We receive lots of emails and phone calls along the lines: “I believe one of my relatives, John Smith, was a notary. He was probably a member of your Company. Can you send me copies of any papers you have about him? ”

The Clerk, Assistant Clerk and the volunteer Archivist will try to help if they can, but please understand that their time is very limited and only the most recent Livery books (from 1868) and minutes are held in our office.

Before you get in touch please try to gather as much information as you can. Details such as full names, date of birth, a home or practice address and dates of Company membership and/or qualifications. The more precise you can be, the better.

Freemen are rarely mentioned by name in any of our minutes. The best source of information will be the Freedom records held by the London Metropolitan Archive. For Liverymen, there may be slightly more but in most cases, you are likely to find much more information through online searches. Our records usually only show the name of the individual, their address at the time of membership and the date of their admission.

The following links may be helpful:

www.facultyoffice.org.uk - The Faculty Office - the regulator for Notaries in England and Wales.
www.lambethpalacelibrary.info - Archive material which includes information from the Faculty Office and the Court of the Arches.
www.ancestry.co.uk (a subscription is needed) – online searches of parish and electoral registers, by name and district.
www.thelondonarchives – holds census records, registers of London parishes and organisations and thousands of documents and images relating to life in the City of London across its history. Freedom records of several Livery Companies and documents such as minute books can be called up in advance for private consultation in the reading room at 540, Northampton Road, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 0HB.
ROLL – Records of London Liveries – an online database of apprenticeship records from some Livery Companies.

We are always delighted to hear from people whose ancestors were Freemen of the Company and who are interested in continuing the family tradition. Children who were born after their mother or father received the Freedom of the Company can apply for membership by the ancient right of Patrimony. Where the direct link has been lost or has skipped one or more generations, membership is still possible and is positively welcomed. Please contact the Clerk for more information.