First historical mention of the Dyers Company
1188
Welcome to the website of The Dyers’ Company, one of the ancient Livery Companies of the City of London.
The Company has encouraged and supported the Craft of dyeing since the 12th century. Its present day activities centre on the continuing development of colour science and the use of colour in textile design through strong educational connections.
Promoting the use of colour across the many different fields of human activity, the Company’s long term aim is to attract new talent into the commercial and academic sectors, and to support the continuing quest for excellence among industry practitioners.
Please take a look at our timeline for a complete history of the Dyers’ Company.
1188
1188
1349
1349
1362
1362
1388
1388
1390
1390
1398
1398
1423
1423
1453
1453
1471
1471
1472
1472
1474
1474
1515
1515
1516
1516
1545
1545
1550
1550
1552
1552
1556
1556
1572
1572
1578
1578
1578
1578
1585
1585
1586
1586
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1587
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1639
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1666
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1681
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1722
1722
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1727
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1729
1731
1731
1735
1735
1738
1738
1768
1768
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1770
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1777
1779
1779
1806
1806
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1815
1838
1838
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1841
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1841
1846
1846
1851
1851
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1852
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1854
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1856
1857
1857
1861
1861
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1862
1863
1863
1875
1875
1877
1877
1878
1878
1881
1881
1884
1884
1908
1908
1910
1910
1914
1914
1915
1915
1932
1932
1936
1936
1939
1939
1940
1940
1948
1948
1950
1950
1960
1960
1987
1987
1989
1989
1997
1997
1998
1998
2007
2007
2015
2015
2018
2018
2020
2020
2020
2020
2021
2021
2021
2021
2023
2023
2023
2023
2023
2023
2024
2024
The Prime Warden is the Chairman of the Company. He is responsible for steering the deliberations of the Court at their meetings, and during his term of office will represent the Company at a wide range of events, receptions and dinners both in London and throughout the UK.
The Renter Warden is responsible for the ‘house-keeping’ of the Company; he supervises expenditure, oversees the accounts and undertakes an annual audit of the Company’s wine cellars and valuables. He also makes regular visits to the Company Almshouses.
In common with many other London Livery Companies, The Dyers are proud to be associated with a number of schools, both in Inner London and elsewhere. These connections have developed over time and often through the direct connections or good offices of our Prime Wardens.
The Dyers’ Company and the Vintners’ Company have possessed a Royalty of a Game of Swans on the River Thames for many centuries. Neither Company has a record of the original grant, but certainly since Tudor times the Dyers’ Company, in conjunction with the Monarch and the Vintners’ Company, has supervised the wellbeing of swans on the Thames, and this continues today, most visibly during the annual Swan Upping exercise.