A Court of Assistants is a council of members belonging to professional, trade, craft or livery organisations. The term originated among the London Livery Companies

Livery Company

The Livery Companies are 108 trade associations in the City of London, almost all of which are known as the "Worshipful Company of" the relevant trade, craft or profession. The medieval Companies originally developed as guilds and were responsible for the regulation of their trades, controlling,...

, but may also be used by other trade associations. The Court of Assistants is usually the governing body of these organisations and may include the officials, as in the case of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers

Worshipful Company of Clockmakers

The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Clockmakers were formed by a Royal Charter in 1631. Originally, no person was allowed to sell clocks unless they were a member of the Company. However, such requirements have since been relaxed and later...

 founded in 1631: "The governing body of the Company is the Court of Assistants, comprising the Master, three Wardens and not less than ten Assistants."


Another example is the Honourable Artillery Company

Honourable Artillery Company

The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...

which has an Annual General Court open to all members. It meets in March to elect 20 Assistants. The Company is governed in its civil and financial affairs by the Court of Assistants, which was first established in 1633.