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GROCER

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Originally appearing in Volume V12, Page 610 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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GROCER , literally one who sells by the See also:

gross, a wholesale dealer; the word is derived through the O. Fr. See also:form, grossia, from the Med. See also:Lat. grossarius, defined by du Cange, Glossarium, s.v. Grossares, as solidae mercis propola. The name, as a See also:general one for dealers by wholesale, " engrossers " as opposed to " regrators," the See also:retail dealers, is found with the commodity attached; thus in the Munimenta Gildhallae (" Rolls " See also:series) ii. 1.304 (quoted in the New See also:English See also:Dictionary) is found an allusion to grossours de vin, cf. groser of fysshe, See also:Surtees Misc. (1888) 63, for the customs of See also:Malton (quoted lb.). The specific application of the word to one who deals either by wholesale or retail in See also:tea, See also:coffee, See also:cocoa, dried fruits, spices, See also:sugar and all kinds of articles of use or See also:consumption in a See also:household is connected with the See also:history of the Grocers' See also:Company of See also:London, one of the twelve " See also:great " See also:livery companies. In 1345 the pepperers and the spicers amalgamated and were known as the Fraternity of St See also:Anthony. The name " grocers " first appears in 1373 in the records of the company. In 1386 the association was granted a right of See also:search over all " spicers " in London, and in 1394 they obtained the right to inspect or " See also:garble " spices and other " subtil wares." Their first See also:charter was obtained in 1428; letters patent in 1447 granted an See also:extension of the right of search over the whole See also:county, but removed the " liberties " of the See also:city of London. They sold all kinds of drugs, medicines, ointments, plasters, and medicated and other See also:waters.

For the separation of the apothecaries from the grocers in 1617 see See also:

APOTHECARY. (See further LIVERY COMPANIES.) See The Grocery See also:Trade, by J. See also:Aubrey See also:Rees (1910).

End of Article: GROCER

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GROCYN, WILLIAM (1446?–1519)

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