Researching Family History in the Library

For researchers, interested in following up their family history, livery company archives can provide a useful source of raw biographical material.  An important indicator of membership of this city livery company is the descriptor ‘Citizen and Goldsmith’.

Our apprentice books date from 1578 and contain information on the name of the apprentice, parent, whether living or deceased, parent’s trade or profession and place of abode (parish).  This can help to take the family back a another generation to the parish of origin. If the apprentice became a freeman then this would be recorded in the freedom books which begin in 1692.  Before that date it would be recorded in the Court Minute Books which begin in 1334.

The narrative of the minute books contains much material on the Company’s affairs and, in particular, about the enforcement of its statutory duties regarding hallmarking.  Therefore there is occasionally further information on the working lives of goldsmiths and silversmiths – particularly if they fell foul of the Company for breaching its regulations (ordinances).  In these instances they were not necessarily members of the company.

The Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office holds registers of marks entered by goldsmiths from the late 17th century which are a source for identifying their work.  The information in the registration is the mark, impressed in ink, the name of the goldsmith, the date of registration and an address.  There are two missing registers in the mid 18th century

Occasionally personal information can be found about the partners and family of members of the Company but this is, on the whole, rare.  However there are a series of petitioners books from the middle of the 19th century which contain detailed information about the personal circumstances of freemen and their families.  One such family, the Kensits, was the subject of a television programme, Who do you think you are?, in 2008.

A short listing of the Goldsmiths' Company's archives is included on AIM25's website which can be accessed here.

How do I find out more?

If you think one of your ancestors may have been connected to the Goldsmiths’ Company, please write to us via post or email, providing as much information as possible (for example full name, dates, occupation and addresses) so that a member of the library staff can conduct an initial search of the archives.