Ironmonger

“ For more minute particulars of the life of this person, and a catalogue of his writings, see Wood's Athenæ Oxon., edit. Bliss, vol. iv. p. 406.
EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.
Dog's Head in the Pot (Vol. iii., p. 264.) .
—I have seen this carved and gilt as the sign of R. O. Backwell, ironmonger, Devonport. A person now sitting by me recollects its being adopted there about forty years since. It is perhaps always the sign of an ironmonger, instead of a public-house, as suggested by your correspondent. The pot (as at Blackfriars) is the three-legged cast-iron vessel called in Devonshire a "crock." ”

“ He was trained as an ironmonger, and acquired considerable experience in mechanical work. Having offered himself to the London Missionary Society, he was sent, after some training, in 1816 to Eimeo, in the Society Islands, where he rapidly acquired a knowledge of the native language. ”

“ Some names have become strangely restricted in meaning, e.g. Mercer, now almost limited to silk, was a name for a dealer in any kind of merchandise (Lat. merx) ; in Old French it meant pedlar—
"Mercier, a good pedler, or meane haberdasher of small wares" (Cotgrave) .
On the other hand Chandler, properly a candle-maker, is now used in the compounds corn-chandler and ship's chandler. Of all the -mongers the only common survival is Ironmonger or Iremonger, with the variant Isemonger, from Mid. Eng. isen, iron. Ironmonger is also dealer in eggs, Mid. Eng. eiren. ”

“ In the first place, we think it is not generally known that every member of a City Company is a citizen of London, but every citizen is not a member of a Company. There are two grades of citizens—one free of the City only; the other free of both City and Company, the latter freeman being designated as “citizen and ironmonger,” or whatever Company he may belong to. As the elections or admissions to all the Companies are the same, that describing the admission to the Ironmongers’ will be found in a subsequent chapter of our history. ”

“ Iron and its uses historically described should form no unimportant part to the history of the Ironmongers’ Company, but as it is not our intention now to give the thousand-and-one notes which would form a most interesting and valuable compendium to the general account of the City Guild, it is sufficient for us if we so condense our large store of material and give such an epitome as will assist the reader to comprehend the origin of the trade of which the company bears the name.
A well-known writer justly observes that no one should fail to consider the origin, history, and value of iron ”

“ He died 1724; buried in the Ironmongers’ Almshouse Grounds, Kingsland Road. Portrait presented to the Company in 1728. Gave the residue of his estate for the redemption of slaves in Barbary (as already noted) .
Blundell, Peter, although not an Ironmonger, but from a poor errand boy had grown to be a rich clothier, and one of “the worthies of Devon” (Prince) , and “a man very Godly and Christianly disposed all his life time” (Stow) , left charities to the extent of about 40,000l., including 150l. to each of the twelve great Livery Companies of London. He died 1601, aged eighty-one. ”

“ We have not exhausted, by a very long way, our list, but we think the selection will prove that the Ironmongers have had many good and true citizens in their roll. Our wish is this: May they increase as years roll on, and, as the toast is periodically given by the Master of the Company, so do we echo it three times three—“The Worshipful Company of Ironmongers, Root and Branch, and may it Flourish for Ever!” ”

“ In 1612 the Ironmongers, Blacksmiths, and Carpenters had many meetings, and passed special resolutions jointly on the then serious question of the importation of rod iron and a newly granted patent, and it is interesting to note that the then senior warden of the Company was the young gentleman who misbehaved himself at Lewes Fair in 1561, as already mentioned. In 1623 the Cutlers joined the Ironmongers, and obtained from the Corporation the by-law that all strangers or others should be compelled, as heretofore, to bring cutlery and iron wares to Leadenhall to be examined. ”

“ Shield of the Ironmongers’ Arms
This Indenture Witnesseth that Clement Aleyn, Sonn of Clement Aleyn, of Welton, in the County of Northampton, Gentleman, doth put himself Apprentice to Samuell Clerke, Citizen and Ironmonger of London, to learn his Art: and with him (after the manner of an Apprentice) to serve from the day of the date hereof unto the full end and term of Seaven Years from thence next following to be fully complete and ended. During which term the said Apprentice his said Master shall faithfully serve, his secrets keep, his lawful commandments everywhere gladly do. ”

“ The old twenty-nine rules for the government will be found in Strype’s “Stow.” At the date of their erection the almshouses were in “the suburbs.”
Grinsell, Thomas, “Citizen and Ironmonger,” a well-known parishioner of St. Dunstan’s-in-the-West, Fleet Street, and famous for having been the Master of “the gentle angler,” Izaak Walton, who became a member of the Company in 1618. The Grinsell family subsequently resided in Westminster. About Thomas, see “Memorials of Temple Bar and Fleet Street,” 1869, p. 80. ”

“ We are very sorry it is so, because there are many of the freemen who are not only eligible by time service, but are in many other ways equally eligible by their devoted interest and their ability; while the peculiar order of the Guild prevents them being members of other Companies where their services, &c., would be more appreciated.
The Livery.—The introduction of liveries into the City Companies took place 600 years ago. The chief members wore a gown or cloak with hood, and for distinction sake each Company had its own colours; but we cannot learn what the Ironmongers’ were. ”

“ The instructions issued out to these “volunteers” are extremely curious to read, for nothing is said in them about evolutions, advancing, retreating, or formation into columns or squares or divisions; and, what is more notable, each man must have been in danger every moment of being blown into the air by his own powder! In 1579 the Ironmongers’ proportion of the 3,000 men wanted of the City for the defence of the realm was 110, of which 72 were to be provided with “shott, calvyr, flask, toche, murryn, sword, and dagger, and a pound of powder,” and 38 with “pikes, corslett, sword, and daggr.” ”

“ Then, again, the “Royal Commission” of 1880 has enabled our descendants to possess the finest collection of historical details relating to the Companies it is possible to get together, and for that alone—not for having obtained the information at so serious an outlay to the Companies and the public purse—historical students are truly thankful.
We will now say a few words about the livery and the yeomanry, or freemen generally, which, unlike any other City Company, form the only two grades of membership in the Ironmongers (all the livery forming the court) ”

“ The demand on the Ironmongers’ for men alone in the forty years previous to 1600 was something like 300, besides their full equipments, and when we reckon the money lent, the powder provided the other calls upon their purse, it will be fully understood that the good old times with this Company were none of the happiest. ”

“ And we firmly believe the lessons then learnt by the partisans of Charles and James, and handed down to their descendants, have not been forgotten by those still living in the Jubilee year of Queen Victoria. In addition to these special charters there was yet another [27] grant made, which, as regards their estates, is a complete answer to those who to-day say the Ironmongers’ property is not their own. It is “a perpetuitie” made to them and their successors for ever by James I., dated August 4, 1619. ”

“ By ordinance dated 1657 no person is to change the copy of his freedom, and by an order of Court made November 21, 1878, “no person who is free of any other Company can be admitted to the freedom of the Ironmongers’ Company, nor can he become free of another Company after being admitted to the freedom of this Company.” This order necessarily makes the Ironmongers a select body corporate, and unlike the other Companies of the City. ”

“ It is needless to say that the Company declined to pay this (in our opinion) extortionate demand, and so to this day (as it has exercised from a period long before this century dawned) the Ironmongers bear their supporters, as only true citizens should. ”

“ Charitable Ironmongers, whether we view them as donors of land, of houses, of plate, or other things, or for the time they have given towards promoting the welfare of the Company, have been in many ways worthy benefactors to the City and the citizens. ”

“ Of the origin of Guilds we have already had occasion to speak in our history of the Ironmongers. Mr. Nicholl, the historian of that Company, gives us some interesting facts in his notes, and we cannot do better than quote his preliminary words:—
The art of working in metals was more highly esteemed than any other by the Anglo-Saxons. ”

“ The beadle of the Company half-yearly sends out the notices: “You are desired by the warden of the yeomanry to meet at Ironmongers’ Hall” (on the day of election, or St. Luke’s) “when a court will be holden in the usual manner.” At this court the warden presides and signs the freemen’s book, as do also such members who may be present. The beadle, having previously written to those of the yeomanry eligible for office of warden, submits the replies to the court. The election is entirely by their own vote, and selected from those present ”

“ We sincerely trust that, whenever any elective franchise is conferred upon the Londoners at large, they will execute their trust with as good and unbiased a judgment. In our next chapter we shall tell how the Ironmongers carried out their trust after their foundation as a Guild and an Incorporated Company of the City of London. ”

“ John Fuller, for the education of twenty boys and upwards, for the support of which he bequeathed the sum of 1600l. to be laid out in a purchase. Maitland.
Ironmongers, one of the twelve principal companies, was incorporated by letters patent granted by King Edward IV. in the year 1464. This corporation is governed by a Master, two Wardens, and the whole livery, which consists of eighty-four, who are assistants, and whose fine upon admission is 15l.
This company has a very great estate, out of which is annually paid, according to the direction of the several donors, about 1800l. ”

“ And here we cannot omit to mention one of the bequests made by a worthy benefactor to the Ironmongers’ Company. Margaret Dane, the wife of Alderman William Dane (Sheriff 1569, and twice Master of his Company) , by her will, dated in 1579, left in trust to the Company (among other munificent [29] bequests) sufficient money to provide every year 12,000 faggots to be distributed among the poor of each of the twenty-four City Wards, to be used by such poor persons “as fuel to keep them warm.” ”

“ These workers in metals, whether they are the ironmongers or silversmiths, smelters of copper or the moulders of brass, are worthy of their hire, and bring to their labours an extraordinary patience and exactitude. The silversmiths are, perhaps, the most wonderful craftsmen, although the men who trace fantastic designs upon metal vessels with blunt instruments are not to be despised. ”

“ The Company were, and are still, associated in their Irish Estates with the Ironmongers’, Brewers’, Scriveners’, Coopers’, Pewterers’, and Carpenters’ Companies; but by far the largest proportion appertains to the Ironmongers, who have always managed the property. ”

“ Pennant says:—“The frolicsome agility of lizards enlivens the dried banks in hot climates, and the great affection which some of them show to mankind should further engage our regard and attention.” Another writer quaintly suggests that the dear little animal not only loves iron, but likes it hot, eating it with a relish, and digests it with ease. See also the head-piece to Herbert’s “History.”
[16]
Under the armorials is the Company’s motto, and that is, appropriately, “God is our strength.” ”

“ The great Ingram comes upon the dragon-boat and with his own hand fights the robbers with sword and the lesser thunder. It is the infinite happiness of T'ang Min to deliver the esteemed Ingram from the vile blow behind of the robber captain, who is about to send the Captain Ingram to meet his ancestors. ”

“ While Ilmarinen was searching, a huge monster rose from the depths and tried to seize him, but the eagle swooped down, and with one bite of his mighty beak, wrenched off the monster's head. Still Ilmarinen continued his search, until at last the monster-pike itself rose up to seize him. But as it came to the surface, the giant-eagle swooped down upon it, and buried its talons in the pike's flesh. Then the fish, maddened with the pain, rushed down to the deepest caverns, dragging the eagle with it until the bird had to loose its hold and soar aloft again. ”

“ Listen hardest when he's not playing! If they come you must make a noise, and I'll get away while they're opening the door."
"You are very good."
"Not a word about that—or anything else. Now let me try. Ah, how difficult to do it quietly!"
For the pincers were large enough to bite the nuts, but first they snapped together, and then they banged heavily against the iron. Irralie desisted and held her breath in despair. The music had not recommenced, and sure enough there came footsteps; but the prisoner instantly began beating with his head or his knee against the corrugated iron. ”

“ It is necessary that the thrower should be alone, or at least have only an instructor with him, when he practises this art, as the boomerang will, in inexperienced hands, take all kinds of strange courses, and will, in all probability, swerve from its line, and strike one of the spectators; and the force with which a boomerang can strike is almost incredible. I have seen a dog killed on the spot, its body being nearly cut in two by the boomerang as it fell; and I once saw a brass spur struck clean off the heel of an incautious spectator, who ran across the path of the weapon. ”