Membership

Why join?

From the earliest sundials to the latest satellite clocks, horology is a huge field and we embrace it all. Whatever your horological interest, you will find others in the Company who share it. We welcome members of all ages, from all walks of life, and from around the globe.

Perhaps you collect wristwatches or enjoy visiting churches and public buildings to see turret clocks. Maybe you earn your living by making, maintaining or retailing clocks and watches, or perhaps you curate a horological collection. From designers and makers to enthusiasts and scholars, we are a diverse network and we love to share our interests.

We offer a wide range of social activities each year. UK and overseas outings and visits, often involving access to sites not accessible to the public, are always popular. Lunches and dinners, of varying formality from pub gatherings to banquets, take place throughout the year. The spectacular Livery Dinner each November is the highlight of the calendar.

A regular newsletter keeps our global membership up to date with horological news and events.

How to join

New members join the Freedom of the Company. In due course, they may progress from the Freedom to the Livery. You can read more about the history and tradition of the Freedom and the Livery by clicking these links.

Apprentices, students and family members have their own route to the Freedom, but most applicants join by being proposed by two members of the Livery, one of whom will be a Court member. Importantly you don’t need to know an existing member prior to joining, or to be introduced by one. An informal interview may occur, sometimes by telephone. The application process is straightforward, and you can contact the Clerk for further details. The cost of membership is heavily discounted, on a sliding scale based on age, in order to encourage younger members.

Livery membership provides various entitlements including the right to vote in City of London elections. To join the Livery, applicants must first secure their Freedom of the City, in an ancient and memorable ceremony conducted at Guildhall. The Livery provides the Company with its officers, such as the Stewards and members of its Court, as well as participants in operational committees that advise the Court.