Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers of London

About Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers of London

From our beginnings in 1635 The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers ranks 71st in precedence amongst the City’s Livery Companies and received its incorporated Charter in 1664. This, together with an earlier Charter dated 1635 which was not incorporated by the Alderman’s Court, for reasons which are now obscure, are both still held by the Company. The 1630’s were troubled times and problems in the glass trade periodically collided with a background of political unrest. Within the City of London there already were Livery Companies controlling the manufacture and quality of Glazing for windows and Spectacle manufacture and the new Glass Sellers Company was therefore established to cover all other parts of the glass trade. It was to be responsible not only for the production of drinking vessels and tableware but also the manufacture of looking – glasses and glass vials such as those then used in the making of hour glasses.