Badge, porter's licence

This brass porter's licence badge was issued to Isaac Hildrup, a member of the Fellowship of Billingsgate Porters in 1769. It is inscribed with the City of London crest of arms and the porter's details 'Isaac Hildrup Fellowship Porter June 7th 1769'. Attached to the licence is a leather panel with pierced leather tallies on which different jobs undertaken by the Porter could be recorded by cord thongs. The Fellowship of Billingsgate porters were licensed by the City Corporation to handle measurable cargoes such as grain, malt, salt, fish, fruit and vegetables.