The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 26 Winter 2016 | Page 6

Liveryman Ken Rich
Kenneth William Foster Rich became a Freeman of the Company in 1976 and was gowned in the Livery in
The
1977. When he passed away in July 2016, he was 90 years
of lunch
age. was deliciously catered by Mark Grove
and his team at Cook & Butler and we cracked
A wholesaler of Tobacco, Ken Rich was an energetic
experiences
and learnt
a modest
gentleman
along at a goodly
pace. what
Our guests
were
admirablyhe
member of the Tobacco Pipe Makers and Tobacco
was.
Ken gave
an interview
to the
Bletchley
introduced
by Liveryman
Fran
Morrison
andPark
our
Trades Benevolent Fund for many years. Always the Oral
History
Project
and
his
interview
can
be
readand
Principal Guest, Tim Wonnacott gave a generous
gentlemen and willing to do whatever was required.
here:
very humorous reply to which I responded initially
In 2012, Ken turned up to a meeting with a smart
by drenching poor Tim in a glass of water - he was
http://rollofhonour.bletchleypark.org.uk/search/
badge in his button hole. On questioning he was
very kind about it (sorry Tim!). I was very pleased
record-detail/7664/
very proud of it. He had been presented with the
to show off the newly found Livery Grant of Arms
badge as one of the forgotten heroes of Bletchley
and Letters Patent which have been missing for many
Park which he had served through with the Royal
years - our Clerk tenaciously sought
them John
out, and
Past Master
Adler
Air Force. It was only then that I learnt of his war
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
Court Assistant Nic carved
Wing with tobacco leaves (or close to); Sandra also
located a huge banner not seen since 1985 and Angus
the Master
Mariners
and
never shy
Nic Wing’s relationship withMenzies,
the cigarClerk
worldtobegan
in 2008
when, by
chance,
a challenge
to it that&itFrankau
was displayed
on he
the
he read an article written byofSimon
Chasesaw
of Hunters
in which
Quarterdeck.
described the joys of visiting the great cigar merchants of London’s West End on
foot.

Whilst all this was going on, apparently biblicalstyleplaces
downpours
over
London
find
wherewere
they being
couldhad
buy all
their
cigars
and,
- oblivious
to all that
drama
ended
ourthem.
lunch
most
important,
where
they we
could
smoke
and trooped back to the quarterdeck where Coffee,
Established
as a cigarawaited
aficionado
hismention
own right,
Cigars, and Cognac
us (Iin
did
that
Nic
went
on
to
found
UK
Cigar
Scene,
an
online
our Livery enjoyed dining on the High C’s..) and
magazine,
which
appeared
January 2015
and
which seemed
to first
hit the
mark –in
Liveryman
Jemma
ran
for eighteen
issues.
Its pages
into
the
Freeman
had kindly
provided
thedelved
torpedo
cigars
long
history
of
cigars
in
Britain.
They
covered
new
and had had them placed in souvenir tubes with
our
releases,
trade developments
andoflisted
countless
Crest emblazoned
on it. Several
us also
sported
upcoming
cigar events.
Video interviews
with
a limited edition
Livery Smoking
hat - originally
prominent
personalities
both from
tradeits
and
conceived as
a sort of shooting
hat, the
it serves
other
walks
of life
a hallmark
issue.
purpose
so well
as were
a “team”
hat, thatofofevery
the twenty
Nic
had
a
rare
talent
as
an
interviewer
for
coaxing
ordered, but one remained by the close of the day!
his
subjects
talkMaster
freely. Mariners
UK Cigarfor
Scene
was an
Thank
you totothe
allowing
us the
exceptional
magazine.
use of the venue, to Tim for being a perfect Principal
Guest, and for everyone attending and giving my
Nic Wing touched a great many people in the world
year such a special start.
of cigars in a short period of time. That his joyful
presence and enthusiasm are no longer with us is a
cause both for sadness and grateful thanks.
The Master
Nic became a Freeman and was gowned in the Livery
in 2015 and became a Court Assistant in January
2016.

Nic had just retired from
the NCR Corporation
and bought a company
called Cities in Sound,
which made and sold
audio walking tours of major cities around the UK
and Europe that were downloaded onto MP3 players.
He wondered if he could make a tape for cigar
enthusiasts that not only guided them to these august
emporia, but also took in related London landmarks
such as the Cabinet War Rooms.
Intrigued by the idea, Simon introduced him to the
luminaries of the London trade. Within a matter of
months the Cuban Cigar Walk London was up and
running, or perhaps up and walking would be a more
apt way to describe it.
Soon Nic’s charm, style and, above all, his boundless
enthusiasm made him welcome at all the Havana
haunts of St. James’s and beyond. He could be found
on Saturdays at Sautters of Mount Street conducting
courses he created for novices to the art of cigar
enjoyment. His articles appeared in the likes of
Country Life and Cigar Aficionado magazine. He
also produced an app for enthusiasts to help them

Freeman Simon Chase
36