The Dyers’ Company was first incorporated by Royal Charter in 1471 by King Henry VI, bringing the ‘mistery’ of dyeing and the science of colour to successive generations. (“Mistery” is a synonym for a trade or craft). This Charter and other records of the Company were destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666.
The supplemental Charter from King Charles III is written in English (not Latin) and is beautifully illustrated with Dyers’ Company symbolism, including our swan motif. In addition to the modernisation of the Company’s objects, powers and governance provisions, a key point to note is that this now officially ratifies our name as The Dyers’ Company, also known as The Worshipful Company of Dyers.
The Company’s oldest document is a Ratification of Ordinances granted by Elizabeth I in 1578. It is thought that there may have been up to nine charters in all, but most were destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.