Tackle-house

On the 25th of April, 1659, there happened a dreadful fire at Southwold, which, in the space of four hours, consumed the town-hall and market house, prison, granaries, warehouses, and 238 dwelling-houses, besides the fish-houses, tackle-houses, and other out-houses ; and the greatest part of the moveable goods, nets, and tackle of the inhabitants, with all their corp, fish, coals, and other commodities; the loss of which amounted to upwards of 40,000 £.

An act of common council of the 15th of August 1579, which recited that certain parties had been appointed to give “ their opynions touchinge the establishinge of a certeyn order for the nomber of tackle-houses for porters, and chieflye shoulde consider whether it be necessarye that the companyes latelye erected shoulde so continue or not."

In the Act of common council of 26 march 1607, the distinction betwen porter packers and street porters is still preserved, and it is provided that no one shall be admitted in any of the tackle-houses of the city, as a master or fellow porter, unless he be a freeman, and be admitted thereunto by the master, wardens and assistants of the company to which the tackle-house belongs;