Administration

The Company's chief officers were known as Upper Warden and Under Warden until 1846, when their titles were changed to Prime Warden and Junior Warden.

Today, the Basketmakers is one of the six Livery Companies which give the title Prime Warden, rather than Master, to their most senior Officer. Before 1785 the office of Upper Warden was normally held for two years and after that date for varying periods. In 1881 - following an occupancy of the Company's chief office for thirty-five years! - the present practice of the Prime Warden serving for one year only became the rule.

In 1997 the Company petitioned the Privy Council for a third Warden, which was granted; the three Wardens now being known as The Prime Warden, Upper Warden and Under Warden. The Prime Warden of the Basketmakers' Company is installed in the presence of the Livery at Common Hall in October.

The office of Clerk is first mentioned in the seventeenth century when the Company began to have regular Meetings and minutes. Among the many praiseworthy Clerks who have served the Basketmakers must be mentioned Henry Hodgkinson Bobart, MBE, FSA. He was appointed in 1907 and held the post for forty-six years. He wrote the first history of the Company and Basketwork through the Ages - a definitive volume on the subject - and was Prime Warden 1947-48.

The present Clerk is Roger de Pilkyngton, who took office on the 1st January 2004, succeeding Major G. J. Flint-Shipman, formerly Prime Warden 1993-94, and latterly Clerk, and whom, as the Company's Honorary Archivist, compiled the excellent short history of the Basketmakers' Livery Company.

The Court, can be traced back to a Petition in March 27th 1610 which, at that time, limited the number of Assistants from as many as sixty eight to a maximum of thirty. This is an active body to assist the Wardens in seeing that the ordinances are observed. Originally commissioned to seek out defective wares, this duty is no longer needed.

The Court in recent times, have increased the number of Stewards to eight. Their duties consist of helping the Officers in the well running of the Court and its functions. They serve in this capacity for one year and are then eligible for election to the Court when a vacancy occurs