JULY 2004

To view the master's year to date by each month, click on the links below.

The City of London Freemen’s School 150th Anniversary Prize Day
and Livery Day Ashtead Park, Surrey - Thursday 1st July 2004

On Thursday 1st July I, accompanied by my wife, were invited to attend the 150th Anniversary Prize Day and Livery Day of the City of London Freemen’s School at Ahstead Park, Surrey. Our Clerk, John Maddock accompanied us, who being an old boy of the school, was a mine of information.

The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor was to be present, but owing to an unforeseen and un planned commitment was not able to attend. His place was taken by The Representative Lord Mayor, Alderman Sir David Howard Bt, MA DSc.The day was warm and sunny, but with outbreaks of rain in the afternoon. The weather did not spoil the fun of the day, which began with a concert in the Fearndale Theatre. The concert was put on by the students and we were all enchanted by the very accomplished, highly professional, singing and playing from them all. The performance by John Shin, who played Chopin’s Walz in E minor, was brilliant. I am sure that he is destined to have a great future as a concert pianist.

Following the concert we were all taken on a conducted tour of the school to view its facilities and exhibitions. The school has, without doubt some of the finest resources available which was well evidenced by the very high quality of the work on display. I was mightily impressed. Following our tour we were entertained to luncheon in the school dining hall. It was no ordinary school lunch I can assure you. John Maddock and I were joined by Philip Willoughby, JP Deputy, who is on the Board of Governors of the school. He is also an avid cricketer and one of the prizes presented that afternoon is the Willoughby Cup for the most promising junior cricketer. It was won jointly by James Brooks and James Phelan.

Following luncheon we then assembled in the new sports hall for the prize giving. The prizes were presented by the Representative Lord Mayor, Alderman Sir David Howard Bt. MA DSc. Many, many of the Liveries present prizes and you will be pleased to know that the Security Professionals were amongst them. Our prize for achievement was awarded to Katherine Wyld.

The day drew to a close with tea and music provided by the school jazz band. We duly departed greatly impressed by all that we had seen and met during our day. Our association with this school is greatly appreciated; which will continue.

The Worshipful Company of Firefighters Common Hall - 2nd July 2004

Steve Neville, a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Firefighters, and a freeman of our company and previous Master, invited me to attend, as his guest, Common Hall on Friday 2nd July at Insurers Hall, 20 Aldemanbury London.

It is, as you can imagine, a great honour to be invited to another Livery’s Common Hall, especially so as it is at this occasion that their new Master is installed. It was a most interesting evening and I was delighted to see that the new Master of the Firefighters is Robert Dunley, who some of you may recall was associated with Security Professionals in its early years. Following the installation of the Master and the Wardens for the coming year we all proceeded to St Lawrence Jewry for short service of Dedication of the Master and the Company. At the conclusion of the service it was back to Insurers Hall for some refreshment. I was fortunate to be accompanied at this event by our Senior Warden, Trevor Gray. Our thanks go to Steve Neville for this opportunity and for his Companies hospitality.

The Worshipful Company of Innholders Dinner, Tallow Chandlers Hall
Tuesday 6th July

The Master and Wardens invited me to dine with them at Tallow Chandlers Hall on Tuesday 6th July. Their own Hall is undergoing referbishment hence the venue.

The Master, Mr J.R. Edwardws Jones and the Wardens welcomed all the guests to
pre dinner drinks held in the courtyard of the Tallow Chandlers Hall. Amongst the many people that I met, I was introduced to Mr Tim Mellery - Pratt the son of the Father of the Company and Mr John Bartlett, a Senior Past Master of the Company. During the dinner I was looked after by the Renter Warden, Mr Peter Dowling, whose task it is to arrange the evenings dinner. He told me some of the history of the Company, and how the Master and Wardens conduct the business of the Company at the present day.

Historically Innholders, known as hostellers were founded in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and the company’s charters date from 1515, 1664, 1674 and 1685.They have little direct connection today as their influence waned with the coming of the railways. To day the company administers a retirement home, grants and scholarships. In 1978, with the Hotel Catering Institutional Management Association, the company launched the Master Innholders award.

The Master proposed the toast to the Guests and the reply was by Mr James Devereux, the Master of the Drapers Company. There were some 21 Prime Wardens and Masters present at the dinner. It was an excellent evening, the dinner being concluded with the Loving Cup ceremony and the sung grace. There then followed a stirrup cup where I was able to talk too many of the Masters and Prime Wardens about our Company and to learn about theirs. I was fortunate in that the Master of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, Mr Nigel Churton was also present; who as you all know is a Freeman of our Company.

The Livery Committee Dinner, Armourers’ Hall, London - Friday 9th July 2004

On Friday 9th July I along with 25 other Masters and Prime Wardens were guests of the Livery Committee being invited to dine by the Chairman Mr Phillip Willoughby JP, Deputy.

The dinner was held at Armourers’ Hall, the “home” of the Armourers’ and Brasiers Company. They are number 22 in the list of seniority of the City Livery Companies.

Their Hall, located at 81 Coleman Street, EC2 on the site of the Dragon and Two Shoppes was leased in 1346 and purchased in 1428; surviving the Great Fire, it was pulled down in 1840, rebuilt and escaped the blitz on London. The Hall is a magnificent example of Victorian architecture and totally befits a residence of a great Livery Company. It is full of the most interesting artefacts which trace the history of our great country through the centuries. The dining hall, though small, is beautifully decorated, the walls panelled and on these walls are the coats of arms of all the Masters since the beginning of the Company. The displays of armour and weapons of warfare over the centuries in all the rooms had me totally captivated.

The dinner was a splendid affair, presided over by Phillip Willoughby. Mr Sheriff Geoffrey Bond DL was the main speaker. I was fortunate to be sat next to Mr David Haddon, Senior Committee Administrator to the Livery Committee on one side and on my left was a very senior member of the Livery Committee who expressed his delight and pleasure that we had become a Company without Livery. He also said that we are the future for the City of London. (Security Professionals please take note.)

The Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners
Presentational Luncheon, Guildhall, London - Monday 12 July 2004

The Master pictured talking to: The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor, Alderman - Robert Finch
with Mr Michael O' Connor.

Mr Michael O’Connor, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners and a Freemen of the Company of Security Professionals was my host at this most prestiegious event held at the Guildhall, London on Monday 12th July.

The event was to showcase the Building Cleanability Awards, whose slogan is “Effective Cleaning through Good Design”. “These Awards are designed to focus attention on the important relationships between building design, material usage and cleaning effectiveness” quotes Awards Chairman Stephen Wright. “This is the fifth biennial scheme we have run and the steady increase in the number of building nominations received is testimony to the fact that more people associated with building design, construction and management are recognising the benefits associated with cleaning friendly buildings.”

The reception was held in the Old Library and, the Luncheon in the Great Hall. The guest of Honour was The Rt Hon, The Lord Mayor, Alderman Robert Finch, Honorary Freemen, Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners who presented the Awards.

Following the announcement that luncheon was served we all flowed into the Great Hall, where we took up our places and stood to await the arrival of the Master, The Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners, Mr Paul Michael and The Lord Mayor. The Guard of Honour was provided by the Musketeers and Pikemen of the Honourable Artillery Company. They led the Top Table party, to solitary drum beat, to their places, the pageantry and dignity was most impressive and set the tone for what was a most memorable occasion.

After lunch the Master welcomed all the guests and The Lord Mayor, who responded accordingly. The Lord Mayor then presented the prizes to all the worthy winners and a very happy occasion it was.

A Celebration of City Churches, St Paul’s Cathedral - Wednesday 14th July, at 6.15p.m.

The Senior Warden, Trevor Gray, joined me and Richard Flenley at our Church, The Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great on a beautiful sunny Wednesday evening on the 14th July at about 5pm. We met and chatted to The Reverend Dr Martin R Dudley the Rector and to various other Masters and members of sister companies prior to setting off, in our place, at the rear of the procession, to St Paul’s Cathedral.

The service is part of the celebration of the 1400th Anniversary year of the Diocese. Processions from three churches, St Bartholomew the Great, St Bride’s and St Mary-le-Bow converge on the Cathedral, to be greeted by the Lord Bishop, The Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs.

In the event, there was a very good turnout from the other Livery, except from us, we could only muster three people! However, we were in good voice and we all sang lustily as we proceeded along the city pavements, to the astonishment of the general public, many of whom stood outside the pubs and bars with mouths agape and pints of beer clutched to their chests transfixed in astonishment, as we shuffled by singing “Onward Christian Soldiers”. We soon assembled in Paternoster Square; after all the flocks had gathered and, following a couple of more hymns, we then proceeded to walk in crocodile into the Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece.

The Lord Mayor of London, Locum Tenens, Sir Michael Oliver, read one of the lessons and the sermon, preached by the Bishop of London, seemed to be about the club scene. As to be expected the choirs sang beautifully and the whole setting of the service was very memorable .At the conclusion of the service I took the Senior Warden, Trevor Gray and Richard Flenley to dinner at the RAF Club.

Masters Farewell Drinks, Saddlers Hall - 19th July 2004.

On Monday 19th July the Master, The Worshipful Company of Saddlers, Mr Tim Satchell entertained a number of Masters and their Ladies together with many of his friends and associates, to a farewell reception at Saddlers Hall.

He told me that he had had such a great year as Master and had met so many interesting and nice people that he wanted to mark the end of his year with a celebration party.

It was a huge success, held in the courtyard of Saddlers Hall on a balmy summers evening, where we all quaffed champagne and gossiped, as one does! For me it was yet another occasion where I was able to cement the friendships that I had already made and was yet a further example of the fellowship that is the City Livery ethos.