The History of Leith

December 1, 2010

The trade incorporations of Leith

The trade incorporations of Leith during that long period practically represented the whole of the people of the town gathered together in groups according to their occupations. The Leith trade incorporations were divided into four groups—
1. The skippers and mariners of the Trinity House.
2. The maltmen, brewers, and sledders or carters.
3. The craftsmen and meal men.
4. The traffickers, and all other gentlemen and indwellers
in Leith not members of any of the other
The oldest and wealthiest of these incorporations is that of the Masters and Mariners of the Trinity House in the Kirkgate. From time immemorial they had received certain dues called the ” prime gilt ” on each ton of goods from all vessels unloading at the port. These
dues were abolished in 1872, but out of the funds thus obtained they erected a seamen’s hospital or almshouse.For the keeping of ” poor, old, infirm, and weak mariners.” This hospital, like mariners’ guilds in other ports, they dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The hospital was demolished in 1816, and the present Trinity House erected on the site as a guild hall for the meetings of the Masters of the Incorporation

source-The Story of Leith

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