The Worshipful Company of Barbers has had a Hall on the edge of the City, in the area of the northwest corner of the Roman Fort of London, since the 1440s. The first hall, built on the present site in 1441, burned down in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The hall was rebuilt and lost again, this time to the Luftwaffe in 1940, along with the rest of the old Barbican.

The current Hall opened on the 13th May 1969 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

The Hall has an amazing array of art and antiques dating back to Tudor times, including a collection of letting bowls as shown on the left.

Central to this magnificent collection is a painting commissioned by Henry VIII by Hans Holbein. You can find out more about the history of this magnificent picture by clicking the link below.

The early guilds were benevolent and religious societies and charitable giving has always been an important feature of Livery Companies. Until the twentieth century charity in all but the richest Companies was dispensed largely to Company members, but nowadays the Company’s charitable objectives reflect, in large part, its medical origins. They embrace education (particularly in the field of medicine), the relief of suffering, and also the support of causes connected with London, particularly the City.

Pictured left is our Medical Careers Carousel, a dozen members of the Company from the medical profession including psychiatrists and orthopaedic surgeons spend 10 minutes each with year 11 students from Inner London schools.