Membership

Membership of the Company consists of up to 185 Members of the Livery and approximately 140 Members of the Freedom. Total membership averages just over 300 members, comprised of both men and women. All positions are held on a voluntary basis.

Becoming a Member

Categories of membership

There are three categories of membership of the Salters:

  1. Apprentice

To be eligible for a place as a Salters’ Apprentice, applicants need to be aged 18 to 25 and have either received an Institute prize or award or held a SCF Sixth Form bursary, a Salters’ Arkwright Scholarship, or a Salters’ Guildhall School of Music & Drama technical bursary.

The application process to become an apprentice is as follows:

  • Application form submitted
  • Interview with Master, Clerk and Court Apprentice Lead
  • Master assigned to the apprentice
  • Formal signing of the indenture form by the apprentice at a Court meeting
  1. Freedom

There are two ways in which it is possible to enter the Company as a Member of the Freedom:

  • By Patrimony – this applies to those whose parents were already Members of the Freedom or Livery when the applicant was born.
  • By Redemption – following recommendation by the Court & Livery Selection Committee and also for those applicants born before a parent became a Member of the Company.
  1. Livery

Election to the Livery is from the existing members of the Freedom, is by invitation only and is therefore competitive.

PROCESS OF JOINING THE FREEDOM

Step One: Introduction & Nomination

The process begins with potential applicants being introduced to the Company by an existing member of the Company. The applicant is then interviewed by the Clerk, followed by a panel if necessary, then proposed and recommended for consideration by the Court & Livery Selection Committee. Applications are reviewed quarterly.


Step Two: Freedom of the Salters’ Company

Recommendations from the Court & Livery Selection Committee are then considered by the Court and if the applicant is successful they will be sworn into the Freedom of the Company at the next convenient meeting of the Court of Assistants. Successful applicants become a Member of the Freedom of the Worshipful Company of Salters.


Step Three: Freedom of the City of London

A Member of the Freedom may then apply to become a member of the Freedom of the City of London, a prerequisite to becoming a Member of the Livery. This part of the process includes the Ceremony of Admission, which guests may attend.

 

PROCESS OF ADMISSION TO THE LIVERY

Election and admission to the Livery of members of the Freedom (who must be a Freeman of the City of London) is the business of Court. Freeman may be invited to put their name forward for election by the Clerk or a member of the Livery, or they may apply to the Clerk at any stage. A letter to the Clerk outlining the reasons for wanting to join the Livery is expected.

In all cases, the Court and Livery Selection Committee (CLSC) will consider the member’s letter, his or her contribution to the Company through attendance at its events, involvement with its Committees or working groups and support to its charities. The CLSC will also take in to account personal circumstances and/or commitments that may constrain or have constrained their ability to contribute.