Lutsu 5 houses
Lutsu 3 houses
Jaani 6 houses
LITTLE GUILD OF TARTU
The Little Guild or St. Anthony’s Guild employing the craftsmen of Tartu is first mentioned in 1449, but it is likely that it existed even earlier. In 16nth century, its influence began to grow. This is characterised by so-called Tartu Contract of 1522, between the knighthood and the town; its aim was the protection of freedoms and rights of the town. Besides the representatives of town council and the elder of the Big Guild, the town was also represented by the elder of the Little Guild. In 17nth century, the town council also ratified the skraa of Little Guild (nowadays it would be called the statutes), which was the grounds of guild activities until year 1919. Before that, an unofficial skraa from 16nth century was used; that included also the clauses from the medieval skraa which was lost during the Livonian war. The new skraa required that the entrant provides a birth letter. He had to be free, child of married parents, master with honest and stainless reputation. Intake was decided by general assembly. Master, who had not fulfilled the requirements, had to stay in so-called kitchen brother status, and could not vote in guild meetings nor brew beer or mead even for his own needs.
Guild was lead by Alderman, who was appointed by the town council and eight guild elders. Alderman convened guild meetings and announced town council’s decisions. It was the task of the elders to discuss guild matters and to follow the law. Violations had to be reported to the town council.
Little Guild was prohibited from trading, only handicraft was allowed. Beer and mead brewing was at times forbidden for guild members, and at times allowed in little quantities and for their own needs.
In 1699, the Little Guild of Tartu had over 100 members including masters’ widows.
Guild room was located on the current Munga 4 plot.
During the Great Northern War, most citizens of Tartu were deported. Survivors were permitted to return to Tartu in 1714. Soon the Little Guild was in operation again, but the entry rules had changed. It was prohibited to teach Estonians in guilds. In 1783, Catharine II adopted a new town law, guilds were disbanded and the citizens were divided in guilds based on wealth, whereat in Tartu, there was nobody suitable for first two guilds. In 1797 the guilds were restored without their previous privileges. 1866 marked the end of mandatory guild system in Baltic States, granting all the handicraftsmen the right to work without belonging to any guilds. All masters that had required training and were the subjects of Russian Empire could become masters via the Little Guild. The Little Guild was reorganised in 1919, however, in 1920 all ranks were abolished in the Republic of Estonia, which also ended the Estonian guild activities.