First recorded in 1375 as the Guild of St. James, Garlickhythe, the Worshipful Company of Joiners and Ceilers was granted a charter by Queen Elizabeth I in 1571. 'Ceilers' work in wood so this is a company of wood craftsmen, but only the ones who use glue and not nails. The ones who join wood together with nails are carpenters. And turners don't join wood, they turn it (obvs). Now we know.
Sometime between 1518 and 1551 a Hall for this company was built on the Upper Thames Street site but it was destroyed in the Great Fire, 1666. It was then rebuilt a number of times between 1680 and 1811. Realising that fate had it in for their Hall the J&C'ers struck on a ruse: they rebuilt it as a warehouse. It worked: this building (pictured) not only brought in revenue but survived until the German bombs arrived in 1940. The City of London then took over the site.
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