| Guild Hall Entrance | Development of Craft Guilds | Early Regulations |
| Apprenticeships | Journeymen | Women in the Guilds | Social Services |
| Great Weakness of the Guild System |
When girls are placed as apprentices, usually at the age of seven or eight, the masters' wives take charge of their training. Most guilds exclude women but some allow women to join, though at the same time excluding them from full participation in social activities. Some of the guilds allowing women are those of the butchers, ironmongers, shoemakers, hot-food sellers, bookbinders, and goldsmiths. Still others, such as those involving domestic activities such as brewing, spinning, and silk making, are exclusively female industries. If a woman finds herself widowed, she is allowed to practice the trade of her deceased husband. These women can then become masters in the trade but usually are required to give up their membership in their guild if they marry men belonging to different guilds.
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