A Moment in History

The Dyers’ Company is recorded as existing in 1188 as a guild or organised body and may have started well before that date. The Dyers' possibly called themselves a “fraternity” before succeeding as a Livery Company.

Around this time it was ordered that every craftsman should join a guild. In 1347 the names of the Dyers' sworn are recorded. They were sworn to obey a ban on the sale of sheepskin or calf leather which had been scraped and made to look like roe leather.

In the thirteenth century Woad was still greatly used, and was in fact the main source for blue dye until the end of the 18th century, when indigo became widely available. In 1349 the Dyers' appointed special officers, a Broker and a Measurer of Woad, to supervise this part of their craft. A Woad Porter was also employed, an office which continued for several centuries, eventually becoming an honorary position for the senior member of the Livery before disappearing.

The Dyers' were actively involved and concerned with trade regulations. For example in 1362 it was ordered “that no dyer should be so daring to prepare any manner of cloth”. There was a further order that “dyers should dye wool as a raw material and should not be paid until the wool is dry”. Furthermore, the Dyers' were given responsibilities and powers including the power to seize all “false and naughtie wares”.

In the Prologue to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (Chaucer himself was a Vintner), he writes of a Haberdasher, Carpenter, Webber, Tapiser and Dyer being clothed in the livery of a great and solemn 'fraternity'.

In the Middle Ages the Dyers' had no chocolate, tea or tobacco. They had, however, the ceremony of the Loving Cup in which the drinker is guarded on both sides as he sips from the cup. This ceremony derives from the assassination of the Saxon King Edward the Martyr, who was said to have been treacherously stabbed in the back whilst drinking from a cup.

Early in the 15th century the Dyers' hired Brewers’ Hall; but there is no record of their having done this after 1423. It is stated that the Dyers' had a Hall of their own in Anchor Lane. The Dyers' acquired their second Hall in 1545.

The custom of riding to Westminster during the Mayoral progress was changed to that of going by water. John Norman, Lord Mayor of London in 1454, built a stately barge at his own expense and was rowed thither, attended by several companies of the City, including the Dyers' who had acquired their own barge.

It is likely that the Dyers' had their first hall at Three Stars, an area of dwellings and land on Thames St (Upper Thames Street). This was bequeathed from Sir Robert Tyrwhitt, then deputy chamberlain of Henry VIII, on 4 March 1545. We know that the Dyers' also had a Hall on Anchor Lane in the Vintry. We can be certain however, that the Dyers' had interests in this stretch of the Thames from the end of the 14th century.

The Dyers' were granted their Charter in 1471 and the names of Dyers' revealed the pedigree of those members who must have established the guild. In 1474, Moresby granted to Robert Carteleage and John Hawe, gentlemen, the messuage called "le Three Sterres" with shops in front and abutting north on Thames Street and south on the bank of the water of Thames (ripam aque Thamisie). In 1475 Cartleage and Hawe granted the property to Thomas Danyell, dyer, Humphrey Starkey, Recorder of London; William Dunthorne, Common Clerk of the City; Robert Vaus, gentleman; Thomas Roger, fishmonger, and Thomas Rede, dyer. They granted it in turn to John Meryden senior alias John More senior of Wing (Bucks), yeoman, and William Blakenoll of Westminster at some date before 14 September 1484, when the latter granted "lez thre Sterris" to Henry Warfeld, William Body, dyers, William Dunthorn and John Hawghes, gentlemen, and Thomas Rede, John Lewes, William Michell, Robert Roseby, John Bernys, John Symson and Thomas Nicholson, dyers.

According to Judge Daynes, the Company’s second hall on this site in All Hallows the Less, was provided by Sir Robert Tyrwhitt, deputy chamberlain of Henry VIII, on 4 March 1545 described as "all that great messuage called the Three Stars and all houses, buildings, wharves, stairs, draft and post galley to the same belonging, and also a little house and tenement belonging thereto". Seven almshouses were to be built on part of the site. But this must have been a regrant or confirmation, for a viewers’ certificate of the period 1509–13, concerning a variance in the parish of All Hallows the Less, refers to the common hall of the craft and fellowship of Dyers in Thames Street, and confirms that the Company had actually acquired the property considerably earlier, most probably in or soon after 1484.

In 1515, the Court of Aldermen of the City of London settled an order of precedence for the 48 livery companies then in existence, based on those companies' contemporary economic or political power. At that time, the Dyers' were in 12th place, and have therefore been a member of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies.

In January 1516, Lord Mayor William Boteler summoned The Wardens of The Dyers to The Star Chamber and summarily removed them for negligence. The negligence consisted of failing to detect fraud in the dyeing of silk. He also declared that the Shearmen (Clothworkers) should “henceforth go, stand and ryde in all processions and other goings…. next before the seyd Wardens and felisshippe of Dyers' and that the seyd Wardens and felisshippe of Dyers shall charitably and lovingly followe next the seyd Wardens and fellishippe of Shearmen… without any further strife or debate”. This was too much for the Dyers', whose Wardens proclaimed that they would rather eschew the procession than obey. They were threatened with a fine of £20 and presumably calmer counsel prevailed, as the Dyers' kept their £20 and, ever after, their thirteenth place.

The Dyers' received an important benefaction from Sir Robert Tyrwhitt (Vice-Chamberlain to King Henry VIII). The deed provided that seven almshouses should be erected. Namely four for men and three for women. This benefaction was a threefold boon. It started the Dyers’ provision, since very substantially extended, for needy old age. It made the Dyers' a riparian guild and it gave them a palatial Hall.

It is estimated that the Dyers' enjoyed their first Royalty of Swans well before 1545. It is at least probable that it was a pendant to the gift of the Riverside Hall, which Sir Robert Tyrwhitt made to them in that year. The only other City Company which has a Royalty of swans on the Thames is the Worshipful Company of Vintners.

In 1552 a noteworthy interference by the Parliament took place when the colours of cloth sold in England were settled by statue. There were 16 colours settled in total. This was to prevent the impact of the New World and new dyestuffs introduced at that time. The agreed colours were: Scarlet, Red, Crimson, Murray (purple from the Latin for Mulberry), Puke (blue-black like a Damson), Orange, Tawny, Russet, Marble Grey, Sadnew (Sepia), Azure and Watchett (a very pale Blue).

In 1553, a petition was presented before King Edward VI to give leave for certain Flemish dyers to be allowed to work in an English dyehouse in Southwark. In 1556 and 1611, the Dyers' supported the admission to their trade of selected foreigners.

In 1572 Sir Robert Tyrwhitt died, leaving behind a legacy that secured the future of the Dyers' to the present day. His benefaction secured the Dyers' as one of the major Livery Companies and at the time of his death the Dyers' had a substantial Hall and seven almshouses. Sir Robert could have been described as one of the first great diplomats of his time, given he kept on good terms with Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Queen Mary I and for a short while, Queen Elizabeth I.

Despite their natural conservatism, the Dyers' began to use new dyes from the New World, particularly the Portuguese ‘brazil’ from South America. In 1571, still pursuing their traditional policy, they joined with thirteen other craft guilds in petitioning the Court of Aldermen for a return to the condition of ancient times, when each guild controlled exclusively its particular craft and things were ‘truly substantially and workmanly made’. They declared that by doing so, ‘the Aldermen would purchase everlasting renown and immortal fame here on earth, with the fruition of the immortal God in the world to come’ – a generous if somewhat unusual business proposal. In 1578, the Dyers' obtained Ordinances from Queen Elizabeth, and the Ratification of these is their only enabling document which escaped the Great Fire.

In 1586 the threat of invasion did not cause the Dyers' to suspend their charitable work. The ‘Blewcocke Lane,’ noted as the west abutment of the tenement in the lease of 1571, is presumably to be identified with the ‘White Cock Alley’ shown west of Dyers’ Hall on both Leake’s map of 1666 and Ogilby and Morgan’s map of 1676. According to Judge Daynes, the Dyers' purchased the White Cock in 1586 for use as accommodation for almspeople in an extension of the Tyrwhitt almshouses, and Harben notes that a White Cock Alley was purchased by the Dyers' in 1586 as the messuage, then a dye house, called the White Cock.

In 1587 the Company bought lands in Dow Gate, which were the site of a college of Priests called Jesus Commons. Clearly it had survived into the reign of Queen Elizabeth because it is described as being discontinued within 30 years of 1598, when the college was dissolved and turned into tenements.

In its former glory ,it was a House "well furnished with brass napery and plate" etc, besides a library well stocked with books. All of which were given to a number of priests that should keep commons there; as if one left this place (by Death or otherwise), another should be admitted to his room. "Commons" means eating meals together. The fact of this establishment existing beyond the Reformation suggests it might have been a place where the redundant priests were housed by the City. This would explain it being discontinued in the 1560s, as sympathy for the old religion decreased and numbers died off.

The Skinners' and Dyers' assisted in the purchase and storage of corn. This service was not continued after 1666.

It is believed that swan upping was performed in the Tyrwhitt era, but the first recorded reference to swan upping was in 1598 (in the records of the Worshipful Company of Founders). The reference only refers to the baking of pies for a swan upping voyage, however. Swan upping is mentioned in the Minute Book of the Worshipful Company of Vintners in 1609.

In 1608 James I launched his scheme for the ‘Plantation of Ulster’. The suppression of rebellions in the north of Ireland had led to the confiscation of half of the province of Ulster. In 1609 he asked the City Companies for their support, which after much pressure they gave, and for which they were to suffer three centuries of trouble and unrest. The Dyers' contributed £580 to the Salters’ holding of £3,333 6s. 8d.; their fellow shareholders were the Saddlers, Cutlers, Joiners and Woolmen, and the lands held were entitled ‘The Manor of Sal’. After enduring many tribulations and the hostility of the Irish from who the lands had been taken, all the minor Companies eventually withdrew.

The Dyers' inspectors discovered that logwood was being dishonestly used instead of the true dyes, and questionable means were used to resist inspection. They also became involved in the discreditable Cloth Project of Alderman Cockayne. The schemes' goal was to dye undressed cloth through a monopoly he acquired from King James, and control the export of finished material. The export markets did not cooperate and there could be no economic success. As a result, export and revenue fell, unemployment and poverty mounted. After three disastrous years, the textile trade had suffered severely and did not recover quickly.

Charity is a cornerstone of the modern Livery Company and its roots lie firmly in the behaviour of its ancient craft. Records show that in the reign of Charles I, Henry Trevillian and Samuel Gouldsmith bequeathed charitable gifts in 1639 and 1649 respectively.

The Great Fire of London began at night on the 1st September; by the evening of the next day both the Dyers Hall and the Dowgate property were destroyed. There is no record of how individual dyers or Company officials responded to the crisis as it unfolded, but the lack of records suggests that there was no hero like the Renter Warden of the Skinners', Mr Foster. He organised the removal of their plate and muniments to successive places of safety, even as his own property was burning. The Master of the Tallow Chandlers piled his coach with the Company charter, records and plate and removed it all to Hampstead. There is no memory of similar disinterest among the Dyers', but someone certainly was concerned; some records and the beautiful charters survived: perhaps as much as could be hurriedly stuffed into a bag.

Any temptation to condemn the senior members of the Company for not doing more should be resisted. Dyers Hall in 1666 was down by the river and close to the ‘true heart of the fire’, on Thames Street. Samuel Pepys awoke at 7am on the 2nd September, the Lords Day, and after various consultations and observations took to the river. The fire had already reached the Old Swan and travelled very fast along the riverbank, reaching the Steelyard (next to Cannon Street) in an hour. One can imagine a sleepy Beadle or Clerk grabbing what records he could as his wife and children called to him to hurry. The Skinners' and Tallow Chandlers had much more leisure to organise a rescue, as the fire only reached Dowgate Hill in the evening. Of the 45 Halls that were destroyed, Dyers Hall was among the first to succumb.

The extant records of the Dyers’ proceedings began in 1667, as an possible records made before that date were lost in the Great Fire. A Dyers’ book of 1671 foreshadows the state of impecuniosity in which the Company found itself in the last quarter of the seventeenth century. The Dyers' managed to rebuild their Hall, which had been burnt down in the Great Fire; but the rebuilt Hall was destroyed by another fire in 1681.

Dyers’ Hall at the Three Stars was rebuilt after The Great Fire of 1666, only to be destroyed by a further fire in 1681. The Company abandoned the project of rebuilding the Hall, as their holding in Dowgate Hill, the eventual site of their next hall, was unavailable to them until 1731 due to a lease arrangement with The Skinners'. The Court Minutes record meetings held in various places, for the regular ones, in private houses, while the election of officers were held in halls such as the Fishmongers' in 1682, the Joiners' in 1683, and later in the Salters' and Drapers' halls.

Having not yielded any income for around 17 years, the Dyers' fortunes took a postive turn in 1708 when the Irish Estates paid a dividend of around £450. Other benefactors of the dividend inlcuded the Salters' who had a larger share and out of kindness, agreed to henceforth lower their Hall rental charge to the Dyers'.

An interesting entry to the minutes in 1715 reveals the Dyers' having to deal with a private insurrection. The leaders were Messrs. Powell and Monk. "They seized swans, purposted to bind and loose apprentices, attempted to collect rents from the Company's tenants and generally arrogated to themselves the powers of Wardens". The Wardens naturally took the matter to The Court of Alderman. The Court decided against Powell and Monk, and in favour of the Company's elected Wardens, Messrs. Lee and Spence. Nevertheless, Mr Powell had to be threatened with legal action before he would surrender the swans that he had kidnapped.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Dyers' continued to consider it their duty to uphold the standards of their craft in the City and beyond. They petitioned Parliament against abuses and frauds in 1719 and 1726. In 1783 a controlling act was finally passed.

In 1721 the Dyers’ contribution to care for needy old age was extended by a gift contained in the will of William Lee. This gift resulted in the purchase of further accommodation in St. John’s Street, Spitalfields, Bethnal Green, namely almshouses for six poor persons.

The Dyers' were able to lessen the expenditure expected from their Steward. They decided to relieve him from the cost of the “annual feast”. One economy was made by a rule that the members should not bring their servants to a feast. Another was the use of tickets to defeat what now is called “gatecrashing”, in the picturesque translation style.

The earliest extant list of the Dyers’ Livery began in 1725. In 1726 there was the first recorded gift of swans by the Company, a gift to Lord Bateman.

A minute record from 1727 reads: "The Wardens and Court of Assistants agreed to go swan upping on the first Monday of August and The Court desired the Renter Warden would be pleased to provide a dinner at Putney Heath, three six-oared barges to carry the Company up the water. Music and other necessaries as usual, in case John Hopkins Esquire can provide coaches on the same terms as usual".

Although the Dyers' were generous to more than one of their members who had suffered from misfortune, financial failure was a bar to membership of the court. In 1729 the Court passed a resolution that anyone who had failed in his circumstances and had made or should make any composition with his creditors should not be put in nomination for the Court of Assistants. This rule, modified by a provision in favour of a man who has paid "20s. in the pound" and has been solvent for seven subsequent years still remains in force today.

In 1731, the lease to the Skinners' of the Dyers’ Dowgate Hill property fell in; and the Dyers' decided not to renew it. This decision led to a question of boundaries; but the strip of land involved was tiny. The matter was settled without litigation and the Skinners' and Dyers' have been good friends ever since.

In 1735 the Wardens and Court of Assistants received a Summons to show cause as to why they did not attend the Lord Mayor on Lord Mayor's Day. They explained that they had twice had the misfortune to have their Hall burnt down, and lost all their plate, trophies and ornaments, and to have been involved in large debts, which from time to time by frugality and good management they had been endeavouring to discharge but had not been yet able to effect this. They were excused.

In 1738 the Dyers' found another benefactor. Mr. John Peck offered to present the Company the cost of four additional rooms at the Spitalfields site where the almspeople of Lee’s Charity were housed, so that there would be ten units in addition to the fifteen provided by the Tyrwhitt and West benefactions. In 1745 the almshouses were - for the first time - insured against fire.

Whilst the Dyers' were without a Hall, the Court used to meet at the Court Room in Elbow Lane, leaving one or two items to be dealt with after an adjournment for lunch, which was taken at “The George” in Ironmonger Lane. The Court also dined together on Election Day. The other entertainments were the swan upping dinner given in August and a dinner given in a borrowed Hall in December. The Court Room at Elbow Lane eventually fell down in 1768.

Following the collapse of The Court Room in 1768, a new Dyers' Hall was built on Elbow Lane and fronted on to what is now College Street, off Dowgate Hill on the site of the previous Court Room.

The Dyers' had given attention to their corporate seal and an emblazonment had been procured from the College of Arms. A new seal was ordered to be obtained, in accordance with the emblazonment.

In 1777, the Thyrwhitt and West almspeople, by then numbering 16, were moved to new premises in the City Road. These buildings comprised a central part and two wings. The almspeople from Thames Street (White Cock) were put into the East Wing; and those from Holborn (White’s Alley) were put into the West Wing. The Dyers' also aqucuired some surplus land in the City Road, and let this land on building lease.

In 1779 the Dyers' were approached by the government. The Company recorded that the Treasury had referred the Dyers' to the case of an inventor who had supplied a new method for dyeing scarlet and crimson and other colours on linen and cotton. Shortly afterwards in 1787, they were asked to nominate twelve prominent Dyers' who could be consulted on the ‘Meritts and Utility’ of future claims for such discoveries.

It was with deep regret that the Dyers' were unable to accept the Lord Mayor's invitation to attend him in their barge at Greenwich on the occasion of Lord Nelson's funeral. The simple reason for their inability was that the Company had no barge.

By 1826 it was clear that Dyers' Hall would need substantial improvements to bring it up to date, but it was decided to merely repair the Hall. One building frim offered to rebuild the hall for £6,515 10s. or in a more superb manner for £7,125 10s. Eventually, following the coronation of Queen Victoria, Dyers' Hall reached a point where the level of ongoing repairs required could not be sustained.

In 1838 an architect, appropriately named Charles Dyer, was employed to rebuild the Dyers’ Hall. This was completed in 1841, but it was not until 1843 that it was sufficiently equipped for a banquet to be held there.

The building in Spitalfields had to be surrendered because the land on which it stood was required by the Eastern Counties Railway Company. New premises were found in Balls Pond Road, Islington. The Spitalfields almspeople were transferred, as were the City Road Almshouse inhabitants later.

Mr Maguire added a further £300 to his charitable donation. The Court gave him a framed vote of thanks and asked him to sit for his portrait so that it could hang in the Hall, as it does today.

The swans and cygnets upped during the years 1837 to 1846 varied between 584 and 432 per year. The figures are totals, showing the total birds of the Crown, the Vintners' and the Dyers'. The Dyers’ average was about 140.

In 1851 the almshouse building on City Road was sold to St. Mark’s Hospital, a foundation which had been created in 1838 and transferred to the City Road premises in 1854. The Dyers' and the Hospital decelped a close relationship and several of the Dyers’ Prime Wardens and other members of their Court served on the Hospital’s Committee of Management.

In 1852 the Dyers' lost their Clerk, Mr. B. C. Luttly, who with his father (whom he succeeded) had held the clerkship for over fifty years. His successor was Mr. Henry Batt who, like almost all the Clerks of the Company, was as well a Liveryman as also a solicitor.

This year saw the first inauguration of the gold medals for the past Prime Wardens. The decision was to give gold medals to those members of the Court who had served both as the office of Prime Warden and Renter Warden, and this is still enacted today.

Dyeing was moving into new territory as synthetic dyes were discovered. In 1856 Sir William Perkin, while attempting to create a cure for malaria, discovered the aniline dye mauveine. Perkin successfully produced industrial quantities of Mauve, Britannia Violet and Perkin’s Green for the textile trade from his dyeworks at Greenford until 1874. William Perkin was knighted in 1906, and died in 1907.

In 1856 the Dyers' began to build on Dowgate Hill. Previously the entrance to their Hall was in Elbow Lane which led west from Dowgate Hill and is now known as College Street. They made a new entrance from Dowgate Hill, and also built two houses and a public house.

The production of synthetic dyes was not confined to British shores and developments had been made, notably in Germany and the United States, although hampered in the latter by a lack of industrial chemists. The first aniline plant in Germany was built near Cologne in 1861. English dyers travelled to America to set up a factory in Brooklyn in 1864.

In 1862 a constitutional point came before the Court. This arose from an application to be admitted to the freedom by redemption. The applicant was an alien. He was required to become naturalised, did so and was admitted.

A dispute arose with the Armourers and Braziers, whose windows overlooked 28 Upper Thames Street. Vital light to those windows would be obscured by some works contemplated by the Dyers', the owners of 28 Upper Thames Street. After agreeing on terms the Dyers' gave way gracefully, and the two Companies have been on very friendly terms ever since.

The winter of 1875 had been extremely severe and the number of swans decreased. Discussions as to how the swans should be protected and what number should be aimed at led to a report. This pointed out that there was an increasing dislike of the swans on the part of the fishermen and some residents, recommending that the number of the Dyers’ swans should not exceed fifty.

In 1878 the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) took exception to the way in which swans were marked and pinioned. It started legal proceedings against the Crown, Vintners' and Dyers'. The result was a compromise, agreeing that pinioning was absolutely necessary. Further recommendations that were taken up were that swan-upping should be held in July and also that the bills of swans should be marked in a modified form. The Dyers' were to have one nick, and the Vintners' two nicks (which word being misspelt or misheard must have inspired the Public House name “The Swan with Two Necks”).

In 1878 the City & Guilds of London Institute was founded and the Dyers’ contributed a prize for the making and using of dyes. The encouragement by the City Companies of technological studies continues today.

In 1881 the Dyers' subscribed to a fund with which to buy a Great Bell for St. Paul’s Cathedral.

In 1884 the Society of Dyers and Colourists was founded. It was designed to deal not with any question as to wages or trade regulations, but with the advancement of science and technology and to give special regard to the tinctorial arts. It started a Journal; and both the Journal and the Society have flourished. It has had very friendly relations with the Dyers’ Company.

In 1908 the Dyers' and the Society of Dyers and Colourists instituted a Research Medal, to be awarded annually on the recommendation of that Society to the author of or the most substantial contributor to a paper published in that Society’s Journal. The paper had to embody the results of scientific research or technical investigation connected with tinctorial arts.

In 1910 the Dyers’ letter of sympathy on the death of King Edward VII was acknowledged on behalf of King George V by a grateful letter from the then Home Secretary, now passed into history as the Right Honourable Sir Winston Churchill, O.M., C.H.

When the war broke out in 1914 the Dyers' subscribed to several war charities, including the YMCA, Red Cross, Belgian People’s Fund, Serbian Red Cross and the Prince of Wales National Relief Fund.

During the Boer War and the First World War many dyeworks switched to making explosives. In 1915 it is recorded that the Holliday dyeworks in Huddersfield was producing 100 tons of picric acid a week for the War Office.

In 1932 the Court sent six pairs of swans to the city of Victoria in British Columbia.

An important decision was made concerning the Dyers’ almshouses. It was decided to move the almspeople from Islington to Crawley on a new piece of land, and with existing infrastructure as a self-contained estate. The existing almshouses in Balls Pond Road were sold.

A provision was made for an air-raid shelter to be constructed in the basement of Dyers’ Hall so as to comply with the Civil Defence Act 1939. Various records were removed to the National Safe Deposit in Queen Victoria Street and preparations were made for photographic copies to be taken of some of the Company’s records so that in the event of bombing or fire, the history of the Company would be saved.

Dyers Hall was hit in an air raid in December 1940. The roof was hit by an incendiary bomb, but the damage was minimised by the prompt action of the Hall-keeper Mr. Stiles, whose energetic work as an Air Raid Warden was of great value to the Company on this and later occasions.

In 1948 an association, which still exists, was formed with Norwich School following bomb damage to the school in the Second World War. The Dyers' extended their activities to general education as the Company became more involved. For the full story of The Dyers' relationship with Norwich School click HERE

The Almshouses at Crawley had become one of the finest sets of almshouses in England. The Court paid them a summer visit and have done so ever since.

In 1960 the Company adopted the newly-formed 30th Signal Regiment, whose Commanding Officer was Past Prime Warden Colonel A.R. (Tubby) Marshall.

The Dyers' first Naval affiliation was with HMS Brilliant, a Type 22 frigate. She was commissioned in 1981 and served in the Falklands War in 1982, notably in the Battle of Seal Cove. The Dyers Company affiliation started in 1987, and in January 1991, Brilliant was deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of the Operation Granby Task Force, in the First Gulf War.

She was decommissioned from Royal Navy service in 1996.

The Dyers' affiliation with this famous World War 2 Bomber Squadron began in 1989, initiated by the late Philip Back DFC (PW 1990-91), a former Pathfinder pilot. At the time, No. 617 Squadron were based at RAF Marham in Norfolk and equipped with Tornado GR1 all-weather bomber aircraft.

The Squadron disbanded in March 2014 as the Tornado force was gradually retired. In 2016 the Squadron began conversion training to the new F-35 (Lightning) before reforming as the first British squadron equipped with this aircraft in April 2018. The Lightning force is a joint military squadron and includes RAF and Royal Navy personnel, based at RAF Marham and also aboard the Royal Navy’s new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers. See Charitable Activity / Armed Forces / 617 Squadron for more info.

Following the decommissioning of HMS Brilliant, The Dyers' established an affiliation with a Type 23 Frigate, HMS Grafton. She was commissioned in 1997. In 2004 Grafton was deployed in the Persian Gulf. She was decommissioned from Royal Navy Service in 2006.

During a short period of refurbishment in the mid-nineties and to celebrate the upcoming millennium, the Millennium stained-glass window was installed in the Dyers’ Hall, depicting many of the activities with which the Company was involved at the turn of the century. Click HERE to jump to the Millenium Window section

In 2007 the Dyers' established its third, and current affiliation with HMS Vanguard, one of the Navy’s Trident ballistic Missile-armed submarines, commissioned in 1993.

HMS Vanguard is currently undergoing a Deep Maintenance Period (Refuel) (DMP(R)) in Devonport. This is a major undertaking, which will allow Vanguard to continue to provide the Continuous at Sea Deterrent (CASD) for her next commission. When the refit is complete, Vanguard will re-join the 3 other Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBNs) tasked with delivering CASD. After an extensive sea trials period, and a transit to the USA to load her complement of nuclear missiles, she and her crew of around 120 personnel will go on patrol. This patrol will last for months, during which she will remain constantly dived. Only when Vanguard has been relieved by the next SSBN will she return to the surface and transit back to base.

The Queen’s Gurkha Signals are the Dyers’ most recent affiliation. See the Armed Forces section under Charitable Activity for the complete story.

Dyers Hall is currently undergoing a major reconstruction and refurbishment project. The project is substantial and will see the installation of a new lift, new lodgings and complete renovation of the Court Room. It is the most major works that the Dyers' have carried out since the 19th century. The hall is due to reopen in 2021 and in the interim dinners, court meetings and events have been occuring in other livery court rooms and Halls. Notably the Inn-Keepers, Drapers and Clothworkers.

Like every organisation and across society, the Dyers' have been affected by the global pandemic. Swan upping was cancelled for the first time since the Second World War and many dinners and functions have been held online through virtual meet ups. Notably the 2020 Swan Dinner went ahead with a brilliantly orchestrated video meeting, including a recommended Swan Dinner menu, toasts, songs and speeches, all from the comfort of the Court and Livery's home dining tables.

For the first time since the inception of The Dyers Company, Court Meetings were held via video conference. As ever, a good sense of humour and a strong bond of fellowship has prevailed.

The Dyers Company is lucky to have a continuing connection with its Craft, and many members of the Company today are still involved in, or closely connected with dyeing and its associated trades, although the function of a trade body for the Craft has largely been taken over by the Society of Dyers’ & Colourists in Bradford.
The current Prime Warden Professor Roger Warden is himself a dyer. Roger joined the Scottish College of Textiles as a lecturer in colour science in 1974 and after the College merged with Heriot-Watt University became Head of the School of Textiles & Design of the University between 2003 - 2009.

He was a Trustee of the Society of Dyers & Colourists between 2009-12 and since 2009 has been Chairman of the Society’s Education, Qualifications and Accreditation Board. In 2006 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Society for outstanding contributions to colour education and colour science. In 2007 he was awarded the Research Medal of the Worshipful Company of Dyers of the City of London. Between 2003 – 06 he was the President of AUTEX, the Association of Universities for Textiles, a consortium of European university textile departments that collaborate on research and teaching in textiles. In 2012 he was awarded a lifetime achievement award in textiles by AUTEX.
In addition to publishing research papers on colour science he has co-authored two textbooks: “The Chemistry of Colour Application” (2000) and “The Chemistry of Textile Fibres” (2nd ed. 2015) and is the sole author of “An Introduction to the Coloration of Textiles” (2018).

In 2021 it was 550 years since the granting of the first Royal Charter by Henry VI, and the Dyers's commissioned several new artworks to celebrate this milestone. These included the creation of two new loving cups, a bespoke artwork of the 550th Court members by the Singh Twins, a new heraldic badge from the College of Arms, two tapestry friezes from textile designer Neil Bottle, a series of stained glass windows depicting the history of dyeing in the UK and a new carpet for the Court Room at Dyers' Hall.

In 2021 life began to return to normal at Dyers' Hall, following the completion of the Phase II renovation works and the repeated national lockdowns due to the Covid pandemic.
Staff returned to the Hall full-time in May, and two Dinners were held for the membership in September 2021.

In 2023 the Dyers' Company instigated the Alumni Club and launched the inaugural round of the Dyers' Company Seed Capital Investment Fund.

In 2022 research began to bring together the 300+ Alumni that were beneficiaries of the Company from the previous decade, from over 18 educational institutions. In May 2023 the first Alumni Club meeting was held, with a great turnout and a series of future meetings planned.

The Dyers' Company Seed Capital Investment Fund is designed to support innovation and the commercialisation of business ideas within the colouration industry. The Dyers consider initial equity investments of up to £25,000 per venture for fledgling businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to transform their innovative ideas into successful businesses. The initiative is relevant to a vast range of industries/activities with a connection to colour and colouration including colour chemistry and science, food technology, healthcare (e.g., medical dyes), engineering, sustainable dyeing, textiles production for fashion and interiors and much more.

The Company recieved two dozen applications and two funds were awarded, to SAGES London and Loom & Power Ltd. This venture was so successful it is to be repeated annually.

We are honoured to be the first City Livery Company to be granted a supplemental Charter from His Majesty King Charles III.

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. This Charter and other records of the Company were destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666, and another at the rebuilt Dyers' Hall in 1681.

In addition to the two Inspeximus Charters granted by Elizabeth I and James II which are displayed in the Hall today, it is the re-incorporation by Queen Anne in 1704 which governed the Company until 2023.

The supplemental Charter contains 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, thus formally dropping the "Wardens and Commonalty of the Mistery of Dyers of the City of London" tongue-twister!

The period between 2020-22 was a time when the annual Swan Upping voyage was not held for the Dyers' Company Court members.
Initially due to the pandemic and then due to a record-breaking heatwave in 2022, Swan Upping returned in 2023 with King' swan markers, due to the passing of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 and the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023.

The Dyers' Company have committed to Phase III of the building renovation of Dyers' Hall, planning to modernise and link the building throughout. Work is expected to commence in the Spring of 2024.