DUBLIN BRICKLAYER’S TRADE GUILD. Membership Card of the Dublin Bricklaying Trade. 1844.

With an engraving of the trade guild and motto ‘Labore Virtute Gloria’ and the legend “We Lovers of the Bricklaying Trade - The Ancient City Card”. Addressed to Patrick Connor with wax seals, dated May 20th, 1844. Exceedingly rare.

The guild of bricklayers and plasterers was founded in 1670 by royal charter (22 Charles II) and was twentieth in order of precedence in the Dublin City Assembly. Before 1670 bricklayers and plasterers were members of the guild of carpenters. The swearing-in day was the feast of St. Bartholomew (24 August). The guild colours (1767) were blue and orange.
Meeting-places: At the close of the 18th century, the guild met in St. Audeon’s Wellington Quay.
The guild became defunct in 1841, but some years later the craft union representing bricklayers and plasterers adopted the title “The Ancient Guild of Incorporated Brick and Stonelayers” - a name which it retains today. In June 1845, the union won a test case in the Court of Queen’s Bench affirming the continued validity of the 1670 charter of the former guild. This proposed revival of a once-powerful guild alarmed employers and led to an Act of Parliament which finally abolished the entire guild system in 1848. See Mary Clark and Raymond Refaussé - Directory of Historic Dublin Guilds [1993].

[CAT 164]