Whitehead Monckton Canterbury Solicitors explore the oldest profession in the world

Whitehead Monckton solicitors in Canterbury, Maidstone and Tenterden explore one of the oldest professions in the world after two employees were approached at a bar, one of whom was asked to describe what she did for a living to which she replied ‘it is possibly the oldest profession in the world.’

The profession of Notary Public may not be the oldest profession in the world however the role dates back to Roman times. The situation has inspired

Whitehead Monckton to produce a blog article titled ‘The Oldest Profession in the World?’

There are currently around 800 notaries in England and Wales.

The blog post written by Janet Goode from Whitehead Monckton delves into the history of notaries:

‘The position of scribae or notarius evolved in ancient Rome where literate and educated men were given legal authority to record events and draw up contracts. They became a valuable resource throughout the Roman legal systems. In England, however, notaries did not appear until 1279 when they were an ecclesiastical appointment from Pope Nicholas III. This papal authority continued until in 1533 Henry VIII decided that he needed a more direct route to both God and Anne Boleyn and broke off contact with Rome. He established the Court of Faculties, which took over the responsibility for appointing notaries in England. ‘

The blog continues to discuss why the profession of notaries is still highly important in the modern world to ensure that cross boarder documentation can be accepted without the need to journey to the country where the documents are required.

‘Typically the documents requiring notarising and legalisation (the process of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office attaching the Apostille to a document) are documents requiring official registration at a foreign company or Land Registry or for use in foreign courts. In addition, certificates of good standing for companies wishing to set up branches abroad and powers of attorney authorising foreign lawyers to undertake legal action are two other areas commonly requiring the input of a notary.’

Whitehead Monckton is a leading law firm in Kent specialising in a range of legal sectors. With offices based in central locations across Kent, Whitehead Monckton can provide leading Family Solicitors in Canterbury, Maidstone and Tenterden as well as a wide range of other legal sectors.

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About Whitehead Monckton

Whitehead Monckton Canterbury Solicitors have a wealth of experience in a range of legal sectors including family law, employment law and wills and probate.