The supreme authority of the Livery is its Court, which comprises of 20 Assistants, including the Master and Upper Warden. The Court meets quarterly to discuss and ratify committee recommendations for the governance of the Company.
The company
The Court
Inside the Governance of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers
The governance of the Company is determined by the guidance of the Royal Charter, and the Charter incorporating the Company by the title of “The Master Wardens and Commonalty of the Mystery of Fruiterers of London’ was granted by James I in the year 1606.
James II having compelled the Company to surrender to him the Charter of James I, granted a new Charter to the Company in the year 1686, but this surrender was annulled later by an Act of William and Mary which Act revived and restored the Charter of James I.
Court of Assistants
The Company is governed by the Court, comprising Assistants and is chaired by the Master. Election as an Assistant is normally restricted to those who have served the office of Renter Warden. All Past Masters remain members of the Court for life, unless the statutory maximum of 20 years is exceeded in which case some may have restricted voting rights. Each year the Court elects up to four members of the Livery to serve for two years as Honorary Assistants to the Court. The annual appointment of Renter Warden is made from Liverymen who have served or are serving as Honorary Assistants.
1989
The longest serving member of the Court was Master in 1989.