Master Water Conservator

Eileen Bigg, Master’s Consort and 28 other City Consorts met at the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe for a fascinating talk on the construction of the first ever tunnel under water.   Sir Marc Brunel, a highly regarded French engineer, began his ground-breaking tunnel across the Thames in 1826.   Dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, it pioneered not only the first self-sinking caisson but also a tunnelling shield which protected the diggers.   This idea came to Brunel as he observed the “shipworm” munching its way through ship’s timbers and excreting excavated wood behind to reinforce its passage. Marc Brunel and his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel and their workers persevered through dangers such as flood, disease, firedamp, explosions and terrible working conditions.   Indeed, Brunel the younger nearly drowned during a particularly vigorous flood. As with many major engineering projects, construction over ran and ran out of money, and was scaled down.   Even...

City Consorts including Eileen Bigg, Master’s Consort, plus London Guide and Information Technologist Sam Jacobs set off from Temple Bar for a leisurely wander between St Paul’s and Smithfield.   We looked at many memorials and statues which we pass every day but never really notice, often relating to locations of buildings which were destroyed if not in the Fire of London then in the Blitz, such as the Panyer Boy in Panyer Alley marking the site of an inn, and the Bluecoat memorial at Grey Friars in Newgate Street.   There was a focus on the dark side of the city, as we passed the site of Newgate Prison and heard about various burnings and hangings.   We saw the watch house where vigilantes would keep guard against “Resurrection men” digging up bodies from the nearby graveyard, to sell on for medical research. By St Bart’s is the memorial to William Wallace who was brought down to London to be hung, drawn and quartered, and his head tarred and placed on a spike. Th...

  Thirty City Consorts and a Consort’s Consort (me) gathered for an early morning briefing from experts on mudlarking, what to look for on the foreshore, and avoiding getting wet.   This was a fascinating overview of the history of the City of London.   It included Roman to modern: willow pattern pottery, eating habits – oyster shells, trade – coal, and pastimes – clay tobacco pipes. After our safety briefing and allowing the tide to go out, we descended to the foreshore in search of valuable Roman brooches and coins.   Sadly not, but we did find a ‘time line’ of pieces of china, nails, mediaeval builders’ rubble, and bits of bones, probably not human.   The beach was remarkably clear of modern waste or litter so instead we were looking at previous generations’ waste. We compared our ‘finds’ then crossed the river for a most enjoyable lunch with views of St Paul’s from the Founders Arms.   Our thanks to Georgina Drummond for organising a successful day,...

21 year Celebration and Alumni Dinner at Queens’ College, University of Cambridge The Water Conservation Trust has been funding a bursary for students on this course for the past ten years; as Master I was honoured to be invited to attend the celebration dinner in the impressive Tudor surroundings of Queens’ College.   It was a great opportunity to meet past and current students who have benefitted from this bursary. I met Ishwar Gurung whom the Trust currently supports.   He was a Gurkha and now lives in Ipswich with his young family.   He completed his first degree part-time whilst working in the British Armed Forces.   During his time with the Army he was involved in a project helping villagers to procure and purify canal water.   He is investigating how water services can be delivered in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way that is beneficial to the economy and to social development. I was delighted to meet Professor Richard Fenner who has been ...

  Waster Conservators and guests gathered at Caversham Bridge for a cruise to watch Swan Upping on the non-tidal Thames.   After coffee, we followed the boats upstream until swans and cygnets were sighted.   The teams then surrounded the birds and quickly removed them from the water for ringing.   Vets checked the birds for avian flu which has devastated some bird populations.   This process was repeated several times during the morning. Swan Upping is an annual ceremony conducted by Thames Watermen to count and mark the swans and cygnets.   Traditionally there were two nicks on the beak for the Vintners Company, one nick for the Dyers’ Company, and royal birds were unmarked.   The birds are now ringed, and their numbers recorded for future reference.   There are three teams, each of two boats and six men.   The King’s men are in red, the Dyers’ in blue and the Vintners in white. It was a most interesting morning and our thanks to Georg...

Worshipful Company of Fishmongers  and the Company of Watermen and Lightermen  of the River Thames The Doggett's is a race for single sculls on the Thames from London Bridge to Chelsea. This year, to celebrate the King’s Coronation, there was a flotilla of 12 cutters and gigs operated by livery companies and clubs, each carrying a royal cipher to represent the 12 monarchs from George I to Charles III.   They travelled in procession to Westminster before the race, followed by several support and spectator ships.   When the Doggett’s competitors approached, the crews saluted Doggett’s by tossing their oars and calling three cheers. For the winning crew of the Water Forget-me-not, carrying the cipher of King George VI, it was a very leisurely row.

  Along with other new Masters I was privileged to join the City Consorts (the partners of Masters and Past Masters) in a visit to the garden of Alison Green, a member of the Wax Chandlers.   Over 24 years she has transformed the two acre garden of a 17 th century farmhouse into a series of smaller gardens in different styles in the “Arts and Crafts” tradition with new plantings each year, many with colour-themed beds.   She uses the “no dig” method (which I fully support), and is totally organic.   If plants survive or thrive they are nurtured and cherished, if they get eaten or grubbed up they are removed.   Round each corner there was a new amazing vista or cosy nook, including a spiral garden based on the Fibonacci golden ratio, a spring walk, a woodland walk and water gardens.   It was a lovely relaxing environment with lunch and plentiful supplies of cake.   It was also a great opportunity to chat with other Masters and Consorts about the Liv...