Worshipful Company of Fishmongers - History

History

The Company has an unbroken existence of more than 700 years - although it probably existed earlier, it received its first Royal Charter 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 at 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 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.