The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 26 Winter 2016 | Page 3

you and it’s appreciated. I suppose I should mention
the Chaplain at some point – David would prefer
me not to, so to embarrass him as much as possible,
I will add my profound thanks for his guidance and
unique graces. He has plenty to occupy his plate
aside from us and our trials, but he is unfailing there
to support us and so it was a pleasure to be able
to turn the tables and support him and Sue with a
donation towards a new car, and a donation towards
a new altar frontal for St Lawrence Jewry.

The lunch was deliciously catered by Mark Grove
and his team at Cook & Butler and we cracked
along at a goodly pace. Our guests were admirably
introduced by Liveryman Fran Morrison and our
Principal Guest, Tim Wonnacott gave a generous and
very humorous reply to which I responded initially
by drenching poor Tim in a glass of water - he was
very kind about it (sorry Tim!). I was very pleased
to show off the newly found Livery Grant of Arms
and Letters Patent which have been missing for many
years - our Clerk tenaciously sought them out, and
the new Immediate Past Master, Chris Allen, and his
IPM, Mark Gower-Smith have funded a beautiful representation and they are now resplendent in frames
carved with tobacco leaves (or close to); Sandra also
located a huge banner not seen since 1985 and Angus
Menzies, Clerk to the Master Mariners and never shy
of a challenge saw to it that it was displayed on the
Quarterdeck.

As alluded to earlier, being a Master enables one
to attend many interesting events and places. I
have taken some trouble to “Blog”, usually with the
maximum of five images added. It’s very hard for
me to pick my top ten, they’re all too different and
each holds its charms and memories for me. I think
our events are more than a match for the others I’ve
been too – perhaps the wine hasn’t been as old, and
we may not have a carpet guard all the time, but as a
Livery, we know how to really enjoy ourselves rightly
making lasting impressions on all those lucky enough
to become our guests.

Whilst all this was going on, apparently biblicalstyle downpours were being had all over London
- oblivious to all that drama we ended our lunch
and trooped back to the quarterdeck where Coffee,
Cigars, and Cognac awaited us (I did mention that
our Livery enjoyed dining on the High C’s..) and
which seemed to hit the mark – Liveryman Jemma
Freeman had kindly provided the torpedo cigars
and had had them placed in souvenir tubes with our
Crest emblazoned on it. Several of us also sported
a limited edition Livery Smoking hat - originally
conceived as a sort of shooting hat, it serves its
purpose so well as a “team” hat, that of the twenty
ordered, but one remained by the close of the day!
Thank you to the Master Mariners for allowing us the
use of the venue, to Tim for being a perfect Principal
Guest, and for everyone attending and giving my
year such a special start.

The social side apart, one of our principal purposes
is to donate money to useful charities. In this we
are no slackers and provide serious support to a
range of useful – and very grateful – charities and
consequently make a real impact on students and
youth whose potential might not have been realised.
We can be very proud of this tradition and have
to thank the hard work of the Benevolent Fund
Committee for doing so much on our behalf to see
that the right institutions are getting appropriate
funding.
So here, nearly at the half way point, I’m pleased
to report that I’ve not quite outgrown every pair of
trousers I possess and am happily representing and
promoting our cause as much as I can.. there’s still
a good deal to come of course – and I hope that
as many of you who are able to come and support
Company events where possible, as I strongly believe
that fellowship is one of our strongest virtues.

The Master

3