Worshipful Company of Salters

The Salters' Company was first granted a Royal Charter of Incorporation in 1394, with further charters authorising the Company to set standards regulating salt industry products from the City of London. The formal name under which it is incorporated is The Master, Wardens and Commonality of the Art or Mystery of the Salters of London.[https://democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk/documents/s36591/City%20Fund%20Highway%20Declaration%20Fore%20Street%20EC2.pdf www.cityoflondon.gov.uk]

The Company was originally responsible for the regulation of salt merchants, but began losing control over the trade as the population of London increased and spread outwards from the City after the Industrial Revolution.

Until the 19th century, the main use for salt was to preserve food for the winter months. Salt was probably the first traded commodity which if not available locally was imported.{{Cite web | url=https://saltassociation.co.uk/education/salt-history/middle-ages/ | title=Salt in the Middle Ages | website=saltassociation.co.uk | access-date=2024-07-12}}

Through careful stewardship of financial bequests and funds, the Company now serves as a significant educational and charitable institution whilst maintaining links with its heritage by supporting education in chemistry, for example by awarding scholarships to chemistry and science students, among whom is Sam Carling {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=90%|MP}}.[https://www.dodspeople.com/ www.dodspeople.com]

Since Sir Robert Bassett in 1475/76, eighteen Salters have served as Lord Mayor of London, the most recent being Sir Richard Nichols in 1997/98.{{Cite web | url=https://lordmayorsshow.london/2018-procession/worshipful-company-of-salters | website=lordmayorsshow.london | title=Worshipful Company of Salters | access-date=2024-07-12}}

The Master Salter for 2024/25 is Piers Vacher,{{Cite web | url=https://rugbeiancommunity.com/news/rugbeian-society-news/422/422-ORRTC-v-Queens-Club-8-December- | website=www.rugbeiancommunity.com | title=ORRTC vs Queen's Club 2023 | date=2024-06-12}}{{Cite web | url=https://apps.lords.org/lords/tours-and-museum/museum/searchthecollections/artefactdetails/Museum/30418?page=88 | website=apps.lords.org | title=MCC Real Tennis | access-date=2024-07-12}} supported by the Company Wardens, Commoner Andrew McMurtrie {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=90%|JP}},{{Cite web | url=https://democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=1225 | website=democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk | title= Commoner Andrew Stratton McMurtrie JP | access-date=2024-07-12}} Anthony Cecil, 4th Baron Rockley,[https://www.burkespeerage.com/ Burke’s Peerage & Baronetage] and John Stebbing {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=90%|FRCS}}.[https://www.royalsurrey.nhs.uk/find-a-consultant/?consultant=524&letter=S www.royalsurrey.nhs.uk]

Since 2019, the Clerk to the Salters' Company is Tim Smith.{{Cite web | url=https://salters.co.uk/company-staff/ | website =www.salters.co.uk | title=The Salters' Company Staff | access-date=2024-07-12}}

File:Salters'_Hall,_Fore_Street.jpg

The former Salters' Hall in St Swithin's Lane, London EC4, bombed in 1941, was during the 1700s the meeting place of Presbyterians and in 1719 the site of the "Salters' Hall controversy" a notable turning point for religious tolerance in England."This threefold body came together, then, at Salters' Hall, and first met the very day following that on which the Royal Assent had ratified the repeal of the Schism Act. It was thus repealed on the 18th February, 1719, and they met on..." ({{cite book |first=Alexander |last=Gordon |year=1922 |title=Addresses, biographical and historical |chapter=The story of Salters' Hall |page=142 |chapter-url=http://internet.archive.org/stream/cu31924029262206#page/n151/mode/1up}})

The present Salters' Hall on Fore Street, EC2 dates from 1976,[http://www.salters.co.uk/ The Salters' Company website] designed by architect Sir Basil Spence, being Grade II-listed in 2010.{{National Heritage List for England|num=1396374|desc=The Salters' Hall|access-date=26 June 2023}} A major redevelopment by architects de Metz Forbes Knight[https://dmfk.co.uk/ de Metz Forbes Knight] including a new entrance pavilion was completed in 2016.{{Cite web |title=Salters’ Hall |url=https://open-city.org.uk/films/salters-hall |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=Open City |language=en-US}}

Established in 1918 as the Salters' Institute of Industrial Chemistry to support chemistry students after the First World War, particularly those whose studies had been interrupted by military service,[https://saltersinstitute.org/about-us/ The Salters' Institute webpage] the Salters' Company's educational charity awards prizes for students of chemistry, chemical engineering, biology and physics (plus science technicians), as well as running various activities to promote the study of science.[https://salters.co.uk/the-salters-institute/ www.salters.co.uk]

File:Salters'_Hall_10.jpg on a floor at Salters' Hall]]

The Company received a grant of arms in 1530 from Thomas Benolt,[https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/news-grants/newsletter/itemlist/category/19-2018 www.college-of-arms.gov.uk] then its crest and supporters in 1591 from Robert Cooke, both Clarenceux King of Arms.

The Salters' Co. arms are blazoned:

Escutcheon: Per chevron Azure and Gules three Covered Salts Argent garnished Or.

Crest: On a Wreath of the Colours a Cubit Arm erect issuing from Clouds all Proper holding a Covered Salt Argent garnished Or.

Supporters: Two Otters Sable bezanty ducally gorged and chained Or.{{cite book |last=Fox-Davies |first=Arthur Charles |date=1915 |title=The Book of Public Arms |url=https://archive.org/stream/bookofpublicarms00foxd#page/692/mode/2up/search/salters |location=London |publisher=T. C. & E. C. Jack |pages=692–693}}

Its motto is Sal Sapit Omnia, Latin for Salt Savours All.Carothers, Wallace (2000), Salters' Advanced Chemistry - Chemical Storylines, p. 240 {{ISBN|0-435-63119-5}}.

• Drysalter
• Zunft

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Worshipful Company of Salters}}

• [http://www.salters.co.uk/ The Salters' Company]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20141006155352/http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-the-city/working-with-and-for-others/Pages/city-livery-companies.aspx www.cityoflondon.gov.uk]

{{Livery Companies in the City of London}}

{{City of London wards}}

{{coords|51.51811|-0.09226|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Worshipful Company Of Salters}}

Salters

Category:1559 establishments in England

Category:Companies of medieval England

Category:Great Twelve City Livery Companies

Category:Chemical industry in the United Kingdom

Category:Chemistry trade associations