I was admitted to this company last month in an ancient ceremony at Goldsmith’s Hall in London. The Worshipful Company is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London which evolved from the medieval trade Guilds which came about through the natural inclination of men in the same trades and occupations to join together for friendship, support and protection.

The website explains the history in full, but this quote explains some of this:

“The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters had its origins in 1589 when William Lee of Calverton in Nottinghamshire is credited with the invention of a machine for knitting mechanically. It was incorporated by Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, on 13th June 1657 and was re-incorporated and its privileges extended by Letters Patent of His Majesty King Charles II on 19th August 1663 with the style, “The Master, Wardens, Assistants and Society of the Art or Mystery of Framework Knitters of the Cities of London and Westminster and the Kingdom of England and the Dominion of Wales”.

me outside the Goldsmith’s Hall

See http://www.frameworkknitters.co.uk/ for more info