Company Booklets

On the 24th January 2017, the Freemen, under the guidance of Eric Bulmer established a History Group comprising of both Freemen and local people, who had an interest and passion for the history of their city. 

The aim of the project was to explore and record the history and heritage of the eight remaining guilds/companies, using archive material, together with artefacts discovered and recovered from the bed of the River Wear beneath Elvet Bridge, by Gary Bankhead. 

Their work is not intended to be an academic study, but has been created for the general public, with the aim of shedding light on the history of the guilds/ companies and sustaining the heritage of the Durham City Freemen for future generations.

Much time was spent at the County Records Office and the Durham University Library researching the wealth of archive material available, resulting in gathering valuable material for the production of booklets for six of the eight remaining Guilds: the Barbers, Butchers, Curriers, Drapers, Joiners and Plumbers.

Apart from the booklet "Durham City Freemen A Brief Guide", these booklets are the first published since C E Whiting published "The Durham Trade Guilds" in 1943, some seventy seven years ago, and will serve to provide an informative picture of the six Guilds and showcase the history and heritage of the Freemen.