The Marketors are a modern Livery Company of the City of London.  Livery companies have been in existence for nearly a thousand years and evolved from Guilds of Craftsmen who fostered their trade by controlling quality whether in terms of standards, craftsmanship or fitness for purpose *. 

This was achieved by training through an apprenticeship.  Once an appropriate standard had been reached the apprentice became a journeyman, then a freeman followed by many years of making a living; if he succeeded he became a liveryman and if he flourished, Master. Sponsored by his Company, a freeman gained the Freedom of the City of London which allowed him to conduct his trade within the walls of the City. As Livery Companies developed, the professional success of their members encouraged a civic spirit which found its expression in serving the community through the provision of education and charitable giving.

Livery Companies upheld a tradition of open and honest trade and good behavior, looking after their members’ widows and educating their orphans where necessary. 

They also protected and regulated their trade by keeping out cheaper foreign imports and seizing goods they felt did not meet the required standard.  Many of the traditional privileges associated with the Freedom, such as driving sheep across London Bridge, to be hung with a silken cord if convicted of a capital offence, to go about the City with a drawn sword, to be married in St Paul’s Cathedral, to be buried in the City and to be drunk and disorderly without fear of arrest, have long since disappeared.

Modern Livery Companies such as ours embrace modern skills and professions. The Marketors were granted full Livery status in 1978 and is 90th in the Roll of Livery Companies.  We work in the proud traditions of the City livery companies and seek to influence the future of marketing by:

•  promoting marketing as a force for economic and public benefit

• encouraging excellence in marketing education and practice

• supporting the City of London and the Mayoralty

• raising funds for and be involved in charitable work

• fostering fellowship and discussion among members.

One of the traditional rights of a Freeman of the City of London was to carry a drawn sword when others were prohibited.  This reflects the times when the Lord Mayor (who was always a Liveryman himself) would call upon the members of the various liveries to defend the City.  Over time, the liveries found it easier to link themselves with professional soldiers and today, many liveries are linked with various army regiments.

The Marketors are linked with 151 (London) Transport Regiment, the Royal Logistics Corps, a territorial army logistics regiment.  Their squadrons are based throughout locations around London.  Each year our Master becomes a member of the regiment and the Colonel of the regiment becomes a member of our Livery.  It is still the case that when a regiment receives the freedom of any city they are allowed to parade with weapons and fixed bayonets.

*Note: Livery Company's should not to be confused with trade unions, which are a Marxist construct and do not mean the same as trade associations. Marx saw that the only thing the working classes had to offer was the sale of their labour and that they would have more muscle in negotiating more than rock bottom wages if they banded together as a trade union.

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