The City Unlocked: London Livery Companies from Wool to Digital

This hardback book features all the City Liveries from the Weavers (Royal Charter in 1130) to the Nurses (Grant of Livery 2023), with two or three pages on each company together with a picture, which might be of an historical artifact (such as an item of clothing, a decorative item or a cup) or indeed of a relevant document.

“Beginning in Medieval London, with the trades of the Weavers, Bakers and Goldsmiths, we are given access to a seldom-seen world through the eyes of the men and women who belong to the Livery Companies of London. Through the expansion of the 16th and 17th centuries and the new mechanised trades of the Industrial Revolution, up to the professions of the present day, such as the Information Technologists and Tax Advisers, we can trace the history of the City of London through portraits of the individual Livery Companies.

“Written by a Past Master and a historian, this beautiful, richly illustrated book is a must read for those interested in London’s fascinating past, and demonstrates how the Companies have been integral to the evolution of the capital, and continue to work for the London of the future.”

Published: 17 July 2025, Profile Editions. ISBN9781800814882.

Available to order for members of livery companies - https://profileeditions.com/product/city-unlocked/ at the discounted price of £17.50* (* correct at time of writing).