The Royal Charter

400th Anniversary of the Charter

In 2007 The Salters' Company celebrated the 400th anniversary of the Royal Charter granted by King James I in 1607. This followed on from licences first granted by King Richard II in 1394, King Edward IV in 1467, King Henry VIII in 1510 and a Charter of Incorporation from Queen Elizabeth in 1559.

Additional Powers of the Court

The Royal Charter of 1607 reincorporated the Company under its present name of The Master, Wardens and Commonality of the Art or Mistery of the Salters of London and gave it additional powers of jurisdiction over all Freemen exercising the Art of Salter in the City, its suburbs and within two miles thereof. It gave the Court of Assistants of the Company powers of 'survey, search, correction and governance over all freemen of the Company using the Mistery and also over all wares exposed to sale in any way concerning the Mistery and to correct the weights and measures used by the Mistery within the area'.
Note: The term "mystery" or "mistery", derives from the French "mestier" (now "metier"), meaning a job or trade.

Annulment of the Charter

In 1684 the Company was compelled to surrender the Charter of King James I and was granted a new Charter reaffirming its powers and privileges while reserving to the Crown a large measure of control. The Charter was annulled on the accession to the throne of King William III and Queen Mary II in 1689.