Welcome
The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee have a proud history dating back to the fifteenth century. The Nine Trades are still active in Dundee, with over five hundred members across all trades.
Find out more about who we are and what we do:
The Nine Incorporated Trades
Information about each of the trades, their history and present day activities.
Funding
A key present day function of the Nine Trades is the support of charitable causes.
The Guildry
About the Guild of Merchants, the most powerful of all the public bodies in the history of the Nine Trades.
The Three United Trades
The Three United Trades of Dundee are the building trades, the Masons, Wrights and Slaters.
Latest News
- ‘Wrighting Wrongs’ – The Innes Duffus Lecture
'Wrighting Wrongs' - The Innes Duffus Lecture
The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee held their annual Innes Duffus Memorial Lecture at Dundee’s Discovery Point this evening. Over 100 craft members and guests heard from Roger Illsley ...
- Weaver Biennial Dinner
Weaver Biennial Dinner
Friday 14th March saw the Biennial Dinner of the Weaver Incorporation of Dundee in the Weavers’ Room at Verdant Works Museum. Deacon Richard Irvine welcomed 40 members and guests ...
More news
History of the Nine Trades
So who were and are the trades, what is their purpose and how did it all begin? The answer to the last question is that no one knows. However we do know that in 1124, King David I framed Laws for the regulation of various trades and his Chamberlain made regular visits to ensure that they were enforced by the Bailies.
These regulations required the trades to care for their poor and sick and laid down standards to control the price of the goods and the quality of the workmanship. Certainly from 1306, Robert I, James I, James IV and Mary Queen of Scots all recognised the trades as separate corporate bodies.