Our Christmas Court meeting was held in the Alderman’s
Dining Room at the Guildhall and was well attended by members of the Court. As
is the norm at Christmas, the agenda was relatively short although there are
always a number of issues that need to be discussed and matters requiring approval
and these were duly dealt with. I was particularly keen to keep to the clock as
we had an important duty to perform that morning; namely the unveiling a Blue
Plaque to mark the course of the River Fleet on Fleet Street.
Having closed the Court, we assembled in the Reception area
and the Master, Clerk and Wardens donned their robes. We were joined by Sheriff
the Honourable Elizabeth Green who was to perform the ceremony and so we,
together with other Past Masters, members of the Court and Consorts, were
escorted by the Beadle through the streets of London to our destination, 81
Fleet Street – currently a branch of Barclays Bank. It was here that the Blue
Plaque had been erected.
The
historic importance of the water conduits in the City had not been recognised
until the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators, principally through efforts of Past Master Ted Flaxman, initiated
the erection of the first Blue Plaque in Aldermanbury in December 2010. The
second marking the “Great Conduit" in Cheapside (outside Tesco’s) followed
in December 2014. This was to be the third Blue Plaque and it marks the end of
“The Fleet Conduit”.
After a few
words of welcome from me, the unveiling was performed by the Sherriff with
suitable aplomb and a short speech was given. Photographs then followed, one
from a very excited member of the Barclays staff who witnessed our presence!
That done, we made our way back to the Guildhall, just about keeping dry despite the threatening skies.
A very
successful event and we are proud to have been able to make a permanent
reminder of the importance of water in the City. Thank you to Liz Green for her
time.
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