In June 2024, Dan Barto (APT member, Citizens Bank stadium tour guide, Carpenters’ Hall docent) and friends enjoyed a private tour of the London Carpenters’ Company home and caught the two games between the Phillies and the NY Mets at the converted-for-baseball London Stadium. (The Phillies and Mets split the series.)
The history of the London Carpenters’ Company goes back over 700 years, with the first mention of a Master Carpenter in the City of London’s records of 1271.
The Company has been based on London Wall since its first Hall was built there in 1429. Since that time, there have been three Halls. The third Hall, which stands today, was rebuilt following an air raid fire in 1941. Fortunately, most of the Company’s pictures and archives survived, including the sixteenth century wall paintings.
Similar to the history of the much younger (only 300 years old!) Carpenters’ Company organization here in Philadelphia, the London Company was originally established to provide training and to safeguard the welfare and interests of carpenters in the City of London. Today, the London Company focuses on charitable activities and provides support for the craft of woodworking through scholarships, competitions and the Building Crafts College.
Photo: Dan Barto, London Company’s main meeting hall