The bakers fell under the control of
the wholesale grain dealers; the weavers became pieceworkers for
rich cloth merchants; the blade-makers and shearers were employed
by cutlers; coppersmiths were controlled by girdlers; fullers were
controlled by entrepreneurial dyers; and the painters, joiners,
and lorimers were controlled by the saddlers. Guilds moved their
meeting places from churches, which were now too small, to guild
halls. The controlling officers of the large guilds met at the
Guildhall, which became the seat of mayoral authority. London
streets in existence by this time include Cordwainer, Silver,
Cannon (Candlewick), and Roper. Lanes included Ironmonger, Soper,
Spurrier, Lad (ladles), Distaff, Needles, Mede, Limeburner, and
Hosier. Fighting among groups was common in London. There was a
street fight on a large scale in 1327 between the saddlers and a
coalition of joiners, painters, and lorimers (makers of metal work
of saddles). Much blood was shed in the street battle between the
skinners and the fishmongers in 1340. There was a city ordinance
that no one except royal attendants, baronial valets, and city
officials were to go about armed. Disputes among neighbors that
were brought to court included the use and upkeep of party walls,
blocked and overflowing gutters, cesspits too close to a
neighbor's property, noisy tenants, loss of light, and dangerous
or overhanging structures.
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