Background: Historically, the City required everyone who worked in the Square Mile to have the City freedom, which one could only obtain following membership of a City Guild/Livery (or, by courtesy, as widow of a freeman). That changed as a result of Government pressure in the 1830s. Gradually, people stopped joining, it being no longer necessary so to do. Several liveries died or merged, others dwindled to very few members, some became “Gentlemen’s Clubs”, others continued. Most stopped having women members. The pressure for change increased from the 1960s as a result of two parallel situations: the creation of the 20th century post-WW2 professional guilds, one of which appointed a woman master; and the election of women to the Common Council, the Aldermanic Court, Sheriff then Lord Mayor. By 2020, all liveries were open to women.

The talk discusses what happened and the resulting benefits to the City as a whole.

Along with the Lady Masters Association, this lecture is being presented in association with the Worshipful Company of Plumbers, the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers, and the Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers.

Speaker:

Erica Stary’s professional career was as a wide-ranging tax lawyer: she both taught and examined for professional exams, wrote for (mainly) tax journals, co-edited The British Tax Review, worked in the Inland Revenue’s Solicitor’s Office, the City, and her own specialist firm; was president of one tax body, Board member and chairman of its Technical Committee of another. She “retired” onto the London County and Crown Courts benches where she worked essentially in common law, family and crime. She sought to join the livery after her year as Mistress Barber in the 1980s. Founder Court Assistant Tax Advisers Guild in 1995 and first master after livery (2005). Later, Master Plumber (2015), Master Tin Plate Worker alias Wire Worker (2022) and Lady Masters Association (2nd) Chairman 2017-19. Campaign committee member Equality of Arms. Author, ia, Women in the Civic City and Livery (research paper), Women Aren’t Persons.