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19:
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At the same time, the hospital school system was falling into disrepute. A royal commission had been established to consider the provision of education for the masses; its report changed the rules pertaining to educational trusts. The company wished to consolidate and preserve its position, and took
180:
The
Merchant Company was founded in order to protect trading rights in the City of Edinburgh. In keeping with its guild origins, as its members shared many common interests, it took an interest in the running of the city, covering such fields as taxation, postal services and the city's water supply.
369:
The company operates as a modern business forum, whilst retaining some of its ancient traditions and privileges. It holds social and networking events and continues to manage the substantial charitable and educational foundations under its care. The company's schools are operated by the
110:
in the early 16th century. The
Merchants - as many guilds in cities of the time - came to have a significant say in the running of the city. The Trades wanted to share in this power, and "constant bickering" ensued between them and the Merchants, who were unwilling to relinquish any.
410:
Membership of the
Merchant Company is open to those who carry on any of a range of businesses, trades and professions. New members are required to be elected by the Master's Court. Members must reside or carry on their business or trade either in Edinburgh or within 20 miles of
66:. Historically this was an important power, as being a Burgess was a necessity for anyone wanting to earn a living in Edinburgh. Both the Merchants' Company and the Incorporated Trades held formal roles within the governance of the City of Edinburgh, and sat on the
61:
it forms part the
Burgess Association of Edinburgh, an umbrella organisation for the trade bodies of the City of Edinburgh, who are discharged to propose individuals to the Edinburgh Lord Dean of Guild and Deacon Convener of the Trades to be made a
293:
The company was also involved in educational and charitable work. As it grew in importance and repute, charitable trusts were often left to the company to be administered. In this way the company came to operate several hospital schools: the
160:
was a milliner trading in
Edinburgh who paid an annual fee to the Company. When she married in 1710 her husband, Archibald Macaulay, was allowed to join because he had married Carola. Carola continued to trade on her own behalf.
176:
in London), designed to provide a new venue for the
Merchants to meet. The Merchants however preferred to meet at the Mercat Cross, and continued to meet at the site even though the original Mercat Cross was demolished in 1756.
221:
An Act to amend and enlarge the powers of the
Edinburgh Merchant Company to provide for the better administration of the said Company and the Widows' Fund and George Grindlay's and William Watherston's Endowments and for other
118:
issued a decree
Arbitral, sharing places on the town council between the Merchants and the Trades, but giving one more seat to the Merchants. By the late 1670s, the Merchants wished to consolidate their position and petitioned
123:. In 1681, the King responded by granting a charter creating the Merchant Company of Edinburgh, which was ratified by the Parliament of Scotland in 1693. The 1681 formation had 82 members. Their premises was just west of the
337:
The company's trade monopoly was ended – along with those of other guilds – by the
Trading Within Burghs Act 1846. Nevertheless the company continued to play an active role in issues affecting the city, and it flourished.
353:
The company was granted the title "Royal" by Her
Majesty Queen Elizabeth on 11 December 2017, during the Master-ship of Donald S. F. Young. This honour was bestowed upon the company by the
42:
officially recognised in 1681, but dating back to at least 1260. The Company, or Confraternity, was created to publicly represent, and protect the trading rights, of the merchants of the
146:
and cost the Company £670 Sterling). The Company decorated its hall with 119 animal skins of Black Spanish leather stamped with Gold markings and turned an adjacent waste ground into a
402:
they are members of The Court of Deans of Guild of Scotland. The immediate past Master of the Royal Company of Merchants is granted the ancient title of Lord Dean of Guild.
70:, until local government reforms in the late 20th century. Since then the public roles of the organisations have pivoted to primarily focus on the civic and ceremonial.
385:, granted in 1693, comprises elements reflecting the importance of world-wide trade, the royal-charter status the company holds, and its origins as a merchants' guild.
557:
54:
for businesses people and professionals operating in the City of Edinburgh. It also carries out a significant amount of charitable and educational work.
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903:
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809:
613:"Ch 20: The Royal Exchange - the Tron Church - the Great Fire of November, 1824 - Old and New Edinburgh by James Grant - Volume I"
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A further royal charter in 1777 amended provisions for the regulation of the company's affairs, and it was reincorporated by the
227:
791:
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in the city. However, there was a great rivalry between the Merchants and the craftsmen of the city, the latter forming the
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in 1870. In 1879, the company moved to its current location on Hanover Street, taking over the former premises of the
873:
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208:
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c. xxii). In 1788, the company moved to a new purpose built meeting hall at Hunter Square, near the Tron Church.
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Mary Erskine’s Grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard with a note to the Merchant Company in support of the School.
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489:"The Company of Merchants of the City of Edinburgh | Court of Deans of Guild of Scotland"
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advantage of this; in fairly short order, the hospitals were transitioned to be principally
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their building was refronted around 1790 when it was newly faced onto Hunter Square.
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The company headquarters is the Merchants' Hall on Hanover Street in Edinburgh.
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The 19th century was a time of significant changes for the Merchant Company.
147:
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off the Royal Mile. Following the improvements linked to the construction of
382:
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and only survives in the name of the street to the south: Merchant Street.
134:
By 1691, the company had prospered and purchased a new meeting hall in the
552:"Macaulay [née Young], Carola (b. 1682), milliner and shopkeeper"
43:
343:
124:
103:
91:
47:
792:"Merchant Company Education Board, Registered Charity no. SC009747"
35:
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Since 1365 the Merchants of the city had sold their goods at the
135:
632:. Office of Public Sector Information, The National Archives, UK
326:, handed over to management of Edinburgh School Board in 1908).
245:
99:
39:
838:
561:. Vol. 1 (online ed.). Oxford University Press.
150:. The building was demolished due to the construction of
599:"Mercat Cross | Edinburgh, Scotland | Sights"
250:
Edinburgh Merchant Company Order Confirmation Act 1960
768:. Erskine Stewart's Melville Schools. Archived from
657:. Erskine Stewart's Melville Schools. Archived from
812:. The Merchant Company of Edinburgh. Archived from
742:. The Merchant Company of Edinburgh. Archived from
508:. The Merchant Company of Edinburgh. Archived from
94:has a long history as a trading city. Prior to the
28:
Royal Company of Merchants of the City of Edinburgh
550:
885:
716:. James Gillespie's High School. Archived from
687:George Watson's College: An Illustrated History
649:
647:
500:
498:
708:
706:
549:Sanderson, Elizabeth C. (23 September 2004).
758:
689:. George Watson's College. pp. 35–40.
644:
630:"The Edinburgh Merchant Company Order 1996"
495:
878:James Gillespie’s Hospital and Free School
732:
703:
320:James Gillespie’s Hospital and Free School
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548:
539:Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.2 p.378
530:Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.2 p.376
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456:
454:
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361:, at a company meeting in February 2018.
796:Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator
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678:
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359:The Reverend Canon Dr Joseph John Morrow
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168:, but in 1760 a new building called the
82:
17:
558:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
462:
914:Organizations established in the 1680s
886:
766:"Stewart's Melville College - History"
624:
622:
447:
142:(the hall was previously the house of
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673:
263:Text of statute as originally enacted
87:Dome of the Merchants' Hall Edinburgh
400:The Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh
50:. Today, it continues to serve as a
655:"The Mary Erskine School - History"
619:
282:Edinburgh Merchant Company Act 1898
191:Edinburgh Merchant Company Act 1898
13:
467:. London: Pimlico. p. 10-15.
172:was opened (intended to rival the
14:
930:
839:The Merchant Company of Edinburgh
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418:
899:Organisations based in Edinburgh
372:Merchant Company Education Board
209:Parliament of the United Kingdom
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904:1681 establishments in Scotland
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605:
591:
542:
533:
524:
481:
1:
874:James Gillespie's High School
440:
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324:James Gillespie's High School
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32:Merchant Company of Edinburgh
740:"The Merchant Company Today"
585:UK public library membership
7:
714:"J.G.H.S. A Potted History"
158:Carola Young later Macaulay
10:
935:
864:Stewart's Melville College
316:Stewart's Melville College
184:United Kingdom legislation
73:
30:, previously known as the
868:Daniel Stewart's Hospital
436:John Clapperton 1873-1874
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312:Daniel Stewart's Hospital
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858:Merchant Maiden Hospital
848:George Watson's Hospital
392:— "by land and by sea".
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304:George Watson's Hospital
296:Merchant Maiden Hospital
844:George Watson's College
388:The company's motto is
308:George Watson's College
909:Education in Edinburgh
567:10.1093/ref:odnb/65572
463:Prebble, John (1968).
413:General Register House
355:Lord Lyon King of Arms
275:
88:
23:
273:
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425:Thomas Jamieson Boyd
378:under Scottish law.
348:City of Glasgow Bank
64:Burgess of Edinburgh
854:Mary Erskine School
816:on 9 September 2007
746:on 7 September 2007
685:Howie, Les (2006).
512:on 7 September 2007
465:The Darien Disaster
300:Mary Erskine School
138:in the Old Town by
108:Incorporated Trades
59:Incorporated Trades
22:The Merchants' Hall
919:Scottish merchants
810:"The Coat of Arms"
376:registered charity
350:which had failed.
276:
89:
24:
772:on 2 October 2008
696:978-0-9501838-2-4
583:(Subscription or
576:978-0-19-861412-8
474:978-0-7126-6853-8
431:Josiah Livingston
288:61 & 62 Vict.
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240:Other legislation
233:61 & 62 Vict.
197:Act of Parliament
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894:Livery companies
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661:on 30 April 2008
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390:Terraque Marique
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256:Status: Repealed
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152:George IV Bridge
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57:Along with the
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170:Royal Exchange
144:Lord Oxenforde
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818:. Retrieved
814:the original
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786:
774:. Retrieved
770:the original
760:
748:. Retrieved
744:the original
734:
722:. Retrieved
718:the original
686:
663:. Retrieved
659:the original
634:. Retrieved
607:
593:
556:
544:
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514:. Retrieved
510:the original
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397:
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383:coat of arms
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166:Mercat Cross
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129:South Bridge
113:
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98:there was a
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68:City Council
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38:company and
31:
27:
25:
15:
820:17 November
776:17 November
750:17 November
724:16 November
665:17 November
636:17 November
516:16 November
398:Along with
344:day schools
246:Repealed by
96:Reformation
44:royal burgh
888:Categories
876:(formerly
846:(formerly
587:required.)
441:References
406:Membership
217:Long title
121:Charles II
79:Early days
36:mercantile
506:"History"
433:1881-1882
298:(now the
222:purposes.
125:Tron Kirk
114:In 1583,
104:Merchants
92:Edinburgh
48:Edinburgh
228:Citation
116:James IV
427:1869-71
235:c. xxii
136:Cowgate
74:History
693:
581:
573:
471:
330:Reform
318:) and
365:Today
322:(now
306:(now
100:Guild
52:forum
40:Guild
34:is a
822:2007
778:2007
752:2007
726:2007
691:ISBN
667:2007
638:2007
571:ISBN
518:2007
469:ISBN
374:, a
26:The
563:doi
310:),
302:),
102:of
46:of
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880:)
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286:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
