The Annals of the Barber-Surgeons of London

by Unknown

The illegal seizures of the Irish lands in 1637 were set aside by Charles II, who, by his Charter, 10th April, 1662, restored and confirmed to the citizens all their former privileges and their possessions in Ireland, and thus our Company became repossessed of its original property there.

A little previous to 1840 communications passed between the Barbers and the Ironmongers’ Companies, in reference to an appointment which had been made by the latter Company, of Mr. Oseland as Manager of the associated estate at a salary of £400 per annum. This appointment seems to have been made without the knowledge or concurrence of the associated Companies, and led to some little friction, but it was no doubt a wise step, and appears, after various protests, to have been finally acquiesced in.

Our property known as the “Lizard Estate,” was on lease for lives, the sole surviving life being the then Bishop of Meath, who was 76 years of age. The Ironmongers, in the natural expectation of an early reversion to the estate, appointed Mr. Oseland to look after the Companies’ interests, and from the list of his duties it would seem that his office was no sinecure. The Bishop dying in 1840, the lease fell in, and there were various consultations among the Companies as to the advisability of a partition or a sale, or the granting of a fresh lease. The Scriveners alone desired a partition, the others were for keeping on the late under-lessees and tenants as tenants for a year until a course could be decided upon, and this was eventually agreed to, the Barbers recording in their books an expression of their sense of the wise manner in which the Ironmongers’ Company had managed the business.

One very important point discussed at Ironmongers’ Hall was that of the waste and dilapidations which had been suffered to accrue by the late lessee. These were estimated to amount to £5,000, and there was not the least question as to the right and power of the Companies to have enforced a claim in this respect, but they generously decided not even to present it; had the Companies been “trustees” they would have had no option but to have enforced their claim.

This action accords with the general liberal administration of Estates as pursued by the City guilds, and is another evidence (if, indeed, such evidence were wanting!) of the absence of greed and of the generous way in which tenants are treated by these bodies.

This Estate is subject to no trust whatever, it was purchased by the Company out of monies which they collected from individual members of the Guild, or by the sale of their plate, etc., and for many years it was unproductive. It is a portion of their private corporate estate, and no trust or charity suffered by this voluntary abandonment of a large sum to which they were entitled in lieu of the re-instatement of the dilapidation. The proceedings are all very fully set out in the Court Minutes for 1840, 1841, etc.

6th July, 1609. This daye M^r. Leacock, M^r. John Martin, M^r. Thorney & M^r. Peek accordinge to a pˀcept to the M^rs. of this Company lately directed are by this Courte appoynted Committees for this Company to conferre w^th the rest of the Committees of oth^r Companies concerninge the intended plantac͠on in the Realme of Ireland And they are to make theire report to the next Courte of their proceedingꝭ therein.

26th July, 1609. This daie the precept directed from the Lord Maio^r of this Citie to the M^rs of this Company Concerninge a Contribution to be had from this Company towardꝭ the intended plantac͠on in his Ma^ties realme of Ireland was read before the Lyvery of this Company and before the Assistantꝭ of the Yeomandry of this Company who being by the M^rs demaunded by vertue of the said precept what they wold willingly Contribute towardꝭ the said service some of them proffered to Contribute as hereafter ensueth videliz^t M^r. Rodes xx^s. M^r. Mapes xx^s. Mr^r. Jenkins xx^s. M^r. Thorney xl^s. M^r. ffrederick xx^s. Mr^r. ffuller x^s. M^r. ffenton x^s. M^r. Kerrell xx^s. John Udall v^s. Robert Jennings v^s. Dominick Lumley ij^s. vj^d. Andrew Mathew vj^s. viij^d. Thomas Homewood v^s. Xpõfer Walton ij^s. vj^d. ffrauncis Rycraft ij^s. Arthure Doughton ij^s. George Pitts v^s. Richard Daniell ij^s. Richard Higgins iij^s. iiij^d. Symon Crosse ij^s. Thomas Clarck ij^s. and the rest of the Lyvery and assistauntꝭ of the yeomandrey then present refused to Contribute anything at all. Whereupon it was thought fitt by this Court that aswell the names of such as had proffered to contribute as aforesaid and their severall proffered contribuc͠ons also the names of those that refused to contribute shold accordinge to the said precept be certefyed in writing to the Lord Maior signifyeing further in the same Certificate that forasmuch as the Contribuc͠on menc͠oned in the said Certificate was very small w^ch the M^rs were very unwilling to present to his Lordship, the Company were contented if it might stand w^th his Lo^ps good pleasure to adventure C^li. of the Cxxiij^li. w^ch is owinge unto them by the Cities bond, so that they might have a bill of Adventure for the same.

26th January, 1610. The above proposition not having been entertained, a further precept dated 9th January, 1610, was received, commanding the Company to furnish £100 and at this Court the same was considered when it was resolved that the common stock of the Company should contribute £25 and an assessment be made upon the members as follows: the Livery 20s., the Assistants of the Yeomanry 10s., Freemen 6s. 8d., Aliens 20s., and foreign brothers 15s. each, and by a later order each member of the Court was assessed at 20s.