The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 30 Spring 2019 | Page 10

The Lord Mayor’s Show 2018
On November 10th 2018 the Master, Senior and
Renter Wardens participated in The Lord Mayor’s
Show. The new Lord Mayor, Peter Estlin, was blessed
with a rare spell of sunshine for his colourful parade,
albeit heavy rain fell as soon as it was over!
The origins of the Lord Mayor’s Show were in 1215,
when King John was persuaded to let the City of
London elect its own mayor. It included one major
condition; each year the new mayor must travel from
the City to Westminster to swear loyalty to
the crown.
The lunch was deliciously catered by Mark Grove
Pageantry
and at display
grew
and his team
Cook & gradually
Butler and
we around
cracked the
“trip”
by the 16th
the Lord
Show
along and
at a goodly
pace. century
Our guests
were Mayor’s
admirably
was
firmly established
as a Fran
major
entertainment.
introduced
by Liveryman
Morrison
and our
Our
new
Lord
Mayor
certainly
did
not
let
us down and
Principal Guest, Tim Wonnacott gave a generous
in
this
regard and
led to
a well-attended
Show, initially
which
very
humorous
reply
which I responded
paraded
colourfully
every
aspect
of
the
City
and
its
by drenching poor Tim in a glass of water - he
was
charitable
causes. it (sorry Tim!). I was very pleased
very kind about
to show off the newly found Livery Grant of Arms
The new Lord Mayor is our 691st. Peter enjoys
and Letters Patent which have been missing for many
the freedom of four Livery Companies and is an
years - our Clerk tenaciously sought them out, and
Ironmonger, Educator, Chartered Accountant and
the new Immediate Past Master, Chris Allen, and his
International Banker. We wish him well in his year of
IPM, Mark Gower-Smith have funded a beautiful re-
office.
presentation and they are now resplendent in frames
carved with tobacco leaves (or close Andrew
to); Sandra
also
Golding
located a huge banner not seen since 1985
and Warden
Angus
Senior
Menzies, Clerk to the Master Mariners and never shy
of a challenge saw to it that it was displayed on the
Quarterdeck.
Whilst all this was going on, apparently biblical-
style 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 Master
10
3