One of the 'Great Twelve' livery companies of the City of London, the Merchant Taylors' Company has been in existence for some seven hundred years. This history charts the remarkable story of the Company and its members from its origins until the 1950s, encompassing the lives and achievements of men such as Sir Thomas White (founder of St John's College, Oxford) and the celebrated chronicler, John Stow, as well as the roles played by the Company in the City and beyond in different periods. As well as looking in detail at the internal life of the Company, the book will also focus on a number of important themes in the wider history of London. These include trade and industry, apprenticeship, the impact of religious change, the foundation of schools and other charities, and the government and politics of the City. In doing so, the book contributes to an understanding of the aims and activities of the livery companies over the centuries, their ability to adapt to changing circumstances and their relevance in a modern world far removed from that in which they were first established. The History of the Merchant Taylors' Company appeals to a wide range of people interested in the history of London. It is fully illustrated with more than seventy-five black and white and thirty colour illustrations. It is attractively bound in cloth with a full colour dust jacket and matching cloth slipcase.

One of the 'Great Twelve' livery companies of the City of London, the Merchant Taylors' Company has been in existence for some seven hundred years. This new history will chart the remarkable story of the Company and its members from its origins until the 1950s, encompassing the lives and achievements of men such as Sir Thomas White (founder of St John's College, Oxford) and the celebrated chronicler, John Stow, as well as the roles played by the Company in the City and beyond in different periods. As well as looking in detail at the internal life of the Company, the book will also focus on a number of important themes in the wider history of London. These include trade and industry, apprenticeship, the impact of religious change, the foundation of schools and other charities, and the government and politics of the City. In doing so, the book will contribute to an understanding of the aims and activities of the livery companies over the centuries, their ability to adapt to changing circumstances and their relevance in a modern world far removed from that in which they were first established. The History of the Merchant Taylors' Company will appeal to a wide range of people interested in the history of London. It is fully illustrated with more than seventy-five black and white and thirty colour illustrations.

Captain William Barker's ship, the Merchant's Hope left Gravesend, England in July 1635. As the wind carried the ship the passenger's hopes were cast to the wind as well. England grew distant in the background, as families left memories of a lifetime behind. Richard Fanshawe, a 22 year old traveler was on board. Using Richard as a link, the author details an English family's migration to Virginia. Transcription errors allowed the family to remain hidden in the archives, until recent discoveries brought their identity to light. They traveled from England to Virginia, New England, Tennessee, and into Texas. Many hardships occurred, including public whippings, but the story ends on a high note as a patriarch leaves an eternal legacy. One reader says, "The book was well written. Your heartwarming tribute to your father touched my heart. You're a man of hidden poetic talents, a wordsmith. What a wonderful family legacy your book will be to future generations!"- Hooker"

Richardson explores how a powerful culture of writing was created in late medieval London, even though initially few inhabitants could actually write themselves. Whilst previous studies have tended to focus on middle-class literary reading patterns, this study examines writing skills separately both from reading skills and from literature.