88. Paviors Consorts Luncheon, 27 February 2019

By the kind invitation of the Mistress Pavior, the Mistress Water Conservator attended the Paviors annual Consorts Luncheon held at the Charterhouse on Charterhouse Square. It was a very enjoyable occasion and historically interesting too.

Although the Paviors Company, ranked as they are at number 56, have been in existence since 1479 (and maybe even earlier), they no longer have their own Hall. However, since 2010 they occupy premises (known as Paviors House) at Charterhouse near the Barbican. This was the venue for the luncheon and also the starting point for a very interesting tour of this most ancient building.

The Mistress Pavior and her colleagues led the party of guests around the site – first built on in c. 1371 – pointing out the many surviving features. These included the Great Hall and the Chapel as well as the living spaces for ‘the Brethren’ who call this place home. It was hard to imagine one was in the heart of a capital city, it was so quiet and peaceful.

The strong links with education were also explained as was the association with Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey. This fits neatly with the Paviors objective to ‘further the craft of paving’, the realisation of which requires training and skills development. All interesting stuff.

Luncheon was held in the Great Chamber and included some fine wine tasting; most agreeable. After the loyal toast, former Sheriff Fiona Adler gave an interesting and humorous speech about her time working with the then Lord Mayor, Sir Andrew Parmley and as acting as wingman for Sheriff Alderman Tm Hailes. Some very candid insights into life in the fast lane!

And then there was the opportunity for consorts to network and make new friends. Thanks must go to the Mistress Pavior and her team for a very enjoyable lunch.

87. Spectacle Makers Afternoon Tea, 26 February 2019

The Mistress Spectacle Maker, Mrs Gloria McGregor supported by the Master, acted as hosts for afternoon tea at the Bakers Hall and the Mistress and I were delighted to receive an invitation to join them. And what a very special afternoon it turned out to be.

The primary purpose of the event was to raise awareness of hearing loss, a subject very dear to the heart of the Mistress Spectacle Maker and in line with her Company’s objective of Better Vision, Better Senses, For Life. To help her in her task, the Mistress was joined by two professional musicians, teachers and campaigners who work with deaf and hard of hearing musicians across the UK and abroad. All three of them had a very personal story to tell as each are profoundly deaf.

The Mistress herself opened the lecture with her own story about the decline in her hearing over a number of years. As a Head Teacher surrounded by young children every day, the slow but steady loss of this sense must have been devastating and she took us through all the highs and lows with great candour. She is now an accomplished lip-reader and teaches other adults this vital skill. She spoke with such power and commitment it was a real revelation about overcoming difficult odds.

Taking on from these opening comments, Ruth (who was born deaf) and Elouise (who lost her hearing aged seven) explained to us the work they do with young children and adults who are struggling with their deafness. But before that they played to us on the flute and violin the most beautiful piece by Sibelius (see picture) and to the highest of standards. Simply wonderful.

Their work – which was illustrated by video – brings them into contact with a range of people, mostly musicians, and the results they achieve are exceptional. They have worked with many renowned musicians, some deaf, some not (including Dame Evelyn Glennie) through organisations such as Music of Life Foundation, Decibels, Audiovisability and Deaf Awareness. They have even worked with an international Dressage champion who cannot hear the music as she competes. Truly inspirational.

More music followed before we joined together for tea and light refreshments in the Charter Gallery. This gave us a chance to speak to Ruth and Elouise in person about their work. It was a very noisy room so they both conversed via signing and we were so moved by their enthusiasm.

Our sincere thanks go to the Master and Mistress Spectacle Maker, their Wardens and Clerk for making the afternoon so extraordinary. But a special thanks must go to Ruth and Eloise for their remarkable story. We wish them every success.

86. City Centre Visit, 19 February 2019

Organised by the City Livery Club, the Mistress and I visited the City Centre complex in the Guildhall off Basinghall Street for a very interesting evening focusing on the architecture of London, both now and in the past. We also got to see the famous model of London – amazing!

Hosted by the President of the City Livery Club, Dr Trevor Brignall, we assembled in the exhibition space at 18:00 before descending the steps into the basement. Laid out before us is the most incredible 1:500 scale model of the City of London with every street, building and bridge shown in perfect detail (see pictures). The level of craftsmanship was exceptional and it is obviously regularly updated as all completed buildings are shown, including the Shard and the Scalpel. All it needed was a model railway running through it!

There then followed a lecture by Peter Murray, Chairman of New London Architecture and past-Master of the Company of Chartered Architects who took us on a fascinating journey through the development of the Square Mile from the Great Fire to the modern day. Picking out some of the most iconic buildings, he gave us the insight into how, why and for whom the buildings were created and the inevitable furore that (even then) most of them caused. It is extraordinary to think that some of the most treasured buildings we have in London were, in their time, as controversial as say, the Tulip is today. Nothing new under the sun! But one can see from the lecture how these things happen.

Following on was Christopher Hayward, Chairman of the Corporation’s Planning and Transport Committee who gave us an insight into the very real problems of planning the growth of a city the size and significance of London. This has been no mean task and with the advent of for instance, Crossrail and the influx of additional workers (some 540,000 commutes into the City every day) there are some real challenges. Add to this the need to cut traffic and improve air quality (the controversial Bank road junction closure being an example) and the demands to increase green spaces and reduce carbon consumption, means the planners have never been busier. But he was optimistic that London can and will remain the best city in the world!

After questions from the floor guests were once again able to examine the model and participate in a short quiz about London. You will be pleased to note that your Master Water Conservator came second, failing only on not knowing where Dick Wittington’s house stood!

Light refreshments followed what had been a most successful and enlightening evening. Thank you to our speakers and the City Livery Club Clerk, Liz Wicksteed for their contributions.

Further details about the City Centre and opening times can be found at www.thecitycentre.london

85. Basketry Trade Fair, 19 February 2019

To mark the 450th anniversary of the foundation of the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers, a Trade Fair was held in the Old Library at the Guildhall and the Mistress and I were fortunate to be invited to attend. It was a fascinating event and well worthwhile. On making our way across the Guildhall Yard we were confronted by two enormous basket weavings of Gog and Magog (see picture). Very impressive but more surprises awaited us inside!

Entitled “Basketry: Weaving the Circle of Life”, this highly innovative Trade Fair attracted some 40 or so highly talented and experienced weavers from across the UK, each of whom took a stall. The display of designs, patterns and workmanship was truly staggering and it took a long time to study each of the stalls, for fear of missing something. Each of the stallholders were very passionate about their craft and were happy to chat and discuss their work, most of which was for sale. Products displayed ranged from a full-sized horse right down to small bowls and platters with everything in between. There was a basket top hat and coat and even a bra (see picture)! Most uncomfortable one would assume! But the scale and range of items was extraordinary.

The Trade Fair – the first of its kind organised by the Basketmakers Company - was opened by HRH The Duchess of Gloucester GCVO, herself an Honorary Liveryman of the Company and who gave a small speech. She was preceded by the Master, Christopher Hipkins who welcomed everyone to the event and thanked us for coming. It was extremely interesting to learn of the history of the Basketmakers which can be directly traced back to 1569 and the establishment of Ordinances with the City of London Corporation. Today, basketmaking is alive and well and is having something of a resurgence, particularly in regards to sustainability and the growing interest in the environment. Weaving workshops are running all over the country and are well supported.

The formal opening done, guests – which included almost every Livery Master and their Consort - continued to visit the stalls and to make purchases. A light finger buffet was kindly provided by the Company.

A delightful occasion which I hope will be repeated – the Basketmakers have much to be proud of in keeping their craft alive.

84. Masters Dinner, 14 February 2019

It is a tradition of the Company that each year, the Master of the day hosts a dinner to say thank you to members of the Company for all the help and support given during the Mastership. It was a great privilege therefore for the Mistress and I to hold a dinner at the Little Ship Club down by Southwark Bridge to show our appreciation and to say thank you. The Masters Dinner is generally held towards the end of the Masters year and with just under five months still to go some might think it a bit early. However, we wanted to hold it on Valentines Day to give a little bit of occasion and have some fun and so we dusted off our dinner jackets and got out the red balloons ready for a great evening.

We were delighted to be joined by 29 other guests including Wardens, Past Masters, Court Assistants and the Beadle plus their consorts. They all looked splendid in their finery and we welcomed them all with a glass of fizz. The catering team at the Little Ship Club were well organised and we were served a splendid meal in the Library, ideally sized for a party such as ours. The Mistress had gone to town with the table decorations (see picture) and the whole room had a lovely Valentines vibe! Very romantic.

The conversation flowed and the atmosphere was very relaxed. After the main course (roast duck) I asked the gentlemen to move to the next table to mix up the company a bit – a good idea which gave people even more chances to chat. Then followed my speech (see picture).

In it I was able to thank everyone for all their help and support to me and the Mistress both before and during my Mastership. We have known several guests in the room for a very long time and it was great to be able to express our appreciation to all our friends, old and new.   It has been a wonderful year so far and we have been proud to serve the Company. We hope that members feel we have done a good job.

Then the coffee and port was served and we moved on to the main event of the evening – the Valentines Quiz! Cheers and groans broke out in equal measure as I asked guests to split into teams for the two rounds of Valentines related questions. A maximum of 29 points was up for grabs but due perhaps to the lateness of the evening (what else could it have been?!) no one got the full score (or anywhere near!). But in the end two teams both scored 13 points each so a tie break was required! The question was “add the digits of todays date together

(14+2+2019) and then calculate the square root” (calculators not allowed). A tough question but a worthy winner emerged after some frantic head scratching; Past Master Colin Drummond! After scrupulous verification from the judging panel (me!), the grand prize of a bottle of champagne was handed over the victorious team. Well done everybody!

And so to the bar for a swift one before departure. How nice it was therefore for the Fire Alarm to sound just as we ordered our drinks! But after a quick five minutes in the car park we were let back in and the party continued. A false alarm.

And so concluded the 2019 Masters Dinner and it was a fantastic evening. My thanks again to the catering team and the serving staff. Thanks also to everyone who attended and for your support. But the biggest thanks must go to the Mistress for all her love and encouragement; I simply couldn’t have done it without you!

83. Constructors Livery and Awards Dinner, 13 February 2019

By kind invitation of the Master Constructor, the Mistress and I attended their annual Livery and Awards Dinner on the night before Valentines Day; and what a wonderful evening it was too!

The Haberdashers’ Hall was the venue, one which I had not visited before. Although one of the ‘Great Twelve’ and hence an ancient Company, this is the fourth reincarnation of the Hall the Haberdashers’ call home. It is a splendid, more modern style of building just off Smithfield and was a most suitable choice for the Worshipful Company of Constructors for their big night.

We were somewhat late for the reception that preceded the dinner (thanks, South Western Railways!) but were soon made to feel very welcome by the Master and his Consort, Mike and Jessica Parrett. We swiftly moved into the Livery Hall for dinner and I was proud to process with the five other visiting Masters (Engineer, Pavior, Plaisterer, Insurer and Arbitrator) to our places at top table.

Grace was said by the Hon Chaplin Rev Cannon David Parrott (St Lawrence Jewry) and a delicious meal followed, expertly served by the in-house team. The Master ‘took wine’ with us visiting Masters which was a lovely touch before moving on to the Sung Grace and a Loving Cup; very hospitable.

The central part of the evening however was to present a number of awards to mark some serious contributions to the world of construction and building development. It was fascinating to hear the details of the work each recipient had undertaken and they were worthy winners. I was particularly impressed by the significance that sustainability played in the decision of the judges; it is clearly as important in the built environment as it is to us as Water Conservators in the water and waste industries. It is good to see that so many people are now moving the agenda forward across a wide range of disciplines. Well done Constructors!

The Master conclude with a fine speech of thanks and invited us all to join him for an extended Stirrup Cup. This is a new departure for the Constructors and the opportunity to network for a good hour or more after dinner was an excellent idea, and much appreciated. 

Thank you to the Master, Wardens and other members of the Worshipful Company of Constructors for a great occasion and we look forward seeing more of you on the ‘circuit’ in the months to come.

82. Plastic Free Mexico! 12 February 2019

Well not quite, but they’re working on it!

The Mistress and I took the opportunity for some Winter sun after a busy start to the year and we were lucky enough to go to Cancun; white beaches, blue sea – you know the sort of thing (see picture). Our hotel was mainly for UK and American visitors and at the usual ‘meet the staff’ drinks reception I spoke at length to the General Manager about their policy on single-use plastic (SUP). I explained that more and more people in the UK would differentiate between hotels on their environmental policy and that for them to survive going forward, simply offering a choice of umpteen restaurants etc would not be enough.

The GM was completely on top of this and listed the various ways his hotel (and many other top-end competitors) were taking this very seriously. Steps include initiatives around catering waste, SUP, use of water, carbon reduction and sustainable planting. It was impressive and whilst a long way to go – the hardest bit being the removal of 500ml water bottles – they were clearly on the case.

Interestingly, nearly all the Americans came equipped with their own steel drinking vessels (see picture) including metal straws and used these on the beach and around the pool. This significantly reduced the need for plastic glasses. They used them for their morning ‘carfeee’ as well. So obviously some Americans take the environment seriously…  

Good to see that both sides of the Atlantic are moving the agenda onwards. The Mistress and I will therefore have to go back again soon to see how they are getting on - it’s a tough job but somebody has to do it!

81. Burns’ Night Supper, 1 February 2019

A week later than the traditional date of 25 January, a wonderful evening of dining and dancing was organised by the City Livery Club and as members, the Mistress and I were delighted to attend. So we dusted off our tartan and got on our dancing shoes!

On arrival at the Little Ship Club (LSC) we were greeted by Club member and piper, Michael Forbes-Smith who piped us all into the Reception with great aplomb. Joining the 60 or so other guest we enjoyed good company until supper was announced. Words of welcome were given by the Vice Commodore LSC, Iain Pickard and Senior Vice-President Adele Thorpe before the Parade of the Haggis by our piper. The Address to the Haggis was given by Peter Knight complete with sword and the stirring words of Robbie Burns and the Selkirk Grace was said by Tom MacLean Davey. All very traditional and emotional.

Our supper followed which included – of course – some fine haggis as well as roast beef and all the trimmings. And a wee dram… It was superbly cooked and presented by the catering team and there was a great atmosphere in the room.

We drank the toast to the Immortal Memory of the Poet before the Address to the Lassies by the Vice Commodore. In the Reply to the Laddies, Racheal Hedley did a fine job and was very well received! And all the in the broadest of Scottish accents!

By now we were ready for a dance and the Ceilidh was superbly performed by a fiddle and accordion duet with Peter acting as Caller. The musicianship far exceeded the competence of the dancing but under the expert eye of the Caller, we all managed to keep to the music and on our feet (mainly). It was great fun and good exercise after the supper. Fantastic.

The evening rounded off with the signing of Auld Lang Syne before we headed off into a cold winter’s night – very appropriate weather!

Out thanks to the City Livery Club, the LSC and all those involved for making it such a special and enjoyable evening.