Post by g***@yahoo.com*IF* periwigmakers were once in the Guild .... hope I'm not wasting
your time.
No, not at all. Digging through what you sent before and doing some
extra googling, it looks as if some of the barbers went into periwig
making when wigs came into style in the 17th century--it would make
sense that periwig making would not have been one of the medieval
trades, of course. Then when wigs went out of fashion they went back
to being barbers. I'm guessing that if there was an organization of
wig makers in London, they never had arms, which would imply that the
two American designs (goat rampant and "a wig in quarters," whatever
that means) were original compositions.
Joe
Certainly some barber-surgeons did make perukes/wigs. I have in the
past researched one individual in early 18th century Hull who combined
these activities.
As for institutional history: In London the Barbers (who also did
surgery) were incorporated in 1461 with a separate company of surgeons
later. An Act of Parliament of 38 Henry VIII united them, confirmed by
Charles I. In 1745 the surgeons were set up as a separate company and
were incorporated by Act of Parliament.
And for arms:
The Barbers bore: quarterly 1&4 Sable a chevron between three fleams
argent (granted to the surgeons in 1452); 2&3 per pale Argent and Vert
a spatula in pale Argent surmounted by a rose Gules charged with
another Argent the first rose crowned proper. Between the four
quarters a cross of St George Gules charged with a lion passant Or.
Crest: an oppinicus with wings indorsed Or.
Supporters: Two lynxes proper spotted of various colours, ducally
gorged and chained Argent.
These arms were granted 1561.
The equivalent Exeter guild bore: quarterly Sable and Argent over all
on a cross Gules a lion passant gardant Or, on quarters 1&4 a chevron
between three fleams Argent, 2&3 a rose Gules seeded Or barbed Vert
crowned proper.
The Surgeons company of London bore: quarterly 1&4 a serpent nowed
with head erect Vert, 2&3 a lion couchant proper, over all on a cross
engrailed Azure a regal crown between 2 portcullises in fesse and 2
anchors in pale of the first.
(Edmondson: A Complete Body of Heraldry, 1780).
Nothing I am afraid that resembles the American goat or wig - perhaps
the old world arms were thought too English and too royalist.
Derek Howard
