The Broderers

Who are the Broderers?  I asked my brother on the way to a meeting.  The embroiderers of course.  Brother knows about these things because he works for the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers - 8th in precedence in the list of Livery Company in the City of London, and who received their Royal Charter in 1448. The livery companies were formerly trade associations and most are now charitable foundations.  The Broderers received their Royal Charter in 1561 but lost their hall in the Blitz- hence the plaque I saw on my way to meet my brother,  and they now meet in the Mercers Hall.  The Mercers are No1 in seniority having received their charter in 1394, originally “general merchants”.
As someone who has done some sewing in the past I wondered if mercers cotton thread might be connected to the Mercers- hence Embroiders – cotton thread - get my drift - but no.   The Mercers of cotton thread comes from John Mercer in 1844 who had the idea to coat cotton thread in sodium hydroxide to make it more hardwearing.  The Broderers will, I am sure, have been pleased.