for the labourers then | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| To a poore fellow that found a skelliton | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| To the City Marshall for getting of labourers and laders & an engine to save the Theater | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ffor the use of timber & other things at that time | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| To Major Brookes for his expences about H ye 8th picture | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Given him as the Companyes gift | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| To six porters wth expences of bringing home yt picture | 0 | 8 | 9 |
| To Capt Carroll his expenses about that picture | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Given him as the Companyes gift | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Expended on him | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| ffor a Cipres chest to put the plate in | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| ffor foure locks 2 handles & 8 plates for that chest | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| ffor a trunke for the linnin | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| To Jonas Wills for Workemen to Carry in leade & iron out of the ruines | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| To a Carpenter & his man that assisted | 9 | 6 | 0 |
| To Peter Smith for Workemen at the hall 22th Septemb. 1666 | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| More to him for workemen ye 25 of 7ber 66 | 7 | 11 | 8 |
| ffor 7 large boxes wth Locks & keys to put the Companyes writings in | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| To Peter Smith his charges in getting home sevˀall flaggs & pictures & a skelliton | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| To Jonas Wills for the Skelliton the Cobler had | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| ffor a Warrant for sevˀall pˀsons suspected to have some of the Companyes goods & Expended about it | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| 1667–8. Received of severall Members of the Company and fforreynrs towards the Building of the Hall and other offices | 383 | 8 | 0 |
These contributions were voluntary and are accounted for every year for a considerable period. At the end of the book is a long and detailed list of the contributors, commencing 23rd April, 1668, and extending to March, 1681. There seem to have been 398 subscribers, and the sum collected from them was £1,850; this amount, however, was wholly inadequate for the rebuilding of the hall, which appears by entries extending over 1668 to 1674, to have cost the Company no less than £4,292. The deficit was made up by sales of freehold property in the City, for what to us, in these days, would seem absurdly low prices, and by loans, etc.
BARBER-SURGEONS’ HALL, 1674–1864.
1668–9. The Company received from the Chamber of London £620 6s. 6d., being the return of £500 lent to the King in November, 1664, and the interest thereon £120 6s. 6d. This is the only instance recorded of any forced loan having been refunded.
| Received of severall Barbers for trimminge on ye Lords Day | 10 | 4 | 0 |
1669–70. The Company’s barge seems to have been manned by twenty rowers, besides the Barge Master, and these men had 4s. each for rowing on Lord Mayor’s day.