Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh

The Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh is a Guild located in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded in 1578. They perform the same role within the Burghs of Scotland as the Livery Companies of the City of London. Historically, membership was restricted to burgesses of the burgh (freemen), who would be expected to employ journeymen and take on apprentices. They were also able to prevent any outsiders from practicing their trade in their Burgh until they had paid their dues to the appropriate incorporated trade. They are members of the The Court of Deans of Guild of Scotland, which incorporates the Guildry organisations of Aberdeen, Arbroath, Ayr, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Brechin, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Lanark, Perth and Stirling. The organisation historically formed part of the now defunct Corporation of the City of Edinburgh.

The Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh form a Guild of Burgess who historically held the power to regulate their various trades in Scotland. There are fifteen incorporations in Edinburgh, fourteen of which had deacons who were permanent members of the Convenery of Trades from its beginning. Unlike the worshipful companies of London which are given precedence based on their date of founding, the trades are given precedence by the Act of Sett of the Burgh of Edinburgh, in a "decreet arbitral" by King James VI in 1583. The cited reason for this was that many of the trades "no longer possessed their original seals of cause and did not know the year in which they had been founded".

Each trade appoints a Deacon - an office dating back to an Act of Parliament in 1424. Their role was originally one of quality control. To ensure the products of their respective trade matched up to the standards expected of the craft. The role of Deacon later became combined with the role of that of Kirkmaster (treasurer). Historically, six of the deacons of the incorporations were full members of the Edinburgh Town Council, while the remaining eight were denominated “extraordinary deacons”, permitted only at certain meetings of the council. This privilege was rescinded following the passage of the Scottish Burgh Reform Act in 1833. The Deacons undertook other work, for example The Deacon of the Goldsmiths was also the Assay-Master at the Edinburgh Assay Office until 1681 (an organisation that they still operate to this day). Over time they took on roles as trustees of various charities and hospitals.

The Convenery of the Trades of Edinburgh consists of the deacons of all the incorporated trades and today acts as the ruling body of the Incorporated Trades. Its present-day main focus is the various charities and events operated by the Incorporated Trades. They also assist the various incorporated trades wherever they can. The Convenery is headed by the Deacon-Convener of the Trades of Edinburgh, who holds the distinction of being the first tradesman in Scotland, and third citizen after the Lord Provost and the Lord Dean of Guild. The convenery met histroically at The Magdalen Chapel in Cowgate. Today they meet in the lower floors of the Ashfield building, which also contains a dedicated museum.

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