medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
The use of the term "chapel" for a trade union sub-branch (and "Father
of Chapel" for shop steward) originates in the printing trade
(specifically journeymen compositors.) It spread to the NUJ via
newspapers, of course.
No-one knows the origin of the term (and most of the explanations are
pretty implausible), but it pre-dates trade unions themselves, and is
vaguely analogous to the masons' lodges of the late Middle Ages (Very
Late Middle Ages if you are Chris C).
I can offer the following: in 1538 Richard Grafton and Edward
Whitchurch undertook to act as publishers for Thomas Cromwell of the
Great Bible which they commissioned from a printer in Paris. Having
been chased out of France, in order to continue the work they were
obliged to set up their own printing works in London in 1539, and
Cromwell provided them with premises in the former Greyfriars. Grafton
was a member of the Grocers' Company, and had probably never intended
to go into printing (although as a member of one City livery company
he could carry on the trade of any other) but in order to recoup his
investment he was probably obliged to continue as a printer-publisher
for bibles, primers and ultimately the Book of Common Prayer (see C.C.
Butterworth, The English Primers (1529-1545), 1953.) I might add that
an altar slab would make an excellent imposition stone.
John Briggs
On 26/02/2013, Laura Jacobus <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Interesting that the altar-team might be called a chapel... maybe that
> explains the derivation of 'chapel' as a trades union term (the NUJ has
> them, and maybe other unions as well).
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: subscribe medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: unsubscribe medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/medieval-religion
|