Introduction

Welcome to the World Traders' website - thank you for visiting us. The World Traders' Company is one of the newest and youngest of the City of London's ancient guilds, most of which trace their roots back to the Middle Ages. But, perhaps surprisingly, a number have been formed in the last half century, and several more are in the pipeline waiting to receive "livery". Hence, we are collectively known as livery companies.

The site is divided into two parts. A public area with general information about the Company; and a Members' secure area, password protected for liverymen and freemen only, where there is more detailed information about our activities and membership.

We hope you enjoy browsing the site, and find what you are looking for. Alternatively please email us - see foot of this page. By way of introduction, here is a little about who we are:

City Companies are in some ways like clubs, though there are any number of significant differences. But they have members (freemen or liverymen), who pay subscriptions (quarterage), and officers, who are elected to the committee (Court) which is chaired by the Master, usually for one year. . To become a liveryman of a Company, you must first be admitted to membership (becoming a freeman of the Company), then commit to the City (becoming a freeman of the City); and after a period of successful membership, the Court will confirm active freemen of the Company as a liverymen of the Company.

Their day to day affairs are looked after by their Clerk. Some have their own Halls, most just have offices, while other smaller or newer companies are administered from the Clerk's office or home.

The Livery companies go back to the middle ages, and were founded to promote and protect the crafts which their members practised. Today, many of those crafts and trades have diminished in importance, and the modern livery company, while seeking to continue links with their trade where relevant, concentrates as much, if not more, on charitable and educational activities.

But the freemen and liverymen of the World Traders, a modern Company only granted livery at the beginning of the year 2000, do retain a strong interest in their chosen profession - world trade. As well as pursuing charitable and educational initiatives through its Charitable Trust, it also allows its members frequent opportunities to meet at lectures, business lunches, and social occasions. There are also two church services each year, in addition to the United Guilds Service held annually in St Paul's Cathedral.

The purposes of a City Livery Company may be summarised as follows:
1. The furtherance of their trade or craft
2. Fellowship
3. Charitable

The Worshipful Company of World Traders achieves the first two of these with a full programme of events, both social and educational, and the first and last through a Trust fund which is used to support charities or educational institutions which have courses or connections with world trade.

There are now over 250 members of the Company, and they are drawn from a wide diversity of professions and locations. Men and women of all ages are welcome to apply for membership. But they will all have or have had a direct interest and involvement in world trade.

Presently, the areas of international brokerage (of ships, insurance, commodities, and finance) are well represented, as are importers and exporters of foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, and other products. We also count amongst our number many accountants, bankers and lawyers, all of whom deal with international clients. On joining, all make a commitment to support personally and regularly the Company's Charitable Trust.

Further information about the World Traders may be found elsewhere on our website, or if you wish to write, please click here to email the Clerk and request our postal address. If you are interested in becoming a member and wish to know more about how to join, please indicate this to the Clerk in your message.

The Clerk
The Worshipful Company of World Traders

For more general information about the livery companiesof the City of London, please click here