LIVERY

The Court was of course summoned for many other purposes, administrative and ceremonial, such as the indenturing of Apprentices and the granting of Livery status to new Members.

The term ‘liver’ is derived from the distinctive apparel worn by different Orders (Monastic, Feudal etc.), so prevalent in the Middle Ages.

Although broader in concept than the mere wearing of special garments, the livery when adopted by the guilds of London in the reign of Edward III to distinguish their members from one another, consisted of a surcoat for the Freemen with the addition of a hood for Liverymen or a hat for the Master.

The gowns are still worn today on ceremonial occasions and are in the Company’s colours of Olive-Green and Maroon. These liveries are peculiar to the Guilds of the City of London and make the City Livery Companies, as they are currently known, unique throughout the world.