6. Presentation of a jug of water to the Lord Mayor of London, Mansion House, 14 July 2023


Introducing the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators to the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress in the Mansion House is one of the most important occasions for our Livery Company.  I was accompanied by the Thames Warden Dylan Barker, Fleet Warden Carolyn Roberts and our Clerk, Christine Duthie in the North Drawing room where we were joined by the Lord Mayor Nicolas Lyons and the Lady Mayoress Felicity Lyons.  I introduced the Company describing its objectives and areas of interest and activity.  The Lord Mayor described his role and his links with the Merchant Taylors’ Company.  He acknowledged the work of the Water Conservators and the importance of our interest in water and the environment.

I then read the declaration:

My Lord Mayor

On the 14th day of July in the year 1197, King Richard I, in order to improve his liquidity, sold the Conservancy of the River Thames to the Corporation of London for the sum of 1500 marks. 

To acknowledge this important event on behalf of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators I, as Master, would like to present to you, my Lord Mayor, this jug of Thames Water.

To witness this historic anniversary here present are the Company's Thames Warden, Fleet Warden, and our Clerk.

Which I then signed and presented to the Lord Mayor.

I presented the jug of Thames Water to the Mayor and we each drank a glass.  I hasten to add that in the interests of the future health of the Lord Mayor the jug had been previously been filled with Thames tap water!

We all shared a glass of water with added bubbles and flavouring, and an enjoyable conversation touching on sharing knowledge of water management internationally and the work of the Water Conservation Trust.

 


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