195. Consorts’ Visit to Salters’ Hall, 29 May 2024

Photo courtesy of Stephen Richards

Awarded its Charter in 1394, the Salters’ Company has its origins in the salt trade of medieval London.  By the fourteenth century, salt was an essential commodity in England, used mainly for preserving meat and fish, but also in cleaning, dyeing fabric, bleaching, degreasing, dehairing and softening leather and in the formulation of medicines and ointments.  These chemical processes are what has made the Salters’ Company the Livery Company for chemists and the promotion of education in chemistry.

The Company was awarded its Grant of Arms in 1530 by Henry VIII.

A group of 50 or so Consorts assembled at the hall for a tour, a “demonstration” and lunch.  Our guide Hilary was most informative.

We began by climbing the stairs, passing a most impressive modern chandelier, representing nuggets of salt. 

Women have only been admitted to the Company since 2010, but have already had two lady Masters.

The current hall is the Company’s seventh, all previous ones having been destroyed by fire (including enemy action).  Designed by Sir Basic Spence, it was built in the 1970s and is testament to the then trend for brutalist architecture, positioned as it is on the edge of Barbican.  The concrete building deteriorated; consideration was given to its demolition but the Corporation of London heard of this and pre-empted the situation by declaring the building to be Grade 2 listed.  Eventually the hall was renovated, with additional provision for office space which is let out.

The Court Room has round its walls paintings of previous halls and its two almshouses, in Maidenhead and Watford.  It is notable that the gates at the entrance to the previous hall were undamaged during the Blitz and have been re-erected at the new site, as an architectural feature.  These date from the early Victorian era and were commissioned by Prince Albert.

Even though the exterior of the building is modern, the interior is more traditional, with dark walls and wood panelling.  The carpet appeared to me (not a chemist!) to represent chemical bonds. 

The hall is quite magnificent, with its heraldic leopards by the windows, a buffet displaying silverware (thoughtfully on Perspex shelving which does not cast a shadow), positioned underneath the mediaeval company banner used on boats (floats) during river processions. 

At the opposite end was a magnificent clock presented by a former Master for the Millennium.

On returning from our tour, we were offered a glass of champagne and the opportunity to observe a chemical experiment.  Dr Anna-Maria Mullen, Head of Development, showed us a way of making icecream.  Apparently it was invented by the Mongols: as they galloped across the Steppes the milk in their animal skin containers was shaken to such a degree that in the cold weather it turned to icecream.  Anna-Maria chose a slightly different method: adding sugar and vanilla essence to milk, she poured the concoction into a small bag, pressed the air out of it, and placed that in a larger bag of ice cubes, and proceeded to knead it. 

Her assistant, Sonya, carried out a control experiment, which differed in that salt was added to the ice cubes.  We were all surprised to find that the salt had the effect of lowered the temperature, particularly as we were aware that sprinkling salt on an icy surface causes it to melt.  This apparently has something to do with the array and interference of the salt and water molecules.  (As I said, I’m not a chemist!)  No one actually tasted the icecream!

Then it was time for lunch: a delicious two courses followed by coffee and sweets.  Mistress Cordula spoke briefly, as did Master Jamie. Thanks were given by Consort Claire from the Cutlers, as a representative of the highest order Company present.

Many thanks to City Consorts, Mistress Salter and members of the Company for organising this visit.  It was most interesting, and great fun!

 

And we were each given a little bag of salt crystals to take home!