In principle, you will not find compagnons who are still alive. This database does not include every compagnon which ever existed. The records are often incomplete, for lack of sources. Nonetheless, this database is regularly updated. You can help us completing the records by sharing your own family information, and you can even illustrate them with portrait photos.
Thank you for your support. There were numerous reasons for this. They were also pursued, for their collective attempts to fix wages or obtain other advantages, or for preventing non-guild members from obtaining work freely. In the 17th century, guilds were also attacked by the Church. In practice, however, guilds were tolerated. On the one hand, neither the police, courts and Church nor the employers were able to keep them from forming and, on the other hand β their excesses notwithstanding β the guilds provided good workers and saw it as their mission to educate hundreds of young men who would have been far more dangerous to society without such training.
The authorities could keep a close eye on the guilds and limit their more violent forms of behaviour, but were incapable of forbidding them altogether. This means that traces of guild life are very rare, which in turn is a cause of despair for genealogists! Print Share on Facebook Twitter. Find a companion. Last name. Advanced search First name. Sort by Last name Birthday Birth location. Order Ascending Descending.
