GUILDHALL

hall of London municipality: erected, 1411; destroyed, 1666; re-erected, 1669; restored, 1789; important library and art gallery. tions formed for the protection and development either of commerce or some particular trade, The earliest were of s semi-religious character, providing, amongst other things, for the pavaient for RES for souls she epa:, and some of them se remaine until their suppre ion by rt VIL fe was 547, clncsod The ander industrial G0 distiuet g., however, baad the ‘gild merchant’ 1 (merchant g’s), organization which came into exist- | ence in England soon after the Norman Conquest, and the ‘trade’ or ‘craft’ ¢., which first began to flourish during. the XIV. cent. On the Continent the g, | was of earlier origin. Members of the merchant g. enjoyed the privilege of at|/regulating the trade of a borough. Their influence was very great, especially in freeing industrial cities and ports from the power of feudal lords. The trade g. an a ociation of craftsmen in the different branches of industry, to protect the common interests of the members. A subsequent development of the trade g’s were the various livery companies, each of which followed its particular craft or ‘mystery.’ The word ‘guild’ is now generally used in connection with social or religious improvements societies, such as temperance g’s, com-