The Act of the 18th. George the 2d. which dissolved the Corporation
of Barbers and Surgeons created by the Act of the 32d. of Henry the 8th. formed
them into 2 distinct and independent Communities conferring upon the
Surgeons all the Priviledges which had belonged to the Surgeons of the
former Company whether conferred by Statute Charter or Letters Patent
and conferring likewise on the Barbers all that belonged to them as members
of the former Company independent of the Priviledges of Surgeons whatever
therefore belonged to any Barber of the united Company created by the
Act of Henry the 8th. belongs still to a Barber of the present Company
created by the Act of George the 2d. Therefore no Person not free of the
present Company can keep any Shop of Barbery or shaving within
the City of London
I incline to think that Barbery after Surgery was prohibited
signified nothing beyondbutshaving And that Wig Making and Hair Dress of
was a Distinct TradeThe Barbers Company may make By Laws
intitling such Persons to their Freedom & if they are once free of the Compy.
they would have all the Priviledges belonging to it and as they are likewise
Trades existing at the time of passing the 5th. of Elizth. they ought to
serve apprenticeships As to Tooth Drawing it is a Branch of Barbery &
therefore within their Priviledge But it is a Branch of [..] Surgery likewise
from the Exercise of which the Barbers would have been shut out by the
Act of Henry the 8th. if it had not been excepted by Name and left open
to them Therefore a Tooth Drawer need not be of the Barbers Company
It is equally clear that no Person who is a Freeman of th present
Barber's Company can be compelled to serve on any Jury or Inquest within
the City neither can any Freeman of the Company be compelled to bear
armour or to serve ward And I should incline to think them exempted
from all parish offices under the General Words in the ancient Stats. tho'
I do not find such Exemption expressly given them by the Act of the 18th.
of George 2d.It is given in Terms to the Surgeons who perhaps had it