Post by wirewiper on Sept 14, 2021 16:44:41 GMT
Every year, around 40 historic and interesting vehicles are gathered in Guildhall Yard, in front of the City of London's Guildhall, to take part in one of the ancient and arcane ceremonies which abound in the City of London.
The Cart Marking Ceremony dates back over 500 years; historically the Sheriff of London and representatives from the Worshipful Company of Carmen would brand carts with a red-hot iron each year to show that they were roadworthy and had paid an annual fee, and could therefore ply for trade within the City of London. In essence it was the forerunner to road licensing, as with most Guilds in the City of London it allowed the Carmen to control the trade and ensure satisfactory standards of operation.
The ceremony still takes place today, the red-hot iron is still used but it marks a plank of wood attached to the vehicle. The same 5/- (25p) fee is still charged, this being the fee in force in 1838 when licensing passed from the Worshipful Company of Carmen to the Keeper of the Guildhall.
This year's ceremony takes place on Saturday 18th September, and is free to watch. It starts at 10.30am and goes on for around two hours, there is usuallly seating installed so arrive in good time if you want to bag a seat. The vehicles can be an eclectic mix of carts, lorries, vans, cars and buses old and new; I seem to recall seeing photos of London Transport/TfL buses taking part in the past although I cannot find any reference to them. There will be commentary on the day to bring the ceremony to life and explain its history and relevance to London, and usually a catalogue is produced so bring along some cash if you think you might want one.
The Cart Marking Ceremony dates back over 500 years; historically the Sheriff of London and representatives from the Worshipful Company of Carmen would brand carts with a red-hot iron each year to show that they were roadworthy and had paid an annual fee, and could therefore ply for trade within the City of London. In essence it was the forerunner to road licensing, as with most Guilds in the City of London it allowed the Carmen to control the trade and ensure satisfactory standards of operation.
The ceremony still takes place today, the red-hot iron is still used but it marks a plank of wood attached to the vehicle. The same 5/- (25p) fee is still charged, this being the fee in force in 1838 when licensing passed from the Worshipful Company of Carmen to the Keeper of the Guildhall.
This year's ceremony takes place on Saturday 18th September, and is free to watch. It starts at 10.30am and goes on for around two hours, there is usuallly seating installed so arrive in good time if you want to bag a seat. The vehicles can be an eclectic mix of carts, lorries, vans, cars and buses old and new; I seem to recall seeing photos of London Transport/TfL buses taking part in the past although I cannot find any reference to them. There will be commentary on the day to bring the ceremony to life and explain its history and relevance to London, and usually a catalogue is produced so bring along some cash if you think you might want one.