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 .
The Membership Committee
The Membership Committee has been working on a number of initiatives to keep the flow of new members who wish to join the Livery at a steady pace . Central to this is encouraging current members to bring potential recruits to our quarterly drinks evenings .
We try to find new and interesting venues for the Smoking Club , the past 3 have been in the Hippodrome in the West End , JJ Fox in St James with the Nicaraguan Ambassador in attendance and The Boot and Flogger in Southwark . Attendances have been between 20 and 30 people and we really want to see if we can increase the numbers of recruits over the coming 12 months .
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 On a limited September edition 17th Livery , we will Smoking be visiting hat - originally the Tower of conceived London as for a drinks sort of shooting the Warder hat , ’ it s Bar serves , a tour its of the purpose Tower so and well to as witness a “ team the ” hat changing , that of of the the twenty keys ceremony ordered , but . We one hope remained to attract by the a big close crowd of the to this day one ! 40 Thank +, so you would to the appreciate Master Mariners all your help for allowing attending us the and use of bringing the venue guests , to . Tim Details for being will be a perfect published Principal
early Guest July , and . for everyone attending and giving my year such a special start .
Assistant Tony Scanlan Chairman of the Membership Committee
The Master
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