44. HMS Scott, Captains Lunch 24 January

Our affiliation with the Royal Navy is with the survey vessel HMS Scott. She is currently in Devonport Dockyard awaiting replacement of one of her engines. Her Commanding Officer, Nick Foster, whom we had met at the Company Banquet, invited Sandra and I to join him, together with a number of other guests, for lunch and a tour of the ship.

On a rather damp rainy day we were met at the dockyard gate by Lt. Will Astley, the Engineer Officer, and Lt Kerry Woollard, the Hydrographic and Meteorogical Officer, who took us to the Officers’ Mess where we were introduced to the other guests who included the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Swansea, Carolyn Eadie the Ship’s Sponsor and the author Judy Skelton, whose Grandfather was the Chief Engineer and Photographer on the Discovery Expedition to the Antarctic led by Captain Scott.

After an splendid lunch were given a presentation by two young Able Seamen (both of whom held Scientific Degrees) explaining how the ship surveyed the ocean floor. We were then taken on a tour of the ship which included the Bridge and the Captain’s Cabin.  

A thoroughly enjoyable day rounded off with a visit to the historic part of the City and, by way of a complete contrast, an excellent Nepalese meal! 

43. Company of Management Consultants’ Charities Supper – 18 January

Having been treated to a first class lunch with the Grocers, I followed this with an excellent Supper as a guest of the Worshipful Company of Management Consultants at Skinners’ Hall. The supper celebrates the pro bono work that the Company does for charities. Many of the Company members freely give of their time to help charities and other not for profit enterprises, that are unable to pay normal consulting fees, handle the day to day issues of running their organisations. They provide overall the equivalent of an amazing £1m of support each year through this programme. We heard from three charities that had received pro bono support.

An excellent supper with first class wines in interesting company. My thanks to the Master  and Clerk for the invitation to join them.

42. Lunch at Grocers’ Hall – 18 January

Thames Warden, Simon Catford, and I were invited by the Master and Wardens of the Grocers Company to lunch at their magnificent hall. The event was also attended by some 80 Masters, Wardens and Clerks from a wide range of Livery Companies the majority of which, as with our Company, do not own a Hall. We were treated to a first class menu prepared by their in-house team of chefs accompanied by excellent wines. This was of course a huge PR exercise at what is truly an excellent venue.

41. City New Year Service, 12 January

Today Sandra and I attended the annual City New Year Service at the church of St. Michael, Cornhill. This service has been a major event for more than half a century for senior people in the City’s civic and business world. The church was packed to capacity with the Livery and their Consorts and City business people including the Lord Mayor and the Governor of the Bank of England, both of whom read Lessons. The service was led by the Priest in Charge, The Revd. Charlie Skrine, who gave a very inspiring sermon which also contained much humour. The choir and the recently renovated organ contributed to make this an uplifting service to remember.

The service was followed by a reception and hot buffet lunch courtesy of the Worshipful Company of Drapers at their magnificent Hall. This provided a splendid opportunity to engage with many friends in the Livery. Thanks go to the Master Draper for his hospitality.

40. Visit to Hampton Court Palace, 9 December

11.00 am on a gloriously sunny, but bitter cold , day saw a total of 22 Members and partners congregating outside the main gate of the Palace. We were then led by my Bailiff, Christine Jarvis, who was our guide, into this historic wonderland. A brief history outside and then into Henry VIII’s Kitchens where among other things we learned how bread was cooked and the origin of the term “Upper Crust”. On to the meat kitchen where we found out that the huge joints on display served only 4-6 people! From there we went into the Great Hall with its magnificent hammer beam ceiling with each beam having a small head on it, origin of the phrase “Eaves Dropping”, and walls covered with magnificent tapestries. On then through the apartments to the Royal Chapel and the replica Royal Crown. 

Time for lunch at the “Mute Swan” just across the road from the Palace. An excellent meal was served with a few glasses of wine and a great deal of conversation! After the meal those who wished then returned to the Palace to continue the tour and/or to wander round the BBC Festive Fayre.

My thanks particularly to Christine Jarvis who helped with the arrangements and who made the tour both interesting and amusing.

39. Big Curry Lunch Launch, 7 December

Sandra and I, together with Deputy Master Keith Tozzi and Fiona attended the reception to launch the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch. The event, to promote the lunch next April, is well attended by the Livery and other supporters. Regrettably the Lord Mayor was not able to attend this year, but he was represented by his two Sheriffs, Tim Hailes and Neil Redcliffe.

It has been the custom that the proceeds from the Lunch go to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. It was reported that the current years Lunch had raised £188,000, bringing the total raised in the first ten years of the Lunch to £1.7m. This had been achieved through the generosity of the Livery Companies and Ward Clubs and the support of corporate and individual sponsors. The aim next year is to increase this to nearer £200,000.

There is to be a change in the beneficiaries of the proceeds from the lunch that will take place on 11 April next year in that for the first time they will be distributed between all three Services. The Company has always donated a substantial sum, mainly from the collection following the Election Court, and we will continue to do so in 2018. The Lunch itself is an amazing event and is open to all members of the company. Tickets can be obtained from www.soldierscharity.org/events/the-lord-mayors-big-curry-lunch.

38. Walbrook Ward Club’s Annual Banquet

The City of London is divided into 25 wards, each with an ancient form of local government, which avoided the many local government reforms in the 19th and 20th centuries. The ward of Walbrook contains two of the City's most notable landmarks: the Bank of England and Mansion House. Every ward has a club and Sandra and I were invited to the Walbrook Ward Club’s 208th Anniversary Banquet held at the Saddlers’ Hall by Past Master (and Club member) Peter Hall and his wife Georgina on 6 December. 

Presided over by Alderman John Garbutt (Upper Bailiff of the Weavers’ Company) we had a relaxed and very enjoyable evening. John spoke about the foundations of Livery Company precedent and how the Weavers, arguably the earliest, missed out in the reign of Henry VIII when the (modern) precedence was fixed on the basis of the value of ‘loans’ to the Crown. 

A delicious Christmas menu with fine wine and great company made the evening pass too quickly. Music, which included a spectacular rendering of the “Post Horn Gallop”, was provided by The London Banqueting Ensemble.

A thoroughly enjoyable evening for which our thanks go to Peter and Georgina.