Saturday 18 February 2012

Nine Trades of Dundee website

An amazing new website on the history of the Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee has gone live this week at http://ninetradesofdundee.co.uk, containing transcriptions from thousands of historic documents concerning the various trade incorporations - being the Bakers, Cordiners, Glovers, Tailors, Bonnet makers, Fleshers, Hammermen, Weavers and Dyers. As well as the records themselves there is also detailed information on the history of the respective trades, as well as information on apprentices, journeymen, master craftsmen and more. Here's one fascinating nugget!

The trades had three seats on the Burgh Council, but the Dyers were not allowed to fill one of these posts. Because of their work, the Dyers could not get the dye colour out of their skin, and the smell would have been unbearable in a close room. Thus it was not considered that they should represent the trades on the council.

The Courier has a story at www.thecourier.co.uk/Community/Heritage-and-History/article/21001/new-nine-incorporated-trades-of-dundee-website-tells-the-tale-of-a-city.html on the creation of the project, but this will be a major resource for those with Dundonian craftsmen ancestry.

Chris

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