Master Water Conservator

The Installation Court was held in the magnificent setting of the Apothecaries’ Hall. The focus of the Court meeting was on the growth of the Company and increased activity and income. The Company was very pleased to welcome Liam Hogg, Lee Morton and Gerald O’Shaughnessy as new Liverymen, and Martin Ballard, Avtar Jirh, Tom Morton, Michael Nates, Lina Nieto, Elizabeth Price, Mark Smith, John Ward, Judy West and John Wylie as new Freemen of the Company.

My thank you event for the Court and Company had to involve water, so what better way than a sunset cruise on the Thames!   I wanted a memorable expression of thanks to members of the Court, Past Masters, Fellow Masters, Consorts and friends. I took the advice of the Master Waterman and approached several companies to hire a boat for the evening. The first we declined when we found that the catering was not of the required standard. Everything was going well for the second boat until I advertised it to the Court and had more responses than could fit on the boat. So we got a bigger boat and filled it. The caterer was concerned how they could feed us all but I was confident it would work. On Monday morning I took a call from the boat company to say that the refuelling on Saturday night had resulted in contaminated oil getting to the engine and they offered a fourth boat …. the Wellington ! I politely declined, as I knew the Wellington would not be cruising anywhere. Eventually the...

The Club was founded in 1914 and is co-located with the Little Ships Club on Bell Lane near Southwark Bridge overlooking the Thames. It offers meeting rooms, a bar and accommodation. It is a useful stopping point between meetings and somewhere to re-energise and change. Over a few beers and nibbles I reconnected with other Masters and had a soft sell from the Club. They are offering reduced membership for companies and Masters and have just announced free membership for the Master in their year of office.   An attractive opportunity!   Grateful thanks to our hosts.

The influence and responsibility of the Lord Mayor of the City of London stretches well beyond the Square Mile. The City of London’s original jurisdiction over the River Thames started at a line to the west of Southend on the borders with Leigh, across the river to Yantlet Creek on the Isle of Grain.   The upper reach of the City’s jurisdiction is at Staines.   At each of these locations there is a stone obelisk marker. The City’s claim to the river dates from when the City of London purchased the right from Richard I in 1197.   The City of London was able to charge tolls, control activities such as fishing on the river, and exercise other legal powers over river use, including navigation.   The City of London also controlled part of the River Medway to Upnor on the boundary with Rochester. As the exact powers of the City and their ability to apply them to the River Thames and Medway were frequently in dispute, officials of the City continued to visit the stones ...

After strenuous efforts for find a date that was convenient to everyone, a group of Company Members visited Bletchley Park to discover the incredible achievements of Britain's World War Two Codebreakers.   We were ably guided by Court Assistant Christine Jarvis who is an expert on London and well beyond.   As several of the group had travelled considerable distances to get there we started with a cup of coffee/tea.   We then joined a guided tour of the site, learning much about its history and the people who worked there. It is amazing but only recently are we finding much out about the thousands who worked there.   Numbers of staff rose from 180 to over 9000.   The silence is a reflection of the high level of secrecy that surrounded their work which was respected by them.   We learnt about the collaboration with the French, US and Polish intelligence communities and saw the memorial to the Polish Codebreakers who led the initial work.   We heard abo...

Ever since its foundation by the then Lord Mayor Sir William Purdie Treloar in 1907, Lord Mayors of the City of London have supported Treloar’s School & College for disabled young people.   Mansion House hosted a Gala Dinner for Treloar’s in April (I believe this is an annual event).   New this year, and in addition, was the Treloar’s Afternoon Tea Party, which had been planned for some considerable months beforehand. Hats were encouraged, according to the invitation – and what a wonderful display of headwear there was!   As many of the ladies had been to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party relatively recently, some of the hats were quite stunning – although no one could compete with the Master Gold & Silver Wyre Drawer!   Male guests felt outnumbered but some wore hats too! The Tea Party took all afternoon, beginning with a drinks reception at 12.30pm.   Activities were carefully structured around various “courses” of afternoon tea.   Round ta...

Martin and I were delighted to be invited as guests to the Company of Communicators’ Summer Reception, for many reasons: we were glad of an opportunity to support Master Sally and her Consort Paul; it sounded a lovely relaxed summer’s evening activity after a hectic Livery Weekend in London; and it was at Girdlers’ Hall, a rather exclusive venue. It is such a pleasant surprise to discover Girdlers’ Hall, with the appearance of a Georgian country home, nestling in the shadow of the City’s skyscrapers, its stone columns and brick façade a comforting contrast to the concrete and steel surrounding it (even though it was only completed in 1961!).   The Hall is a stone’s throw from Moorgate Station, in close proximity to the Guildhall. We arrived early, so pre-empted the military escort, and had time to appreciate the magnificent Tudor Bell carpet on display in the Livery Hall. A champagne reception took us out to the beautiful restorative gardens where a jazz trio was playing gent...

  The National Flag-Raising Ceremony officially marks the start of this year’s Armed Forces Week.   Armed Forces Week is a chance for people to come together to thank our Armed Forces, who defend our way of life, protect British citizens around the world, and strengthen our relationships with our allies and partners. Flags are raised at other prominent locations across the country, paying tribute to the Armed Forces and the year-round work that they do. Livery Masters and other City of London leaders assembled in the Guildhall Yard to hear the military music and watch precision marching in the heat of the afternoon.   The Lord Mayor and civic party then gathered in the centre of the open space before the Lord Mayor took the salute and inspected the guard. The Armed Forces Day flag was then raised over the Guildhall. Everyone then retired to the Guildhall for a reception - an opportunity to refresh and cool down but also to reflect on our expectations of our armed forc...

This is an important occasion in the City year when all the Livery Masters turn out in their gowns and bling. The Masters, Prime Wardens and Upper Bailiff of the several Livery Companies and the Livery Committee assembled in the Crypt. Then the Livery Committee, followed by the Masters, Prime Wardens and Upper Bailiff of the several Livery Companies (Senior Companies last) walked in procession from the Crypt to the Great Hall. The Masters and Prime Wardens of the twelve senior Livery Companies, and the Livery Committee, took their seats on the platform, and the Masters, Prime Wardens and Upper Bailiff of the remaining Companies took their seats in the front rows filling in from the back. (The first end up at the back.)   It is a very formal occasion (turn off your mobile phone!). After the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs and Officers are seated, the Common Cryer proclaimed silence, and directed “All persons to be uncovered in the Hall”, and “All those who are not Liverymen to depa...

To end the Livery Masters’ Weekend we were invited to a concert in the Barbican.   It was a most fitting climax.   Thank you to the LSO for the reception during the interval: a drink was very welcome. In both pieces, the energy of the musicians and singers was breath-taking.   It was particularly fascinating to see the words of the libretto on a screen behind the performers - the perspective of Stalinist Russia, followed by the crude and intimate words of the “vagabond poets”. The flyer for the event summed it up: This is what in Medieval Bavaria monks copied down a collection of mischievous songs by vagabond poets. In 1935, a German composer came across a second-hand book containing the songs and used it to create a blazingly exciting choral extravaganza. Pounding rhythms, catchy tunes, sonorous Latin verses about wine, women and song – Orff’s Carmina Burana might have been an idiosyncratic hit, but it remains absolutely irresistible. It’s paired with Shostakovic...

Each year the Mayor, Sheriffs, Masters, and Consorts go away for a weekend to socialise, get to know each other better and plan ahead.   Previous visits have been to Ironbridge and Glasgow, next year it will be Aberdeen.   This year it was … London. The Masters were slightly concerned that it could be more of what we normally do, but it was actually very different.   With everything on the doorstep it made organisation and travel very much easier.   We decided to take the option of weekend accommodation in London to make the most of the event.   We were even happier when it transpired that the accommodation (at various Livery Halls and Clubs) would be covered by a generous donation.   And even happier when we found that there were no trains running over the weekend between home and London, so we booked in for Sunday night as well.   We were also blessed with magnificent weather over the weekend. On the Friday evening we met at the Haberdashers’ Hal...

The Brigantes are City of London Liverymen in the North.   They hold regular meetings and events either side of the Pennines.   A highlight of the year is the Breakfast, which usually finishes about 16.30 in the afternoon - definitely a late breakfast. The event began the previous evening when Liverymen from the south descended on the city.   We met up with the Master Butcher and Master Turner in a bar overlooking Liverpool Lime Street Station.   After a good night’s sleep we explored the city.   Even at 09.00 in the morning it was quiet, obviously an evening/night time city! We were the first on the red carpet. The day started with the 2024 Brigantes Lecture, ‘The History of the Cunard Line’, held in the Concert Room. The Guest Speaker was Sam Balls, freelance travel writer and former Public Relations Manager for 27 years for the world-famous Cunard Line. He described how Cunard relentlessly captured the headlines over decades as it ferried moguls...

The course of this race is from HQS Wellington to the Westminster Boating Base, Pimlico, a distance of two nautical miles. Boats then continue upstream and disembark at Chelsea Harbour Pier. The race is for Thames Traditional Rowing Association (TTRA) members in four-oared Watermen’s cutters and skerries carrying a coxswain and two passengers.  The Livery Companies’ and Full TTRA members’ boats are dressed in full Livery regalia and where possible should have either the Company Master, Senior Liveryman or Clerk on board.  On this occasion, the Water Forget-me-not was carrying the Master and Consort.   Crews and passengers mustered on the South Bank at Coin Street Shoal just downstream of Waterloo Bridge and after preparations smoothly glided off into the main river.   The water was deceptively calm but its dangers were demonstrated when the Information Technologists’ Cutter was caught under the protective tyres on the mooring barge when it was hit by a wave from a...

The Lord Mayor invited the Master and Clerk of those Livery Companies with which he has a special connection* to an in-person round table meeting at Mansion House.   It was an opportunity for him to personally thank the Masters and Clerks for their tremendous support to date in his mayoralty and also chat about the Livery Weekend.   Each of the Masters talked about their experiences of being a Master and the interaction of their Company with the Lord Mayor, his office and the City. I complemented the Lord Mayor on his “Connect to Prosper” programme bringing together experts and views from across the City on current issues under the Knowledge Miles series of lectures.   We have been pleased to contribute two lectures.   We have also been pleased to contribute a Coffee Colloquy on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.   We are very pleased and encouraged that the Lord Mayor is emphasising the science and educational strengths of the City. We talked about the c...

The Knollys Rose Ceremony commemorates an ancient City custom dating back to 1381.   Sir Robert Knollys was a prominent citizen of London and an experienced soldier who assisted King Richard II in putting down the Peasants’ Revolt led by Wat Tyler. He lived with his wife, Lady Constance, in a house on the west side of what is now Seething Lane in the parish of All Hallows by the Tower. During one of her husband’s absences abroad, fighting alongside John of Gaunt, Lady Constance is reputed to have become annoyed with the chaff dust blowing from threshing ground opposite their house, so she bought the property and had it turned into a rose garden. She also had a footbridge built over the lane, in order to avoid the mud when crossing to the garden, This was evidently done without the mediaeval equivalent of planning permission and incurred the wrath of the Lord Mayor of the time, Sir William Walworth.   For constructing the bridge and obtaining the garden, Sir Robert and his ...