Metalworkers' Guild Charter
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Metalworkers’ Guild of Caid Charter
In memory of Master Beverly Hodgehead, metalworker and second Laurel of the SCA.
Whereas the Crown has need of the skills in both Art and Science of the Metalworking within of our realm, and having heard petitions on their behalf we are assured that the needs of the Crown and populace will be met by them in faithful concord. We therefore renew the Charter of the Metalworkers’ Guild of the Kingdom of Caid on this the twenty-fourth day of June, Anno Societatis LIII.
We further desire that their renewal include the following,
I. Let there be one Guild throughout the Kingdom of Caid, holding to acceptable custom of their own devising, subject only to the laws and Crowns of the Kingdom.
II. Let there be one trusted Minister of the Guild acting as its head to attend to the needs of the Crown.
III. Let there be continued instruction from all those of the Guild entitled to teach, to those that would learn the craft, so that those that follow us upon the Throne may be known to all the ages.
IV. Let this Guild, by virtue of its Royal Charter, promote local guild events, share knowledge of metalworking and raise awareness of metalworking activities within the Kingdom of Caid.
Goals of the Guild:
1. To provide a place where members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., in the Kingdom of Caid who have any interest in metalworking during the middle ages may meet.
2. To provide a forum where those members may exchange information, and to learn or teach skills within the Scope of the Guild
3. To provide a means to increase the exposure and knowledge of metalworking in the SCA and the Kingdom of Caid.
4. To increase the appreciation of metalworking skills and the understanding of quality craftsmanship in the Society.
5. To promote safe practices of metalworking.
Scope of the Guild: Understanding that Metalworking is a very diverse area, the Guild welcomes a wide range of interests. The Scope of the Guild shall include but not be limited to,
1. Smithing and Forming: Metal forming through hot or cold striking, and might include a. Blacksmithing of ferrous metals i. Tool making ii. Blade making iii. Fabrication of other ferrous products b. Brightsmithing of non-ferrous metals c. Repoussé, chasing and pierced work
2. Casting: Foundry work and similar techniques
3. Moneying: The creation of coins and other similar products (like buttons) through: a. Engraving and punching dies to create struck coins b. Cast coins and other techniques 4. Jewelry (which often combines some of the above techniques and more)
5. Armoring (a specialty deserving of its own category)
6. Metal working history and research
Membership in the Guild
1. Anyone with an interest in joining the Guild may do so.
2. There will be no fee for joining.
3. Members need not be active members of the SCA Inc. to participate
The Four Ranks within the Metalworkers’ Guild
1. Apprentice: Any participant who has actively sought to be part of the Guild and has been recognized and accepted by the Guild as a member
2. Journeyman: An apprentice may apply to Journeyman status and be elevated by general acclamation of the Guild, or by recommendation of a Fellow of the Guild and acceptance of the recommendation by the Guild. Final approval will be ratified by the Minister of the Guild.
3. Fellow: A Journeyman may be elevated to Fellow status by general acclamation of the Guild, or by recommendation of a Master of the Guild and acceptance of the recommendation by the Guild by general consensus.
4. Master: To avoid conflicts with this title as used in the Peerage of the SCA, this rank will be limited to Fellows who have been accepted into the Order of the Laurel with a specialization in any category of Metalworking. Final approval determined by the Minister of the Guild.
Appointing Officers:
Officers will be voted into office by a majority vote as outlined below:
1. Officers are selected by a majority vote by the Journeymen, Fellows, and Masters of the Guild. Elections will be held at an official Kingdom-level event and announced to the Guild at least one month before the event.
2. An officer may be removed from office for any reason by a majority vote of the Journeymen, Fellows, and Masters of the Guild.
3. An officer may resign at any time.
4. The term of office will be approximately one year, at which time there will be a vote to elect a new officer
5. There is no limit to the number of consecutive terms an office may serve.
6. Should the Guild be unable to field three officers after an election, another election may be held as stipulated in #1 above within three months of the first election. Should the Guild not be able to field three officers after a second election, the Guild will go dark until such time that an election can be held and new officers chosen.
Three Officers of the Guild:
1. Foreman (Minister), the administrative head of the Guild, and is responsible for filing a quarterly report with the Kingdom Arts and Sciences Minister.
2. Bursar (Treasurer) manages all fiscal responsibilities of the Guild according to Society, Kingdom and modern laws; and is responsible for filing a quarterly report with the Kingdom Exchequer. The Bursar will keep an inventory of all Guild property with a useful life of over one year.
3. The Steward will be directly responsible for sharing communication between the Guild and its members. The Steward will maintain and make available all records of the Guild. These records will include:
- A Guild Roster of active Guild members
- Roster of Guild ranks
- Meeting minutes
- Other records as deemed appropriate and necessary
Decision-Making:
1. It is preferred that all decisions to spend Guild money or dispose of Guild inventory be made by majority vote and ratified by one Guild Officer. However, should a vote be difficult (due, for example, to time constraints), the Officers of the Guild may make a monetary decision should the Officers all formally agree, and the vote become record and ready for review by the Guild upon the next official meeting.
2. It is preferred that all decisions made for the Guild be made either by majority vote by the Guild or by general consent of the Guild at a regular meeting. This decision will be ratified by at least one Guild officer. However, should a vote be difficult (due, for example, to time constraints), one or more of the Officers of the Guild may make a decision and that decision become record and ready for review by the Guild upon the next official meeting.
3. Decisions regarding promotion within the Guild rank structure will be made at a general open session published at least one month before the meeting.
4. All formal decisions will be recorded by the Steward and made available to the Guild.
Fellow Guilds:
Local Metalworking Guilds may petition to be recognized as “Fellow Guilds” under the Caidan Metalworkers’ Guild. Once recognized, the obligations of Fellow Guilds will be,
1. To build and maintain a local guild in accordance with local customs to advance research and the skills of metalworking in their area. Safety will be a priority skill.
2. To elect leaders and build an organizational structure in accordance with local customs in service to their local area.
3. To share knowledge with Fellow Guilds within the Caidan Metalworkers’ Guild
4. To keep records of services and activities, fiscal transactions and to make appropriate reports to the appropriate local Territorial Officers, and to the Caidan Metalworkers’ Guild.
5. To recognize and make known the service and skills of local craftworkers to their local Territorial representatives, to the Caidan Metalworkers’ Guild, and to the Crown.
Removal from the Guild:
If under extraordinary circumstances a member of the Guild at any rank has proved themselves as significantly detrimental to Guild or its members, removal may be petitioned to the Guild Minister. Should the petition be accepted by the Officers of the Guild, removal from the Guild may be determined by a majority vote of the Fellows, Journeymen and Masters of the Guild. Temporary removal pending a vote may be made by a Guild Officer.
