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<h1><font face="Verdana" size="4">Cordwainers - The Worshipful Company
- one of the ancient City of London Livery Companies </font></h1>
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<div align="center"><img src="images/cordwainersboots.gif" width="127" height="165" alt="cordwainers, the worshipful company, one of the ancient city of london livery companies"></div>
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<td><font face="Verdana" size="2">The Worshipful Company Cordwainers, one
of the City of London Livery Companies.</font></td>
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<td><font face="Verdana" size="2">Cordwainers - The Worshipful Company - one
of the ancient City of London Livery Companies was formally founded in 1272
and has since that time been dedicated to the support of education and training
in the design and production of footwear and associated leather accessories
and the promotion of the footwear industry. </font></td>
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<td height="187"><font face="Verdana" size="2">Cordwainers as a word is derived
from the ancient Spanish leather centre of Cordoba where the Arabs used
an alum dressing process on goatskin to produce a fine white leather that
became known as ‘cordovan’ or ‘cordwain’. The Latin word for this kind of
leather is ‘aluta’ and workers were called ‘alutarii’, a term found in the
Cordwainers Company’s first Charter of 1439. ‘Corium’ is the term used for
coarse leather like cowhide but curiously the word has been used in the
Company’s motto, ‘CORIO ET ARTE’, which can be translated as ‘Leather and
Art’. Initially all craftsmen working with fine leather were called ‘cordwainers’
and this included shoewrights, girdlers (beltmakers), pouchmakers, pursers,
malemakers (leather trunk makers), botteliers (leather bottle makers) and
glovers as well as those who prepared the leather, whitetawyers, curriers,
tanners and dyers. Gradually the title of ‘cordwainer’ was restricted to
makers of fine footwear and the other crafts formed their own guilds. </font></td>
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<td><font face="Verdana" size="2">In common with other City of London Livery
Companies, the Cordwainers Company was, in the early and middle ages, responsible
for the governance and quality control of its trade in the City of London.
Another important responsibility for the Livery Company was the education
and training of craftsmen through the system of apprenticeships. This early
involvement in education and training has continued to the present day.
As a founder member of the at City and Guilds of London Institute in 1878,
the Company is represented on the Council of that Institute, and also the
Council of City University where it presents prizes and a bursary annually
to students in the Music Department. The Company is also a member of the
Livery Companies’ Vocational Educational Group (LOGVEC) which encourages
support for colleges and schools throughout the London area and in the widest
sense. </font></td>
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<p><font face="Verdana" size="2"> Founded in 1272 and Incorporated by Royal
Charter in 1439, the Cordwainers Company has an active membership of 120
Liverymen today. The Company's Objectives and Activities are: </font></p>
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<li><font face="Verdana" size="2">the corporate management of the Company’s
property and investments. </font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana" size="2">the management of the Company’s charitable
funds and trusts and the administration of donations to some 40 designated
charities and 120 individuals in the City of London and elsewhere. </font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana" size="2">to promote the footwear and other leather
industries and to give active support to education and training in the
associated design and production skills. </font></li>
<li><font face="Verdana" size="2">to foster comradeship amongst members
of the Company by holding meetings and events to support the Lord Mayor
and the Corporation of the City of London</font></li>
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