Upholding our CraftsMany great names, Ince and Mayhew, Chippendale,William Vile, were proud to call themselves Upholsterers first and foremost.Education, Qualifications and Awards FrameworkThe Warden to the Trade Committee has been working to create a comprehensive framework to support our trade.“Centres of Excellence”During the past year the Warden to the Trade and his Committee have spent some considerable time exploring how best to support our trade. The existing City and Guilds qualification no longer meets the needs of the trade, so the committee studied first the possibility of becoming the government recognised Awarding Body for the National qualification in modern and traditional upholstery and soft furnishing. Ultimately this has been rejected as it was felt government’s requirements for the course were too prescriptive and the conditions of recognition were too onerous and costly.In place of this the committee is recommending establishing our own awards in collaboration with the AMUSF. These would be made available to training centres that provide Upholstery and Soft Furnishing courses. The providers would have to follow a recognised syllabus and achieve a good standard of workmanship. This scheme will be known as the “Centres of Excellence Scheme”. Planning for this has started and if pilots are successful it will be possible to roll it out nationally. We believe this scheme will be attractive to training centres, students and our trade. It has the potential to fill the gap for a standard recognised nationally. “Apprentice, Journeyman & Master Awards”In parallel with the “Centres of Excellence Scheme” the committee is continuing work to establish individual awards. It is proposed that the Master awards will be available to craftspeople who have worked in the industry for many years and who may or may not have a recognised qualification. In the case of Upholstery, the distinction between traditional and modern Upholstery would apply, and for soft furnishing the distinction between hand craft rather than modern machine-made techniques would apply. The apprentice and journeyman awards would be for those craftspeople achieving recognised standards but who have not yet built up the portfolio of work required for the higher awards.“Excellence Award”Our Excellence Award (previously titled Merit Award) will continue to be made to companies whose principal business is Traditional Upholstery or Soft Furnishing. This award is to the organisation and not an individual and it requires not only a high standard of workmanship but also the company must demonstrate satisfied customers, suppliers and a professionally run business. The Worshipful Company of Upholders was formed in 1360 to support our craft, maintain standards and regulate training. In common with most Liveries our statutory powers to control our trade were lost in the late 19th century and by the middle of the 20th century our links with the crafts were very weak. Today however the Livery has strong links with some of our ancient crafts and enthusiastically supports them.We are proud to work withThe Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF) and the Guild of Traditional Upholsterers to develop the crafts of Upholstery and Soft Furnishings. We are also actively building our links with Undertakers who represent another branch of our craft.The Livery encourages anyone involved in our crafts to become Liverymen or Freemen at preferential rates. Students and past students of courses approved by the AMUSF or the Livery are invited to become Yeomen of the Livery.The Funeral Procession of Admiral Lord Nelson arranged by the Worshipful Company of Upholders.The Company awards bursaries and prizes to students at the SirJohn Cass Department, London Metropolitan University studyingUpholstery, Soft Furnishing, Furniture Restoration and CabinetMaking.For a full list of recent winners click on this linkThe adjacent photographs show some demonstrations of our crafts, clockwise from top left: The previous Lord Mayor (Alderman IanLuder) practises tacking during theLondon Bridge 600 celebrations. The annual Flocke & Feather Exhibition2010 staged by the Livery in the City.Many exhibits are auctioned to raisefunds for our charities. Prize winning students from LondonMetropolitan University demonstratedtheir skills during Cheapside Day 2009.Romney Marsh Skills Festival introducedover 400 students to the opportunities ofcareers in crafts represented by 22liveries.The Upholders also promote our craftsthough our participation in the LiveryCraft Skills Council, The ConstructionLiveries Group and the Liveries WoodGroup.“Demonstrating our Crafts”Looking for an Upholsterer or Soft Furnisher?The Worshipful Company of Upholders recommends you contact any of our Excellence (formerly Merit) Award holders or London Metropolitan University Prize Winners.Alternatively contact the The Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishersor the Guild of Traditional UpholsterersThe Society of Allied and Independant Funeral Directors represents the UndertakersReturn to top of pageEducation, Qualifications and AwardsThe Livery’s Peter Jackson Charity provides additional pensions to those in particular hardship that have worked in our crafts.The Worshipful Company of UpholdersofThe City of LondonReturn to top of page
Upholding our Crafts
Many great names, Ince and Mayhew, Chippendale,
William Vile, were proud to call themselves
Upholsterers first and foremost.
Education, Qualifications and Awards Framework
The Warden to the Trade Committee has been working to create a comprehensive framework to support our trade.
“Centres of Excellence”
During the past year the Warden to the Trade and his Committee have spent some considerable time exploring how best to
support our trade. The existing City and Guilds qualification no longer meets the needs of the trade, so the committee studied first
the possibility of becoming the government recognised Awarding Body for the National qualification in modern and traditional
upholstery and soft furnishing. Ultimately this has been rejected as it was felt government’s requirements for the course were too
prescriptive and the conditions of recognition were too onerous and costly.
In place of this the committee is recommending establishing our own awards in collaboration with the AMUSF. These would
be made available to training centres that provide Upholstery and Soft Furnishing courses. The providers would have to follow a
recognised syllabus and achieve a good standard of workmanship. This scheme will be known as the “Centres of Excellence
Scheme”. Planning for this has started and if pilots are successful it will be possible to roll it out nationally.
We believe this scheme will be attractive to training centres, students and our trade. It has the potential to fill the gap for a
standard recognised nationally.
“Apprentice, Journeyman & Master Awards”
In parallel with the “Centres of Excellence Scheme” the committee is continuing work to establish individual awards.
It is proposed that the Master awards will be available to craftspeople who have worked in the industry for many years and
who may or may not have a recognised qualification. In the case of Upholstery, the distinction between traditional and modern
Upholstery would apply, and for soft furnishing the distinction between hand craft rather than modern machine-made techniques
would apply.
The apprentice and journeyman awards would be for those craftspeople achieving recognised standards but who have not yet
built up the portfolio of work required for the higher awards.
“Excellence Award”
Our Excellence Award (previously titled Merit Award) will continue to be made to companies whose principal business is
Traditional Upholstery or Soft Furnishing. This award is to the organisation and not an individual and it requires not only a high
standard of workmanship but also the company must demonstrate satisfied customers, suppliers and a professionally run business.
The Worshipful Company of Upholders was formed in 1360 to support our craft, maintain standards and regulate training. In common with most Liveries our
statutory powers to control our trade were lost in the late 19th century and by the middle of the 20th century our links with the crafts were very weak. Today
however the Livery has strong links with some of our ancient crafts and enthusiastically supports them.
We are proud to work with The Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers (AMUSF) and the Guild of Traditional Upholsterers to develop the crafts of
Upholstery and Soft Furnishings. We are also actively building our links with Undertakers who represent another branch of our craft.
The Livery encourages anyone involved in our crafts to become Liverymen or Freemen at preferential rates. Students and past students of courses approved by the AMUSF
or the Livery are invited to become Yeomen of the Livery.
The Funeral Procession of Admiral Lord Nelson
arranged by the Worshipful Company of Upholders.
The Company awards bursaries and prizes to students at the Sir
John Cass Department, London Metropolitan University studying
The adjacent photographs show some
demonstrations of our crafts, clockwise
from top left:
The previous Lord Mayor (Alderman Ian
Looking for an Upholsterer or Soft Furnisher?
The Worshipful Company of Upholders
recommends you contact any of our Excellence
(formerly Merit) Award holders or London
Metropolitan University Prize Winners.
Alternatively contact the The Association of Master
Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers or the Guild of
Traditional Upholsterers
The Society of Allied and Independant Funeral
Directors represents the Undertakers
Return to top of page
Education, Qualifications and Awards
The Livery’s Peter Jackson Charity provides additional pensions to those in particular hardship that have worked in our crafts.
The Worshipful Company of Upholders
of
The City of London
Return to top of page
