I went on a fishing expedition earlier this year with my cousin Frank and a couple of friends. What a great day we had together. The fishing was fantastic. I'll let you know next time I organize the next fishing event.

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Did you know that my uncle Carmelo Fragapane was the original owner of my barbershop. He operated it from early 1960 until my father Angelo took it over in early 1980. I took it over in early 1990. Wow what a legacy.

FIRST BARBER ORGANIZATION

The earliest known organization of barbers was formed in 1096 in France when William, archbishop of Rouen, prohibited the wearing of a beard.  The barber-surgeon, or chirurgeons, began to thrive all over Europe.  They were the doctors of the times and the royalty as well as the common people came to the barbers to have their ills treated as well as for shaving and haircutting.  The physicians proper were in continual conflict with the barber-surgeons.  The barbers embraced dentistry as well as surgery and this brought down on them the enmity of the dentists of the times.  This caused a long strife, whose settlement required the interference of kings and councils.  Followed between the barbers and the regular surgeon-dentists.  But the barbers retained the privilege of practicing dentistry and surgery for several centuries.

BARBERS AS SURGEONS

Up to the year 1416, the barbers were not interfered with in the practice of surgery and dentistry.  But it was soon evident that they were attempting too much.  It was impossible to expect ordinary human beings to competently practice surgery, dentistry and the various tonsorial operations.  People began to complain that the barber-surgeons were making them sick instead of well.  Many barber-surgeons resorted to quackery in order to cover up their ignorance of medicine and anatomy.  These abuses came to the attention of the mayor and council of London.  In 1416 an ordinance was passed forbidding barbers from taking under their care any sick person in danger of death or maiming, unless within three days after being called in, they presented the patient to one of the masters of the Barber-Surgeon's Guild.  Until 1461 the barbers were the only persons practicing surgery.  The practice of surgery was still in its primitive stage, but new discoveries were being made regularly and the barbers found it impossible to keep up with the new discoveries and at the same time maintain their skill in dentistry and barbering.  The surgeons began to forge to the front and became increasingly jealous of the privileges accorded the barbers.  But for a long time they could do nothing to prevent the barbers from acting as surgeons.  In 1450, the Guild of Surgeons was incorporated with the Barbers Company by act of parliament.  Barbers were restricted to bloodletting, toothdrawing, cauterization and the tonsorial operations.  However the board of governors, regulating the operations of the surgeons and barber-surgeons, consisted of two surgeons and two barbers.  Every time a surgeon was given a diploma entitling him to practice his profession, the diploma had to be signed by two barbers as well as two surgeons.  The surgeons resented this, but the barbers were very much favored by the monarchs and preserved their privileges until the middle of the 18th century.  Henry VIII, Charles II and Queen Anne presented the barber-surgeons with valuable gifts and raised many of them to high offices.  Under a clause in the Act of Henry VIII, the Barber-Surgeons were entitled to receive every year the bodies of four criminals who had been executed.  The dissections were performed four times a year in the Barber-Surgeons Hall which still stands in London.

ORIGIN OF BARBER POLE

The modern barber pole originated in the days when bloodletting was one of the principal duties of the barber.  The two spiral ribbons painted around the pole represent the two long bandages, one twisted around the arm before bleeding and the other used to bind is afterward.  Originally, when not in use, the pole with a bandage wound around it, so that both might be together when needed, was hung at the door as a sign.  But later, for convenience, instead of hanging out the original pole, another one was painted in imitation of it and given a permanent place on the outside of the shop.  This was the beginning of the modern barber pole.

IN CONCLUSION

As the science of medicine, surgery and dentistry advanced, the barbers became less and less capable of performing the triple functions of barber-surgeon-dentist.  The surgeons wished to be separated entirely from the barbers and they petitioned parliament to sever the ancient relationship of the barbers and surgeons and compel each profession to adhere strictly to its own provinces.  A committee was appointed by parliament to investigate the matter and the petition was favorably reported to parliament.  By an act of parliament, which received the sanction of the king, the alliance between the barbers and surgeons was dissolved in June, 1745.  Two separate companies were formed and the property, formerly owned by the barbers and surgeons jointly, was divided among the two companies.