19. Worshipful Company of Bakers, Masters and Clerks lunch, 7 September 2023

Just short of a baker’s two dozen Masters and Clerks joined the Master Baker Stephen Foxton and the Bakers’ Company for fellowship and lunch celebrating 60 years in the current impressive Bakers’ Hall.  In return for allowing the development of offices on the site of the hall after the war, they had a new hall built free, and collect the ground rents from the offices.  The Company is proud to own three windows created by John Piper.  They commemorate the three fires that destroyed the hall: in 1666, 1715 and 1940.

We were welcomed by the Master Baker and treated to a most enjoyable lunch, with an abundance of bread rolls of different flavours (see picture above).  The Bakers always challenge the caterer on the quality of the bread rolls wherever they dine.  They also provide ammunition for dealing with a poor speaker!

The Master Baker in addressing the guests emphasised the value of Company Clerks and the importance of the Livery Company charities.  The Master Glover Clive Hawkins responded on behalf of the guests and included a series of bread jokes:

Why do you not starve in the desert? Because of all the sand which is there.

What kind of dog did the baker have?  A pure bread.

I had to reject a loaf of bread today, tried to be nice about it. She sure was sourdough

Why are bread jokes funny forever? The jokes never get stale.

Perhaps we should use the bread rolls after all?

It was a super opportunity to catch up with fellow Masters and share issues and solutions.  I was interested to hear how they tackled challenges on membership and finances in pragmatic ways.  More insights at another time.

We all joined to sing Happy Birthday to Master Judy Tayler-Smith.  You can guess her Livery Company.