The Merchant Adventurers' Hall, York

People joined guilds for much the same reasons as they join similar groups today.

Guilds provided help on the business side; today you might join a chamber of commerce or a trade union. In some ways they took the role of insurance schemes or a building society, providing members with security and support, in return for a regular payment to be a member.

They also had training, social and religious sides, similar to modern skills training, and provided meetings of like minded people like the Scouts or Boys' Brigade do today.