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ZG 21 - Tanners Company - 1646-1981

1 - Company books - 1646-1959

2 - Certificates of admission - 1694-1943

3 - Bonds - 1655-1753

4 - Correspondence - 1675-1769

1 - Letter from Charles Hellow to William Selby, butcher, at Chester, reporting that the question of export of leather is to come before the Committee tomorrow and enclosing an answer to the opponents of export - 9 Nov 1675

2 - Printed bill headed `Reasons humbly proposed to the High Court of Parliament for the reviving the act for transportation of leather lately expired' - n.d.

3 - Letter from William Birde to his uncle, Thomas Birde, Forest Street, discussing an intended action against `our Townsman', Robert Brooke, `in breach of statute for buying and selling calf-skins without altering the property' - 4 Oct 1703

4 - Copy letter from the Tanners to [Henry Bunbury and Peter Shakerley] M.P.'s for Chester, asking advice about preventing a proposed tax on leather - n.d.

5 - Copy letter from Bunbury and Shakerley to the Tanners and Skinners. In answer to their letter, they assure them that a petition either for or against a duty would not be allowed by the House and suggest that they send all their objections to the proposed tax on leather to them and that they will make out the best possible case. They note that the duty is to be charged by weight and not `ad valorem' - 15 Feb 1710/11

6 - Draft letter from the Tanners to Shakerley. They had not realised that the proposed tax would be by weight and therefore, to their general objections, they add objections to this particular form of tax `which would render several sorts of our goods not worth the flaying' - n.d.

7 - Copy letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, reporting that the proposed duty on tanned leather, charged by weight, has been discussed in Committee and in spite of his objections will probably be carried - 20 Mar 1710/11

8 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, enclosing, for their approval, various resolutions which he intends to bring forward. He fears that he will not be able to obtain exemption for stock-in-hand - 3 Apr 1711

9 - Draft letter from the Tanners to Shakerley, proposing certain drawbacks and exemptions from the duty and seeking advice concerning a petition to forbid the export of bark to Ireland - n.d.

10 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, stating that most of their objections were groundless, in that the duty is to be laid only on tanned, not raw hides and refers them to a copy letter from him to the Mayor, in which he warns them against the friendship of Sir Richard Leveing - 7 Apr 1711

11 - Copy letter from Shakerley to the Mayor, warning him against the friendly advances of Leveing, who, far from supporting the interests of Chester, has attempted to reduce the tax proposed to be laid on tanned leather imported from Ireland - 7 Apr 1711

12 - Draft letter from the Tanners to Shakerley, thanking him for his efforts and noting that their objections are largely met. He suggests that regulations for the sale of raw hides in public markets only be more rigourously enforced - n.d.

13 - Notes reckoning advantages of a tax charged by weight - n.d.

14 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, warning them further against Sir Richard Leveing and assuring them of his continued vigilance on their behalf. He is doubtful whether he will be able to obtain an abatement of the tax on stock in hand - 10 Apr 1711

15 - Copy letter from the Tanners to Shakerley, thanking him again concerning a petition to Parliament against the export of bark, which is to be brought by the tanners of Kendal. They support the proposal and ask whether they too should bring a petition - 23 Apr 1711

16 - Letter from Shakerley to Captain John Hutton, his kinsman, at Chester, reporting on the progress in Committee of the bill for laying a tax on leather and asking him to pass the information on to the Tanners and Tawers - 24 Apr 1711

17 - Letter from Shakerley to Captain John Hutton, reporting further progress on the leather bill, including a concession on stock in hand. He attempted to include a clause on the export of bark, but was foiled by Leveing and others - 26 Apr 1711

18 - Copy proposal to forbid export of bark - n.d.

19 - Letter from the Skinners to the Tanners - 27 Apr 1711

20 - Copy petition to Parliament from the Tanners of various towns in Shropshire, requesting that the export of bark may be prohibited - n.d.

21 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, complaining that neither of his letters to Captain Hutton have been acknowledged. He gives a detailed account of his activities in Committee for forwarding the claim to prohibit export of bark and encloses a copy of another clause, which was accepted, that cases arising out of the bill should be heard before the local justices and not at Westminster - 3 May 1711

22 - Copy of claim concerning hearing of cases - n.d.

23 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners and other companies. He announces that he has despatched to the Recorder of Chester, his own copy of the Leather Bill - 8 May 1711

24 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, announcing that he has sent them the half of a small printed copy of the Leather Act and the other half to Randle Ashton of the Skinners Company. He reports that the collection of the tax will be under the excise officers until stock in hand has been charged, when the Commissioners of the Leather Duty will take over. - 5 Jun 1711

25 - Copy letter from the Tanners [? in Northern England] to the Tanners of Chester, asking for their support, through their M.P.'s, for a widely backed petition to Parliament for for-bidding the export of bark. - [1712]

26 - Copy letter from the Tanners to the M.P.'s for Chester, begging them to support the move to obtain prohibition of export of bark. - [1712]

27 - Copy letter from Shakerley to the Tanners and other companies, reporting proposal in Committee to increase the tax on leather. - 1 Mar 1711/12

28 - Letter from the Tanners of Bristol to the Tanners of Chester, assuring support for any measure to forbid the export of bark to Ireland and suggesting that they contact the Town Clerk of Bristol, at present in London. - 6 Mar 1711/12

29a - Copy letter from the Tanners to [Shakerley and Bunbury], thanking them for their letter of 1 March and declaring that a further duty would add an insupportable burden to the leather trade. He asked for advice concerning the prohibition of the export of bark. - 4 Mar 1711/12

29b - Copy letter from the Tanners to certain tanners at Kendal, asking for support in presenting to Parliament either a joint petition or individual petitions for the prohibition of the export of bark. - 10 Mar 1711/12

30 - Letter from William Wilson and Thomas Wilson of Kendal to Edward Croughton, welcoming proposals contained in the letter of 10 March and reporting that their petition has already been sent to a friend in Parliament, where it will await arrival of the one from Chester. They also report that they have written to their brethren in Cumberland. - 13 Mar 1711/12

31 - Copy letter from the Tanners discussing the progress of petitions. - 18 Mar 1711/12

32 - Letter from the Tanners of Bristol to the Tanners, discussing the progress of petitions. - 18 Mar 1711/12

33 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, stating that in future he will report to the Mayor, who will forward the relevant portions of his letters to the various companies. He promises that he will support the prohibition of the export of bark, as occasion permits. - 18 Mar 1711/12

34a - Copy petition of the Tanners, presented to Parliament. - n.d.

34b - Copy letter from the Tanners to Shakerley, begging him to second their petition. - n.d.

35 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, promising to put their petition before the House at the right moment. - 22 Mar 1711/12

36 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, reporting on recent meeting of Committee, during which the leather tax was not discussed. - 27 Mar 1712

37 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, Tawers and Wet Glovers, reporting on a recent meeting of the Committee during which a tax was proposed to be laid on imported silks. As yet, the leather tax has not been discussed. - 5 Apr 1712

38 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, reporting on defeat through his prompt action, of a petition to remove the draw-back on exported calf skins. He encloses a hand-bill `delivered at the door of our House to members to influence them to it'. - 15 May 1712

39 - Handbill, `Reasons for taking off the Draw-back on Tann'd Calves - Skins'. - n.d.

40 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, Tawers and Skinners, reporting that he has been watching their interests in Committee and has obtained a reduction on some of the proposed new taxes on leather. He encloses a statement of the case for Sir H. Bunbury to sign, which he will then lay before the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Chief Commissioner of the duties on hides and skins. He has presented the Tanners petition against the export of bark. - 3 Jun 1712

41 - Copy letter from Shakerley to the Tanners and Tawers, reporting that the clause against the export of bark was lost in Committee by 12 votes, the `gentlemen of the woody countrys' being against it; that the new duty on leather will operate from 1 August; that stock in hand will be exempt; and that he has obtained a reduction in the proposed new duty on tawed sheep and lamb skins. - 12 Jun 1712

42 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, Tawers, Skinners and Wet Glovers, regretting failure to obtain a longer time for payment of the duties on leather. - 14 Jun 1712

43 - Copy resolutions concerning `discouragement' of export of bark to Ireland, the making of shoes from ticking and the draw-back allowed on the export of manufactured leather goods. - n.d.

44 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, reporting that the leather bill has gone to the Lords `who cannot add or alter one word of it'. - 19 Jun 1712

45 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, assuring them of his attentions on their behalf. - 5 May 1713

46 - Draft letter from Tanners to Shakerley, commenting on a report that the Shoemakers of Chester and elsewhere are proposing to petition Parliament against the draw-back on the export of tanned leather and begging him to persuade the Shoemakers to abandon their intentions. - 17 Feb 1713/14

47 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, reporting on his manoeuvres to prevent the presentation of a series of petitions against the draw-back on tanned leather. - 10 Mar 1713/14

48a - Letter from William Bird in London to Thomas Wilson, sending a copy of some extracts from Bristol customs books [see below], attempting to prove the necessity of the draw-back on exported leather and suggesting that the same be done immediately for Chester and Liverpool, as one means of thwarting the petitions of the Shoemakers. - 11 Mar [1714]

48b - Draft letter from the Tanners to Bird, thanking him for his work and drawing his attention to petitions from shoemakers and others either to remove the duty on imported leather or to compel all leather to be sold in public markets. - n.d.

49 - Extracts from the `Custom House Booke' of Bristol, giving raw hides imported from Ireland and bark exported to Ireland. - 1703-1713

50 - Second copy of headings to above extracts. - n.d.

51 - Copy letter from the Tanners to Shakerley, thanking him for his efforts in thwarting the petitions against the draw-back on leather and begging him to investigate a fresh scheme of the Shoemakers to compel the bringing of leather to market. - 17 Mar 1713/14

52 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners, warning them that his efforts to maintain the draw-back on exported leather may yet be thwarted by the shoemakers, who have recently come in person to Westminster in large numbers. - 1 Jun 1714

53 - Letter from Shakerley to Thomas Wilson in Northgate Street, asking him to communicate an enclosure to the Shoemakers and Tanners `by which they will see my dilligence and fidellity to promote the interest of both their trades'. - 8 Jun 1714

54 - Letter from Shakerley to the Tanners and Shoemakers, reporting the activities of a select Committee to consider the state of leather manufacture. Their decisions are referred to a Committee of the whole House of ways and means. - 8 Jun 1714

55 - Copy petition to Parliament by the Tanners against the export of bark to Ireland. - 23 May 1715

56 - Letter from Richard Grosvenor and Henry Bunbury to the Tanners, noting their objections to the export of bark and promising that they will do their best, but `the Inland Countreys set themselves against it who are three times our number'. - 6 Jun 1715

57 - Letter from Bunbury to the Tanners, reporting that neither he nor `my Cozen Bird' have heard any plan to prevent the export of bark. - 2 Jul 1715

58 - Letter from William Bird, an alderman of the Tanners, to the Tanners. He reproves them for sending their petition to the Commissioners and not to their own M.P.'s. He thinks it unlikely to have much success both on account of the press of public affairs and because `it is no ways probable that the house will at this juncture receive a motion likely to disoblige Ireland'. - 21 Jul 1715

59 - Letter from Ralph Dell, by direction of the Master and Wardens of his Company, to Thomas Wilson, supporting their petition against the export of bark which they [the Tanners Company of London] will join with their own and like petitions from several other towns. He emphasises the expense involved, suggesting that they raise £15 at Chester, and asks for details of the export of bark and the import of hides for the last fourteen years. - 4 Apr 1717

60 - Copy of ZG 21/8/59, omitting the amount suggested to be raised. On dorse, a subscription list totalling £3. 19s. 6d. - 4 Apr 1717

61 - Copy of ZG 21/8/60 - 4 Apr 1717

62 - Account of raw hides imported and of bark exported, at Chester, from Christmas 1715 to March 1716/17. - n.d.

63 - Account of raw hides imported and of bark exported yearly from Christmas 1703 to March 1716/17. - n.d.

64 - Letter from John Dighton, master (on behalf of his Company) to the Tanners, from Bristol, urging immediate action against the export of bark which has proved increasingly detrimental during the previous two years. They have already sent a petition to their own M.P.'s. - 15 Apr 1717

65 - Address from the Tanners to Richard Grosvenor, giving an account of their case against the export of bark. - 30 Apr 1717

66 - Copy of ZG 21/8/65 - n.d.

67a - Draft letter from the Tanners to the Tanners of London. In answer to their request, they report that they will send the desired sum to their members, Bunbury and Grosvenor, from whom it may be obtained. They give a summary of their recent communications with Bristol. - 20 Apr 1717

67b - Copy of new petition to Parliament by the Tanners, against the export of bark to Ireland. - May 1717

68 - Copy letter from the Tanners to Grosvenor, announcing that they have recently dispatched their petition to the Commissioners for leather, to be presented to the Commons. They beg his assistance in getting it presented at the right moment and also in seeing that the £15 they have sent to the London Tanners is correctly employed. - 15 May 1717

69a - Letter from Bunbury to the Tanners, reporting that their petition has been presented along with the others and has been referred to a committee. He warns them that they must expect to meet considerable opposition. - 21 May 1717

69b - Drafts of two letters from the Tanners to [? the Tanners at London], commenting on their recent letter from Bunbury and also on various rumours that the Irish tanners are buying up all the bark they can lay hands on in England and have raised a fund of £500 to fight the petitions. - n.d.

70a - Letter from Grosvenor and Bunbury to the Tanners, reporting the failure to introduce a bill against the export of bark. In spite of a favourable report from the Committee to which the matter was referred and in spite of their arguments and support from various influential merchants, the House divided five to one against them. - 25 May 1717

70b - Draft letter from the Tanners to Grosvenor and Bunbury, thanking them for their efforts. - 1 Jun 1717

71 - Report from the Committee `to whom the Tanners Peticons are Referred'. - n.d.

72 - Letter from Robert Pigot at Eaton, to Thomas Wilson, covering an enclosure from `Mr Earle, one of the members for Bristol'. - 2 Jul 1717

73 - Brief note concerning payment of expenses arising from the petitions. - 29 Jun 1717

74 - Letter from John Undershell, Master of the Tanners Company of London to Thomas Wilson, Mayor of Chester, discussing the difficulties, especially financial, involved in any attempt to forbid the export of bark. For the moment he can see no opening, but promises to keep him informed of any developments. - 7 Apr 1723

75 - Copy report, issued from Cordwainers' Hall, London, on the difficulties facing the leather trade. - 3 Jan 1769

5 - Company papers - 1655-1892

6 - Agendas and correspondence - 1936-1981

7 - Charities - 1659

8 - Miscellaneous - n.d.