Glovers

Third in order of precedence of the Nine Incorporated Trades Of Dundee is the Glover Trade.

The earliest reference to Skinners comes from Edinburgh where there was an obligation to support their altar there. This was in 1450 and although records of the Dundee skinners are not available until their seal of Cause in January 1516, there is every reason to believe that they were organised even before that date as Dundee was a very important Burgh at that time and in some ways more than Edinburgh itself. Although there is no explanation, in 1661 the name of the craft was changed from Skinner to Glover Craft.

One of the Glover Lockit Books has been beautifully restored and is in the Dundee Local History Section of Dundee Library. This book contains records for the use of the Glover Trade of Dundee in the year 1554.

In common with the other Trades’ the Glovers support charities, particularly Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and other projects and of course support the work done by the General Fund Court of the Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee.

History of the Glovers

In 1516, the Town Council granted to the Skinners, or Glovers, of the burgh a Charter or Seal of Cause permitting it to become an Incorporation. This Seal of Cause is now missing but it is engrossed in the new Lockit Book.

Many of the ‘unfree’ Glovers found refuge in Rotten Raw, later the Hilltown which was beyond the jurisdiction of the burgh where they carried out their work, as ever to the discontent of the craft itself. An ‘Unfreemen’ was one who was not a Master of the Glovers Trade and in particular meaning anyone who was not a Burgess of the town.

In the early 1500s there was constant trouble with local people, because some skinners, in making their tan pits, had spoiled and diverted the water from their neighbours’ well and there were many, many actions because of this.

All the other trades complained about these ‘unfreemen’ and regularly pressured the burgh council to prosecute them. Eventually the town purchased the Hilltown and although for a time it still retained its own council, it and the trades quickly came under the banner of the town. In February 1522 the craft finally constructed a tannery for preparing all white leather beside the Wallace Burn, not far from St Roques Chapel.

As with the other Crafts, the main objectives were to care for the poor and needy and this was always a priority as it still is to this day.

More about the history of the Glovers

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Supported by The Glovers

Each trade supports a number of charities and good causes. The good causes that the Glovers fund are:

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    Office Holders

    • Deacon

      Lorna Edwards
      glover.deacon@ninetradesofdundee.co.uk
      Lorna is the first Lady Deacon of the Glovers. She is Head of Business Development at Abertay University – a really useful university in Dundee.  She has been with Abertay since 2016 – focusing on inclusive economic growth, encouraging people to develop digital skills and supporting SMEs to innovate and adopt new ways of doing things.

    • Boxmaster

      Claire McCurley
      glover.boxmaster@ninetradesofdundee.co.uk

      Claire is the Corporate Services Manager at Abertay University, having worked in various roles at the institution since 2001.  She works with colleagues on their business continuity planning, internal audits and manages the university’s insurances.

    • Clerk

      Ernest Boath
      glover.clerk@ninetradesofdundee.co.uk

      Ernie is a Partner in the Private Client Department of Miller Hendry, working out of the Dundee office. He is Secretary of the Angus Committee of Tayside Valuation Appeal Panel and was appointed a part-time occasional Sheriff Clerk in Forfar.