The Royal Burgh of Irvine Granted the Seal of Cause to the Incorporated Trades of Irvine on the 3rd July 1646.

The Provost was James Blair and the Baillies were John Reid and John Guthrie

The Crafts were listed in the following order:-

Smiths	Hammermen, blacksmiths,goldsmiths, silversmiths,pewterers,lorimers (clockmakers), saddlers,cutlers, bucklers, armorours
Websters	Weavers
Tailors	Tailors
Cordiners	Shoemakers and leatherworkers
Skinners	Dealers in skins, pelts or hides, also glovers and makers of skin breeches
Wrights	Joiners, carpenters and squaremen, builders and makers of fine furniture
Coopers	Makers and repairers of barrels, wooden vessels, casks, buckets and tubs

Seal of the Incorporated Trades Each CRAFT was allowed to elect a head official annually who was termed Deacon. The Incorporation was granted the right of having a common box or Common Good. As there were no banks, money and valuables belonging to the Crafts were lodged in a stout box. The Boxmaster was the Treasurer and the keys were held by two members of the Craft, known as the Keymasters.

In Irvine in 1646 there were approximately 100 master craftsmen. With their apprentices, journeymen and families this accounted for about a third of the Burgh’s population of 1,500. The members of the Incorporation had welded themselves into a powerful group in the town.

The original document was written with a quill pen on vellum and although still preserved in the Scottish Record Office it has faded with age making it is very difficult to follow. The text is too small and indistinct to be read on a computer screen but it has been transcribed to allow easier reading and a modern English translation is also available.