The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 30 Spring 2019 | Page 13

Assay Office Tour
On a lovely, sunny February day, a party of twenty-
one Tobacco Pipe Makers and Court consorts
gathered at Goldsmiths’ Hall for a two hour tour
of the Hall and the Assay Office led by our hosts,
Dave Merry and Adam Phillips. Before it all began,
our bags were taken away as none are permitted by
visitors when walking around the secure areas … for
obvious reasons!
After a brief introduction, we were whisked upstairs
to the main function rooms where Dave talked to
us about the role of the Goldsmiths’ Company, its
Hall and the Assay Office, one of four in the country.
It is quite remarkable to see such a grand venue
being used on a daily basis. On the day we visited,
the rooms were being set up for an industry awards
ceremony to be attended by some of the UK’s most
eminent jewellery houses.
We were then led down corridors and via lifts into a
whole new world. This is the business of the Assay
Office where the various testing of precious metals
and analysis takes place. We were shown all the tools
used for hallmarking as well as the x-ray machine
used for testing the breakdown of the composition of
the metals. A few of us even had our own jewellery
analysed. Thankfully, with reassuring results!
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 re-
presentation 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.
Whilst all this was going on, apparently biblical-
After
two hours of
seeing
the had
different
departments
style downpours
were
being
all over
London
with
the
skilled
staff
at
work,
we
spent
the
- oblivious to all that drama we ended our final
lunch ten
minutes
with
Dave
who
made
a
presentation
on the
and trooped back to the quarterdeck where Coffee,
antique
silver
fakes and
forgeries
formerly
Cigars, and
Cognac
awaited
us (I collection,
did mention
that
known
as
the
‘Black
Museum’
.
Dave
showed
us
our Livery enjoyed dining on the High C’s..) and some
counterfeit
items
and the
explained
process Jemma
that they
which seemed
to hit
mark – the
Liveryman
have
been had
through
ascertain the
that
they were
fakes.
Freeman
kindly to provided
torpedo
cigars
If
buying
antique
silver,
his
message
was
‘always
and had had them placed in souvenir tubes with our
do
your
research, if on
you
to of
avoid
expensive
Crest
emblazoned
it. want
Several
us also
sported
mistakes’
.
a limited edition Livery Smoking hat - originally
conceived
a sort
of shooting
hat, and
it serves
its
All in all, it as was
a very
interesting
informative
purpose
well
a “team”
of the
morning so
but,
in as
future,
I will hat,
be that
looking
at twenty
my
ordered,
but
one
remained
by
the
close
of
the
day!
jewellery in a different light and checking it very
Thank
you
to
the
Master
Mariners
for
allowing
carefully for hallmarks etc, which I can do with us
the the
use
of the
venue,
for given
being in a our
perfect
Principal
helpful
guide
that to we Tim
were
goody
bags
Guest,
and
for
everyone
attending
and
giving
my
when we left.
year such a special start.
After this tour, several members of the party joined
the Master and I at a local restaurant, Manicomio,
where we had a lovely lunch, discussed the The
morning’s
Master
events and generally put the world to rights!
Thank you to everyone that came and supported
the event.
13
3
Liveryman Sally Brookes
Mistress