The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 30 Spring 2019 | Page 3

position. On the day, it was Liz Green that won.
Her excellent credentials and impressive campaign
delivered and she has since been installed along with
Aldermanic Sheriff Vincent Keaveny, both of whom
are now fulfilling their roles with aplomb. Another
privilege that will long remain etched in my memory
was attendance at the Silent Ceremony, the occasion
where power is transferred from the outgoing Lord
Mayor to the new on the ‘Friday next preceding the
second Saturday in November in every year’. Tickets
are hard to get which are allotted by ballot so the
Clerk and I were fortunate to get to see Alderman
Charles Bowman hand over the Sword and Mace
of office to Alderman Peter Estlin, two men of
exceptional ability with very different styles.
However, of all the memories that I most treasure,
it is those associated with the charities; those
that our Company supports and others that I
have
encountered
along the
way. The
Childrens’
The lunch
was deliciously
catered
by Mark
Grove
Magical
Taxi
Tour
is
prominent
amongst
these.
and his team at Cook & Butler and we cracked
Attending
the breakfast
in Canary
Wharf
to meet
along at a goodly
pace. Our
guests were
admirably
the
children, by their
families Fran
and Morrison
carers was and
truly
introduced
Liveryman
our
special.
The
combination
of
the
excitement
of
the and
Principal Guest, Tim Wonnacott gave a generous
children
ahead
of
the
taxi
journey
to
Disneyland
very humorous reply to which I responded initially
Paris
and the poor
poignancy
by drenching
Tim in of a one’s
glass thoughts
of water - about
he was
the
often
life
threatening
conditions
suffered
by so
very kind about it (sorry Tim!). I was very pleased
many
was
This
charity,
inspired
by
to show
off overwhelming.
the newly found
Livery
Grant
of Arms
Phillip
Davis,
Master
Hackney
Carriage
Driver,
is
and Letters
Patent
which
have been
missing
for many
now
in
its
25th
year
and
fully
represents
the
essence
years - our Clerk tenaciously sought them out, and
of
benevolent
work
the Livery
Companies.
the the
new
Immediate
Past of Master,
Chris
Allen, and his
We
support
D
Company
(London
Irish
a re-
IPM, Mark Gower-Smith have funded a Rifles),
beautiful
part
of the London
Regiment
Reserve.
presentation
and they
are now Army
resplendent
in The
frames
Mistress
and
I
attended
a
dinner
at
their
barracks
in
carved with tobacco leaves (or close to); Sandra also
September
to
mark
the
anniversary
of
The
Battle
of
located a huge banner not seen since 1985 and Angus
Loos
1915 Clerk
where to the
won Mariners
battle honours.
The shy
Menzies,
the unit
Master
and never
tribute
paid
by
the
modern
Company
was
moving
of a challenge saw to it that it was displayed on the
as
they recounted the valour and the losses of those
Quarterdeck.
‘Footballers of Loos’. More recently we learned of
Whilst
all this
was a going
apparently
the
charity,
‘Give
Book’ on,
which
sources biblical-
new books
style
downpours
were
being
had
all
over
London
that are then provided to underfunded schools
- oblivious
that children
drama we
our lunch
and
prisons to to all
offer
and ended
offenders
access
and literature
trooped where
back to they
the otherwise
quarterdeck
where
Coffee,
to
would
not.
The
Cigars,
and
Cognac
awaited
us
(I
did
mention
that
charity was only set up in 2011 in memory of writer
our Livery
enjoyed
dining
on but
the is
High
C’s..) providing
and
and
playwright,
Simon
Gray,
already
which
seemed
to
hit
the
mark
–
Liveryman
Jemma
between 15,000 and 20,000 books per annum to
Freeman
had
kindly
provided
the torpedo
cigars
people
that
need
them
in and around
London.
and had had them placed in souvenir tubes with our
Whilst
there are only
three
months
to
Crest emblazoned
on it.
Several
of us remaining
also sported
my
Master’s
year, Livery
there is Smoking
still much
look forward
a limited
edition
hat to - originally
to,
including
the
Lord
Mayor’s
Masters
Banquet
conceived as a sort of shooting hat, it serves
its at
Mansion
House,
United hat,
Guilds
the Lord
purpose so
well as the
a “team”
that Service,
of the twenty
Mayor’s
Lunch and
visits
to Sheffield
and
ordered, Big
but Curry
one remained
by the
close
of the day!
Bristol
to
attend
banquets
hosted
by
the
Cutlers
of the
Thank you to the Master Mariners for allowing us
Hallamshire
and to
the Tim
Merchant
Venturers.
use of the venue,
for being
a perfect Accounts
Principal
of
these
and
many
more
will
be
posted
to the my
Guest, and for everyone attending and giving
Master’s
on our
website www.tobaccolivery.org.
year such Blog
a special
start.
Highlights from the Livery Companies circuit are
hard to decide with each event being excellent in
its own way in magnificent halls and rare settings.
However, some notable details include the sight of the
Company of Pikemen and Musketeers, resplendent in
their 17th century uniforms and weapons providing
the carpet guard at the Pewterers’ Lord Mayor’s
Dinner followed by the clamour of their drums when
the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs arrived. There was the
privilege of meeting and chatting with the young man
who received the Sheriffs’ Award for Bravery at the
Security Professionals’ Annual Banquet. He literally
stepped in to wrench away an attacker that was
stabbing his victim in the street and then took actions
that saved the victim’s life. At the Installation Banquet
of the Makers of Playing Cards, we were figuratively
taken to the moon and back by the Principal Guest,
astronomer and broadcaster, Peter Williamson. At the
Basketmakers’ Livery Dinner, the processional party
was led in by a huge basket-woven effigy of a griffin’s
head and the Prime Warden extended me the great
kindness of bringing out of storage that Company’s
magnificent silver snuff box in the design of a plumed
hussar’s cap. And it was charged! One final memory to
recount is the wonder of hearing the classical pianist
that entertained the guests of the Master Plaisterer at
his Masters and Clerks Dinner in January. Trained
at The Royal College of Music, this young man was
born only with his left arm and yet such was his skill
and talent he has risen to the top of his profession;
wonderous and humbling in equal measure.
It is an honour to represent this Worshipful
Company and I thank its members for the
The Master
opportunity.
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