Each Trade considered their placing within the Nine Trades very important. It
was apparent that some official order of seniority and supremacy was required
and in 1695 it was confirmed that the order relating to position of Trade would
be as follows:-
Baker, Cordiner (Shoemaker), Glover, Tailor, Bonnetmaker, Flesher (butcher),
Hammerman, Weaver, Dyer.
The Coat of Arms depicts the Nine Incorporated Trades and their motto is “Nine
in One”.
The trades held regular meetings at various locations in Dundee until Mary,
Queen of Scots gifted to the town the land that belonged to Greyfriars, this was
to be used as a burial ground. Therefore the Trades held their meetings in the
Howff each trade having his own meeting place - usually the gravestone of one of
its former masters.
The Howff was the meeting place of the Trades until the Trades bought premises
in 1778 at the head of the Murraygate in Dundee, and this was transformed on the
ground level to shops and upper levels for the meeting place of the Trades. This
was known as the Trades Hall and, at the opening ceremony, the trades assembled
in the Howff and proudly marched to St Andrews Church were they held a service.
This journey was not repeated until 1991 when Dundee celebrated 800 years as a
Royal Burgh, and again in 1999 to celebrate the first service in St Andrew’s
Church by Rev. Thomas Raitt.
The Trades Hall was under-utilised by the Trades and they rented the
accommodation out to various banks, and in 1864 the Trade authorised the sale of
the hall, the purchaser being the Clydsedale Bank. Due to town council
improvement schemes, the trade hall was demolished in 1876 and its replacement
triangular Clydesdale Bank still stands today.
Trade Privileges and General Aims
In 1846 the Trades lost their special privileges. Parliament abolished the
trading rights of the Royal Burghs of Scotland. Since then the Character and the
aims of the Trades have changed to meet the changing social and economic
circumstances.
Prior to 1846, each trade had its own character and history, but the general
aims of all craft incorporations were the same.
Membership of the Trades was mainly the family of the Master Craftsmen, but in
some cases membership may have been given to a man alone with no automatic
membership for his family.
People who were members or masters of a trade were known as “freemen”, they had
the right to practise their trade within the burgh.
People who were not members or masters of a trade, practising their trade were “unfree”,
and according to the Trades Incorporations were practising illegally, and in
doing, some were undercutting the Trades.
On the 2nd May 1954, the Congregation of St Andrew’s presented a handsome mace
to the Trades which is still used in the ‘Kirkin’ of the Trades.