Company Treasures

Browse the extensive collection of Shipwrights' treasures collected over the years.

Framed Grant of Supporters to the Company’s Arms

Hand painted and lettered on vellum for the College of Arms, London.

It reads:

TO ALL AND SINGULAR to whom these Presents shall come, Alexander Colin Cole, Commander of the Royal VictorianOrder, upon whom has been conferred the Territorial Decoration, Garter Principal King of Arms, Sends Greetings! Whereas David Stewart Clarabut, Esquire, upon whom has been conferred the Distinguished Service Cross, Prime Warden of THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF SHIPWRIGHTS OF LONDON otherwise THE MASTER, WARDENS, ASSISTANTS AND COMMONALTY OF THE ANCIENT FRATERNITY OR BROTHERHOOD OF FREE SHIPWRIGHTS OF LONDON have represented unto The Most Noble Miles Francis, Duke of Norfolk, Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, upon whom has been conferred the Decoration of the Military Cross, Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England, that the Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty of The Ancient Fraternity or Brotherhood of Free Shipwrights of London after existing as a mystery Fraternity or Brotherhood of Shipwrights for one hundred and fifty years were in the Reign of Henry the Fourth, King of England, Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine, recognised as a Company by the Mayor Aldermen and Citizens of London under the constitutional powers conferred on the Barons of London (the predecessors of the said Mayor, Aldermen and Citizens) by Charter granted in the Sixteenth year of the Reign of John, King of England and Lord of Ireland: THAT by Letters Patent under the hand and Seal of Clarenceaux King of Arms bearing date the Ninth day of January in the third year of the Reign of James, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland (1605) Armorial Bearings, that is to say, Arms and Crest, were allowed ratified confirmed and given and granted unto the Master Wardens and Commonalty of the art or mystery of Shipwrights of England, and to their successors for ever That the right to the Arms and Crest granted to the said Master Wardens and Commonalty of the art of mystery of Shipwrights of England , which were afterwards borne by their successors the Company of the Master Wardens and Commonalty of the Art or Mystery of Shipwrights of Redriff otherwise Rotherhithe in the County of Surrey, lapsed on the latter Company’s extinction when in or about the year 1782 they were adopted together with the Motto “Within the Ark safe for ever” by the Petitioners but not caused by them to be recorded in the College of Arms: THAT by Royal Licence bearing date the Second day of March 1920 the said Master Wardens Assistants and Commonalty of the ancient Fraternity or Brotherhood of Free Shipwrights of London were granted Authority to bear Arms and Crest the same being first duly exemplified according to the Laws of Arms and recorded in the College of Arms and by Letters Patent under the hands and Seals of Garter Clarenceaux and Norroy Kings of Arms bearing the date the Twenty fourth day of June following the said Arms and Crest were granted and confirmed pursuant to the tenor of His Majesty’s Royal Licence and Authority aforesaid: That on the Eighth day of October 1782 the Master Wardens Assistants and Commonalty of the Ancient Fraternity or Brotherhood of Free Shipwrights of London received a Grant of Livery from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen of the City of London and that to commemorate the said Grant of Livery which had been enjoyed for two hundred years the Master Wardens Assistants and Commonalty of the Ancient Fraternity or Brotherhood of Free Shipwrights of London are desirous of having Ensigns of Honour called Supporters to their Arms granted and assigned to them in their corporate capacity under lawful authority and he therefore as Pme Warden of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights of London and on behalf of the same hath requested the favour of His Grace’s Warrant for My granting and as signing such Supporters as I may consider suitable to be borne and used together with their Arms by the Master Wardens Assistants and Commonalty of Free Shipwrights of London on their Common Seal or otherwise displayed in accordance with the Laws of Arms And forasmuch as the said Earl Marshal did by Warrant under his hand and Seal bearing date the Twenty second day of September 1982 authorize and direct Me to grant and assign such Supporters accordingly. KNOW YE THEREFORE that I the said Garter in pursuance of His Grace’s Warrant and by virtue of the Letters Patent of My office granted by The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty do by these Presents grant and assign unto the said WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF SHIPWRIGHTS OF LONDON the Supporters following that is to say:- Dexter a Shipwright of circa 1782 having a Necktie Azure to his Shirt proper and resting his dexter Hand on a Shipwright’s Axe head downwards also proper and Sinister a Shipwright of circa 1782 having a Necktie Or to his Jacket Azure supporting under his sinister Arm a caulking Mallet and holding in his sinister Hand a caulking Iron proper as the same are in the margin hereof more plainly depicted to be borne and used forever hereafter by the said Worshipful Company of Shipwrights of London according to the Laws of Arms

IN WITNESS whereof I the said Garter have to these Presents subscribed My name and affixed the Seal of My Office this eighth day of October in the thirty first year in the reign of Our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, and in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Eighty Two.

A.Colin Cole (seal) Garter

Plaque on frame inscribed:

Grant of Arms

showing the Supporters confirmed to the

Worshipful Company of Shipwrights

on the Bicentenary of the Grant of the Livery

8th. October 1982

obtained for the Company by

Mr. D.S. Clarabut, D.S.C.

to mark his period of office as

Prime Warden 1982-1983

The display case was donated by Derek B Kimber, Esq., Third Warden.