The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-07-02


French 'Drapperie," meaning
cloth work, the Diapers
W company, as early as 1850,
mas been associated with the textile
Trade of London; and has numbered
many distinguished men among its
pembers since the proud day, in the
Ieign of Henry /, when Henry Fitz-
alvin, member of the company, be-
same LOndon's first lord mayor,
Fhich office he continued to hold for
A years.
Between 1881 and lila no less than
diapers were thus honored, nays the
christian Science Monitor. Not only
Old Fitz-Alwin bring civic dignity to
me company, but he left 1t all his
hnds In st. Mary Bothawe.
III Cloth was made In England from
sery early days, but from Saxon times
onward the chief seat of the indus
Ply was The Netherlands, whose
Neavers obtained the raw wool from
England. Edward III, anxious to fos-
Saer 1t as a British trade, forbade both
me export of English wool, and the
import Of cloth, and invited balloon
FeaVers to settle In England. He
gave the first charter to the Diapers
company in 1854, to enable 1t to en-
7orce the statutes relating to the sale
nj cloths.
Growth of the industry.
The industry had so rapidly in
creased by 1885 that Sir Nicholas
brembre, mayor Of London, issued an
prder separating drapery from tailory
ma the weaving business.
II Busy times were the fairs of st.
bartholomew, West Smithfield and
southwark, where an enormous trade
an textiles was done; and which
#Aae drapers and the merchant taiIors
st1ended for their trade search, so as
sao Keep sharp guard over Illicit prac-
ices such as cloth of unlawful width,
pr short measure.
III EDWARD III is credited with present
aag the Diapers Ell" to the company,
.Aha frequent items in their accounts
~ disbursements for new yards" or
companies standards, and also for
asses In which to keep them.
n by the reign of Henry VI the
sapers had become so powerful that
~ King granted them their charter
IN Incorporation In 1888, which, with
s#heir six other charters, is still pre-
sefSed. 1t is a very splendid affair,
BReautltuliy Illuminated with a head
zee OF gold, and colors of the finest
|Nofk' and is in perfect state of
preservation.
A Tilt With Royalty.
royal extortions and leyies do not
lappear to have affected the diapers
"a much as some of the other COM
Panies' but in 1921 we read of great
..iVity being displayed by them, in
Vulunction with the divers auncyant
Relshlppes" who assembled at "Frers
ustyhs to discuss how they could
.her avoid or lessen the heavy con-
rpution demanded of them by Henry
- toward the fitting out Of FIVE
|fps Tor the explorer, Sebastian
aoot' With great bravery they In
Ut,ned the king that he had no legal
So 10 extort their contributions
- mat 1t was "a sore adventure to
2opaFd We ships with men and goods
80 the said island Newfoundland
Spon the singular trust of one man."
nhaiiy peremptory message
Um my Lord Cardynali" brought the
qCu'ent spirits into due submission.
neen business men were these stall
~ arapers, for not only do their
4 eotus contain many entries illustra-
: Oh their trade activities, but they
- IN" mat the management of their
4ban iIes was equally alert. In 1927
I'M entered into prolonged dispute
IN ehe Criticized Friars, regarding
boundaries of the ground pur-
I'M %Seu for almshouses by Sir John
sr,a oorh' and of the keeping up by the |
- ms OF certain obseryances In his
Paseants and Professions.
e arapers displayed energy In |
H. and kindly works, they were
Always to the fore In the civic
suFes which abounded In the mid
il n,a seS' and of their ''ridings," pag-
s,ma, " land and water, their mid
~ walks" and their professions,
- ohe OF their number CHANGED to
z,sla. lord mayor. there are many
a. a., and interesting records.
EN-. Ie occasion of the marriage of
III 4, VI and Elizabeth, we hear of
~apers, with the others. going