Golden Anchor, St Swithin's Lane, London - drgavinr/tei-texts GitHub Wiki

Category:	Places
Type:	Building
Wikidata ID:

The Golden Anchor was a building in St Swithin's Lane, London. Signboards such as 'The Golden Anchor' could be used by almost any kind of business premises. Later, after other types of building stopped using them, they came to be known only as pub signs. Some signs stayed at the same building for a long time, but some moved with the occupier.

A typical tradesman's building had business premises on the ground floor, including a shop if it was a retail business, with living accomodation for the whole family, including servants and apprentices, on the floors above. There were sometimes cellars for storage.

Wharton's letters show that the Golden Anchor was George Willingham's usual address in 1642, and that he was trading as a merchant.

There was not necessarily any obvious connection between the symbols on a signboard and the type of business being carried on inside the building. Willingham may have chosen an anchor for his sign because he was a merchant but it could just be a coincidence.