1390 - Ralph Cobble of Bermingehame

From my name you could guess I was a shoe maker or cobbler and I came to live in Bermingehame 5 years ago. I came from Warwick where my family had lived for many generations as farmers. After a very bad winter when my brothers and sisters almost starved I decided I would leave the land and set up in the town doing some shoe making which I had done at home for my family for many years.

In Warwick this proved so difficult that I had to leave the town. The Guild of Shoe makers was powerful in Warwick and before I could set up a shop of my own to make and sell shoes I had to join as an apprentice and work for seven years with no wages except for food and lodging even though I am already a skilled worker. After the apprenticeship I would have to go on as a journeyman for several more years before I could take the test to become a Master Shoe maker and only then could I set up my own business. Even in my own shop the Guild could control the prices I could charge and how many shops there were in the town. This restricts trade so much that the skilled men and their customers resent it very much.

There are Guilds for all the major trades, and each has similar rules and regulations about training and who can set up in business.

Bermingehame is a manor with its Lord living elsewhere for most of the time and his Bailiffs and Stewards run things. Because it is all on private land and there is no registered town (not until 1838) the Guilds have no right of existence and skilled men can work with no restrictions what ever. Many other skilled artisans who would be strictly controlled by Guilds in ordinary towns have come to set up in this manor in recent years, particularly smiths, cutlers and tanners. Down near the River Rea there are workshops for many different trades - especially the metal trades, and if things go on like this I can see the town of Bermingehame becoming an important place.

How true Ralph was !!!!!