208. Consort Plaisterer’s Lunch, Plaisterers’ Hall, 11 June 2024

Wendy Mitchell, Consort to the Master Plaisterer, organised a lunch for fellow Consorts, members of the Plaisterers’ Company, and friends.  As a former ballet dancer and current ballet teacher, Wendy chose as her theme Costume, Uniform and Memorabilia.

We were welcomed by cadets from the 282 (East Ham) Air Cadet Squadron.

Harpist Cecily Beer, Resident Harpist at the Waldorf Hotel, Covent  Garden, a most delightful accompaniment throughout most of the proceedings, with quite a varied repertoire, from the classics to Mary Poppins, and had a solo slot after lunch with a virtuoso piece The Hummingbird, which brought tears to my eyes as the music was so representative of the hovering flight of a hummingbird.

The guest speaker was Major Robert Quain TD, a Pikeman.  The Company of Pikemen and Musketeers is a ceremonial unit of the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC).

Major Robert was emphatic that the Pikemen were a royal warranted body, not just a re-enactment society!  They will be celebrating their centenary in 2025.  Livery members will be familiar with the Pikemen as the ceremonial bodyguard and escort for the Lord Mayor.  There are 85 members of the regiment, 36 of whom are actual pikemen, the others are musketeers.

Venetian red tunics with white linen collars and cuffs and knee-length breeches. The seniority of officers and non-commissioned officers is signified by the amount of lace worn on collars and cuffs; the more lace the more senior the rank. Officers wear thigh boots and spurs.

The uniform is based on that used during the Civil War (in the 1640s), comprising Venetian red tunics with white linen collars and cuffs which have different intricate designs according to rank.  The crimson socks have knee ties (somewhat fiddly to fasten!).  The suede shoes are hand-made by a traditional cobbler on the Isle of Wight.  The “soft kit” is quite warm, and keeps out the winter chill at the Lord Mayor’s Show. 

And then there is the armour; the iron-based steel can rust quickly, necessitating careful drying and cleaning, especially after a damp Lord Mayor’s Show!  The shiny armour is indeed very impressive, and weighs 18lb.  There are only a few specialist artisan armourers left in the UK.  The kit is housed at Armoury House, the headquarters of HAC.

The pikes are of ash and are 12ft long (somewhat shorter than originally), comprising two parts which screw together, for each of transport.  The swords are fully operational.  The steel open faced helmet is heavy and uncomfortable, and difficult to keep clean.

Lunch was most delicious, with the exemplary service I have come to expect at the Plaisterers’ Hall!  Each table had a member of the Plaisterers as host, who changed places during the afternoon.  Major Robert visited various tables after lunch and chatted further about the Company.

Consort Wendy introduced us to a display in the hall comprising various items from her career as a ballet dancer and principal of a dance school.  She regretted having studied Latin at school as an option instead of needlework which would have been of more use in creating costumes.  At one point Wendy taught ballet to a young Diana Spencer, who asked to resume her lessons at Kensington Palace – a closely guarded secret about which Wendy has only just begun to speak.

Wendy’s father was a Plaisterer, and she remembers attending the Lord Mayor’s Children’s Party with her sister, dressed as Little Bo Peep and Little Miss Muffet.  She was delighted to be able to accompany her grand-daughter Jessica to the party this year; Jessica went as Cruella de Vil, in a black and white ball gown of Wendy’s, altered to fit.

Wendy spoke of uniform evoking a sense of belonging, and referred to Livery gowns.  Ermine, fur from a winter stoat, was most expensive, and was used for royalty.  The tassels on the Beadle’s gown used to be dipped in aromatic oils to waft away the unpleasant odours in London streets.  Around the walls of the hall were portraits of six former Masters, including one who had gone on to become Lord Mayor; there were also portraits of two current sheriffs, although alas the recent one of former Sheriff Alison Gowman was not on current display.

We all enjoyed browsing Wendy’s display – a fascinating conclusion to a lovely afternoon.