Lord Mayor's Day procession - pictures by Geoffrey Purves

The Master steps out

The Master, the Upper Warden and a volunteer 'student' placard holder

The Master, Sam (student) and I picked up our robes, Masters Chain, Tricorn hat, two berets, placard and leather holster  from Painter’s Stainer’s Hall at 9.00am and we proceeded to our assembly point in London Wall.  We joined a group of other representatives from Modern Livery Companies and waited in the queue of highly organised and well marshalled displays until about 10.30.  The atmosphere was happy and jovial with lots of banter about the uniforms, costumes and ambitiously designed floats.  We had been warned that the weather forecast was not favourable and to come prepared with umbrellas.  As the procession got underway so the rain began to fall – and continued to fall continuously and more heavily for the next two hours and yet the spirit of the event was not dampened.  As my first experience of taking part in this event I was delighted to see so many people lining the route despite the adverse conditions.  From the Guildhall we processed through the city via St Pauls and onwards to the Royal Courts of Justice.   We continued to the Embankment where a glass of champagne was enjoyed with a picnic lunch – by then it was unimportant that most of us were soaked to the skin. We resumed our place in the procession after lunch proceeding along the Embankment.  However, perhaps with a rebel streak, we peeled off early to return our robes to Painter’s Stainer’s Hall but not before we had watched the new Lord Mayor in her coach pass by giving a wave to our Master.  We then made a hasty retreat to our newly acquired flat for a welcome gin and tonic.  A marvellous day was had by all.

Re-homing large yellow dogs

The pretty costumes of the 1600s

'Leaves on the line'; back up service?

The Hon. Artillery Company's field gun

Which guards regiment - how many buttons?

A Beefeater and two (queasy?) Watermen

La Lord Mayor, Fiona Woolf

The Lord Mayor's Pikemen

Master's Miscellany 1

Past Master Mervyn Miller and David Penning entertaining
 the Master Firefighter, Beryl Jeffery, at the curry lunch
on HQS Wellington on 30 September. after Common Hall .

Common Hall is an event, attended by Liverymen,  held at the Guildhall where the Lord Mayor is elected.

HQS Wellington is a Grimsby-Class Sloop, moored on the Thames, just below Temple Stairs. and is the "Hall" of the  Honourable Company of Master Mariners.

Beryl Jeffery is an architect by training.

The new Master's first message

The Installation Court and Lunch on the 17th September 2013 were a lively start to my year as Master and a great end to Mervyn’s splendid year. The newly installed wardens are: Upper Warden Geoffrey Purves, Renter Warden Peter Murray, and Junior Warden Richard Brindley. At the Lunch, President of the RIBA, Stephen Hodder set out his strategic priorities, and his hope for closer collaboration with WCCA. All very jolly and with plenty of spirited conversation.

Two days later, the Renter Warden, Peter Murray, and I participated in the annual livery walk. This is a speedy hike round the 40 livery halls and our main opportunity to contribute to the Lord Mayor’s Charity and to our own Charity Fund. After a fine morning’s walk, the afternoon turned to torrential rain. To see a very soggy Peter and me, have a look at Peter’s video on the blog.

On the last weekend of September there was a Company visit to Yorkshire, described by past Master Mervyn on our blog as ‘an astonishing cornucopia of architectural and artistic delights’. These included a guided tour of significant buildings in Leeds, led by John Thorp, the retired civic architect, and visits to the Hepworth Gallery and Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Two members of the party even found themselves in a lock-in in the oldest pub in Leeds! Our blog has the full story, with photographs by Chris Bicknell.

Over 50 people attended my reception at the Bishopsgate Institute on 15th October. Stefan Dickers, the Library and Archives Manager gave an enthusiastic and colourful history of the Institute, enhanced by architectural details from our own Peter Luscombe.

There was also a good audience for our lecture at the RIBA the following week, “The Architecture of Nowhere”, by James Kruhly, which sparked lively debate.

These WCCA events were interspersed with company dinners with the Plumbers, City Planners, Plaisterers and Chartered Secretaries, and two school prize givings. I also attended an interfaith service at St. Paul's Cathedral to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the London Taxidrivers' Fund for Underprivileged Children, including music by the London Charity Orchestra and the New London Children's Choir.

It has been a very busy and stimulating start to my year as Master. I look forward to seeing you all at the Carol Service.

Jaki

The Master places poppies at St.Paul's Cathedral for 11am11/11/1918

the Master Jaki joins the ceremony

with many thanks to

Kim Tyrrell, the constructors company clerk

The new Master's Reception at the Bishopsgate Institute

The Bishopsgate Institute drawn by Chris Dyson
for the Master's reception of Tuesday 15 October 2013

www.10x10london.com

www.article-25.org

 http://www.10x10london.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/10x10-Auction-Invitation.pdf

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COOL NORTH IS HOT TICKET! : 27-29 SEPTEMBER 2013

The weather smiled benignly on Jaki Howes’ Master’s Weekend in Leeds and West Yorkshire putting the seal on an astonishing cornucopia of architectural and artistic delights. 

Arrived at the Marriott Hotel, Leeds we were treated to an excellent dinner and an introduction to the Leeds architectural and urban scene by the last Civic Architect, John Thorp, who had nurtured the development and regeneration of the city centre since the 1970s to the current phase of ‘Renaissance’ up to 2012 and completion of the Leeds Area. And what a canvas to work on, with a basis of the mediaeval pattern of streets, alleys and narrow-fronted land subdivision into ‘burgage plots’. 

John took us round the city centre on Saturday morning, beginning at the Corn Exchange(1862) with its incredible elliptical roof in which all outward thrust had been eliminated. Cuthbert Brodrick was the architect and seemingly his own engineer. Then we walked through the City Markets, a fine iron structure within a masonry façade. Onward and upwards through the County Arcade, of which the slightly later second phase (1898) was by the theatre architect Frank Matcham (who did not surprisingly design the Grand Theatre). Out onto Briggate (now pedestrianized) and across Headrow (Reginald Blomfield’s 1920s principal road lined with classical buildings, leading axially east to the site of the Quarry Hill flats (demolished in the 1980s, Leeds City Architect’s 1930s tribute to Viennese socialist mass housing). Northwards, past St John’s Church, a remarkable Gothic survival building of the 1630s, with a remarkably exuberant late Jacobean style interior, which some of us visited in the afternoon. John Thorp’s minimalist terrace lawns were much admired.

Through the 1960s Merrion Centre we reached the Leeds Arena, a 13500-seat auditorium based on the fan-shape of a Greek theatre, contained in an a curved sheath clad with variegated green aluminium shingles with diagonally cutaway entrance and glazing. It was John Thorp’s last grand project, big, bold but somehow indeterminate, I felt. 

More to my taste was E. Vincent Harris’ Civic Hall (1930-33), late-classical, bristling with Lutyens’ details. We looked at the interior, embellished with a civic grandeur that now seems other-worldy. Finally to the Town Hall (1853-8), Cuthbert Brodrick’s masterpiece. We peeped in to the concert hall, where a choral festival of church music was in rehearsal, exploiting the acoustics to capacity. Lunch for some in the tiled hall of the Art Gallery, then an afternoon of pottering. 

Eight of us made it to the Grand Theatre in the evening for a stimulating modern production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Appropriately the weather had belied late September. 

Sunday began in Wakefield with a visit to the quirky orangery art centre. This classical 18th-century building now lurked alongside the main railway line and station. Their summer festival had included the construction of a painted fibreboard maze, unconvincingly painted in strident colours to resemble a bizarre dry stone wall. It was about to be demolished having fulfilled its function but the footfall around the intricate route to the centre could be retrieved as a more permanent and sustainable reminder.

We made our way by coach out to the Hepworth Gallery, rather forlornly sited beyond out-of-town shopping facilities, but partly redeemed by its relation to the river. Apparently a half million visitors have been attracted in its first year of opening. But given the poor relationship and lack of signage to the historic town centre not many would probably have made the effort to the what historic Wakefield has to offer. A great pity, this. 

The design by David Chipperfield split opinion. I felt that the dour grey fragmented outlines of the galleries was appropriate and contrasted with surviving 19th-century warehouses close by. The interior was distinctly minimalist giving a cool neutral background to the exhibits, which included a best of selection from the town centre art gallery which had now been closed. For me there was not enough Hepworth on display as themed exhibitions by two of her contemporaries seemed to dominate. However, there was an outstanding introductory exhibition setting the context of her work alongside her great rival Henry Moore.

We set off through the suburbs, crossed the M1 and drove into the friendly countryside below the skyline of the moors. The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is now firmly established as a popular weekend venue, particularly on a sunny Sunday. After a sandwich lunch and an introductory briefing we set out to find our individual ways through the park, our routes punctuated by freestanding sculptures including Hepworth and Moore and contemporaries standing in the sweeping parkland of Bretton Hall. The landscape included a lake and overgrown picturesque landscape garden.

By diverse ways we returned to the coach and Wakefield station for the journey south. It had been warm up North and a rewarding start to Jaki’s year as Master which will long live in our collective memory. 

Mervyn Miller 

Master's walk between all the livery halls

Other installations at the Court of 18 September 2013

Christopher Nigel Bicknell (L) and Paul Weston (R)
are admitted to the Court as Assistants

Jonathan Ellis-Miller is elevated from freeman to liveryman

Michael Bailey becomes a full member of the Livery

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Installation of the new Master Jaki Howes

Jacqueline Frances Howes

The installation court that starts the new WCCA Mastership took place at Watermen's Hall, 16 St Mary-at-Hill, London EC3R8EF on 18 September 2013.

"Nice chain, Merv!"

"I found it quite weighty..."

"How's that, Madame?"

"Light as a feather!"

Mervyn's last missive - for now!

Master Farewell

If you can bear to action it, here is the last instalment of my end-of-term Master's Blog Report. I’ll add a few pictures to leaven it later this evening.....

The road to hell is paved with good intentions and it’s already September as I settle down to write my last updating to the blog.  Grateful Thanks to the untiring dedication of Chevalier Copping, who has tirelessly uploaded these musings. In the interest of sanity all I can to is to provide a list of what I’ve done since the beginning of July, and will be doing over the next two weeks before I’m airbrushed out of the front line.  Looking back, I’m not quite sure how I’ve done it all, but I know that I’ve mostly enjoyed it and there are many things which I know will never come again, and which I have been privileged to do.  And I’ve been fortunate in having the support of a Consort who has certainly made a positive impression at the many events we have attended together.  I’ve learned that the importance of a Master’s role lies not so much in personal enjoyment as in helping to raise the profile of the Company, particularly when the Older Companies are around: only time will tell whether I have succeeded, and in two weeks it will be Jaki Howes’ turn to pursue the same objective.  It’s also been a pleasure to work so positively with the Royal Institute of British Architects, whether it be their hosting and the Presidential imprimatur of Angela Brady on the Milo Lecture last February, or the commitment of Richard Brindley to further the  ‘London as a Global Design Hub’ with the City of London Corporation.  We had a very positive, and I hope productive meeting at Guildhall with Paul Sizeland and Peter Sissons of the Corporation’s Economic Development Office on 27th August, when Richard Brindley and Richard Saxon led the presentation.

Ironbridge - 1779

July 2013

• MON 1: St Lawrence Jewry Annual Service 6.00pm
• 
  
• THU 4: Chartered Accountants’ Dinner, Mansion House, 6.45 for 7.30pm
• 
  
• MON 8: Sheriffs’ and Recorders Fund Reception at Old Bailey
• 
  
• TUE 9: Election Court, St Lawrence Jewry, 3.30pm
• 
  
• TUE 9:  Company Annual Service, St Lawrence Jewry, 6.00 pm  
• 
  
• TUE 9: Election Court and Dinner, Skinners’ Hall
• 
  
• FRI 12: Distillers, Glaziers and other Companies’ 375th Anniversary Reception and Dinner, Middle Temple Hall. 
• 
  
• WED 17: Actuaries’ Dinner, Fishmongers, Guest of Adrian Waddingham (Sherriff Elect)

• THU 18: Knights Bachelor Annual Service St Paul’s Crypt, 11.00 am and Reception Apothecaries’ Hall
• 
  
• FRI 19: Lunch with Master Constructor and Wardens at Guildhall Club, 
•    12.30 for 13.00
• 
  
• WED 24: Distillers’ Company Whisky Master Class and Tasting, Apothecaries’ Hall, 5.30 pm.
• 
  
• WED 24: The Master appears with Una Stubbs on ‘Who Do You Think You Are’, talking with her about Ebenezer Howard, founder of the Garden City Movement, her great-grandfather, 9.00pm
• 
  
• THU 25: Open Evening, Kingston University Conservation Course, 6.00pm
• 
  
• FRI 26: Michael Welbank Luncheon, Guildhall, 12.30pm
• 
  
• FRI 26: Tour of former Midland Bank HQ (Lutyens), 3-5.00 pm

August 2013

TUE 6: Court Luncheon at Carpenters’ Hall, 12.45 for 1.00pm

TUE 27: ‘London as a Global Design Hub’ presentation with Richard Brindley and Richard Saxon at City Economic Development offices, Guildhall, 11.00am

Midland Bank 1

Midland Bank 2

Midland Bank 3

Midland Bank 4

September 2013

MON 2: Michael Bailey receives City Freedom @ Chamberlain’s Office, Guildhall, 3.00pm

THU 5: HMS Belfast Charity Dinner, Constructors’ Company, 6.30pm

MON 9: Launderers’ Lecture, Glaziers’ Hall, 6.00pm

TUE 10: Ardwina Luncheon, with MM Finlandia presentation, 12.30pm

TUE 10: WCCA Committees aboard Ardwina, 2.30 pm

WED 11: Reception for Royal British Legion Poppy Factory, Drapers’ Hall, 7.00pm

THU 12: Modern Companies Dinner, Armourers and Braziers’ Hall, 7.00pm

FRI 13: Worshipful Company of Musicians, Composer’s Concert, Mansion House 6.00pm – 7.30pm

MON 16: Presentation of Adrian Waddingham’s Shrieval Chain, Saddlers’ Hall

TUE17: Installation Court and Lunch, Watermen’s Hall: MM completes year as Master

Reference to the events list above will indicate a busy few days before I am stripped of the Company’s accoutrements at the Installation Court, immediately after I install Jaki as the new Master.  She will, I am sure, plough her own distinctive furrow, and rightly too.  Before then, Ann and I are looking forward to the Constructors’ Charity Dinner on HMS Belfast on 5th September.  Tomorrow, 2nd September Freeman Michael Bailey has invited Jaki, Edward King and myself to join him and his parents at a celebratory Luncheon prior to attending the Chamberlain at Guildhall to obtain his Freedom of the City of London.  Michael has been one of our brightest students, and is rising through the ranks at MAKE, one of the most prestigious modern practices.  He was bound as a student to Edward King, under the watchful eye of Jaki (as longstanding Master of Students).  I released Michael from his indentures at the April Court, and installed him as a Freeman of the Company.  Armed with his Certificate of Freedom (written by hand on vellum), he will present himself to the Court on 17th September to be installed as a Liveryman of the Company by Jaki: wherever his career may take him he will always be a Citizen of London, with a few ancient rights and privileges (including driving sheep across London Bridge).

So now it’s time to look to the future, bid a fond farewell and Hail the New Master on 17th September.  I’ll be proud to receive my Past Master’s badge on that occasion, and to serve the Company in a more unobtrusive manner.

Grateful thanks are due to the Clerk, Ian Head (and Ann who has often been at the sharp end during Ian’s first full year in charge).  

Also to the Wardens: Jaki Howes (Upper), Geoffrey Purves (Renter) and Peter Murray (Junior); and apologies to Edward King, Deputy Master for not giving him much to do.  And, of course, it’s now full steam ahead with the ‘Great 13’ (the 2013 Masters’ clan)! 

The stalwart Ann

The Master goes potty

Mervyn Miller

Master 2012-13

   

The Master's latest report for 6/2013

The year’s rushing away like nobody’s business.  June 2013 was particularly hectic with a slew of goodies.  It began comparatively quietly, with an evening reception on the 4th June at Plaisterers’ Hall to celebrate (and collect money for) Peterborough Cathedral Choir - worthy but not outstanding.  Then a summery luncheon on the 5th June down in Surrey at the City of London Freemans’ School, pleasant and relaxing, as aperitif to the blockbusters that followed. Thursday, 6th June was a wonderful day. The Stalwart Consort  Ann travelled up from Birmingham and I met her at Euston as the temperature rose – one of the first days of a real summer (which was not sustained). She was elegantly dressed in a floral outfit with a most becoming hat; I in traditional morning dress, with the top hat in which I was married back in 1973 - I’ve hardly worn it since, but it’s not too moth-eaten.  Taxi to the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall, where Master Constructor Stephen Rigden hosted a convivial luncheon and champagne flowed.  Then hot foot to Buckingham Palace, for what turned out to be an historic Garden Party.  We had followed orders and had left out cameras and phones behind.  We entered through the Palace Courtyard and swept into the gardens.  Notwithstanding orders, people were snapping away with their phones – it seemed uncontrollable and frustrating.  After we had battled with the tea queue the Royal Party emerged at 4.00 pm and made their way through the marshalled crowds – the Queen in a pale green outfit – we got quite close and she was her customary self.  So was the Duke of Edinburgh.  It was only afterwards that we heard of his departure for hospital – meticulously planned in advance.  You’d never have known it from the way he and the Monarch carried the afternoon in outstanding devotion to duty.  We returned to the RAC and contented ourselves with being photographed against an immaculate classic 1940s touring Riley.

Scarcely a pause for breath and then it was off for to the Master’s Weekend in Ironbridge (June 7-9). This was another highlight of the year, an intensive dawn to dusk tour of the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, following the successful smelting of iron in the mid-18th century by Abraham Darby I (who begat a dynasty, all confusingly identically named from I to IV).  There were almost 100 Masters with their ladies, partners and consorts.  We were divided into three buses, with the consequence that we didn’t see the others as they did the itinerary in differing sequences.  The original ironworks, the Jackfield tile works and Blists Hill village were highlights – at the latter Christine Rigden had donned leather breeches to give a demonstration of ale conning, which involved sitting in a pool of the liquid, to test for stickiness (and she put herself up for re-election at Common Hall so she clearly enjoys the task).  Two black-tie dinners later, we were ready to choose the name for our Masters of 2013 Association.  The proposition from the floor of Great 13 could have been controversial, especially as Master Mercer of the number one company attended, but he went with the flow as the title was unanimously and noisily acclaimed. So Great 13 it is and will evermore be.

Wednesday, June 12: Garden City Lecture at Welwyn Garden City – this was for the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust, and not a Company event, but it was comparable in its high profile with the Milo Lecture. ’Hands across the Sea’ chronicled the Transatlantic ideas on community planning from Ebenezer Howard to the advent of the British New Towns through Letchworth, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Welwyn Garden City, Radburn NJ and Greenbelt MD, with the career of Raymond Unwin providing a linking thread.  Introduced by Lord Salisbury of Hatfield House, whose Great Grandfather had sold some of his land for Welwyn Garden City, the audience included the Town and Country Planning Association as well as local dignitaries.  It all went smoothly and was enthusiastically received.  

Two days later, on Friday, June 14 we had the Canterbury Cathedral visit, scaled down from the original weekend possibility, but a full day, arranged by John Burton, Surveyor to the Fabric and just about to become Master of the Masons’ Company. It’s so easy to reach Canterbury from St. Pancras.  We began with a general briefing and a session in the Masons’ Workshop with Heather Newton, Head of Stone Conservation, followed by an architectural tour from the Crypt upwards.  After lunch two excellent guided historical tours, a wander round the Precinct in beaming sunshine, and Evensong, to which we were officially welcomed. A pause for an ale in an historic hostelry (plastered with notices about the consequences of drug taking on the premises), then a smooth, swift ride back to the smoke, rounded off an excellent day.   

The end of June was nothing if not manic. Thursday, June 20: Lunch with the Drapers Company was the first of to a twosome featuring outstanding hospitality from the ‘great twelve’.  I’ve always liked drapers’ Hall which is one of the most opulent livery halls in London. Our banquet there in 2009 was down-scaled due to the riots in the City, when the G8 economic Forum was held in London. The master, Lady Victoria Leatham, was reaching out when she spoke of the contribution made by the modern companies to livery life. Perhaps I’m being cynical but it sounded a little like the hug a hoodie campaign embarked upon by David Cameron when visiting Wythenshawe, a multi-problem Manchester - erstwhile Garden City - housing estate, while he was leader of the opposition. Perhaps a little of the revolutionary zeal of Ironbridge had rubbed off on her presentation and who are we to spurn the hand of friendship, sincerely delivered in the context of outstanding hospitality?  That evening there was a Livery Concert hosted by the Mercers’ Company, with musicians from the music foundation at Prussia Cove.  Their concert, especially Beethoven’s Archduke Trio, was absolutely outstanding - I doubt whether I’ll ever hear a fine performance of the Beethoven! It was followed by supper, outstanding hospitality from the Number One company which I’ll always remember after the fast approaching end of my year. A hectic but outstanding day!  There was no let up as next day, Friday, June 21, I journeyed to south London for the Master’s Reception and Luncheon, for the Firefighters’ Company, held at Winchester House in Southwark Bridge Road.   This had been the home of an outstanding 19th-century firefighter poached from Ulster to become the first systematic organiser of the London Fire Brigade. Some of the plush Victorian ambience of his home remained, but its main purpose is now the Fire Brigade Museum. This graphically records its development from its origins when the practice of firefighting evolved, ranging through the early 20th-century and two World Wars. The images of the burning buildings of the 1940s still remain icons of the tragedy of conflict. Peacetime did not bring up any let up in the serious impact of fire, both on buildings and people, not least the firefighters themselves. A photograph of the burnt out ticket hall at King’s Cross underground station reminded me that I had walked through less than an hour before the tragic 1987 fire erupted. That fire was caused by massed litter beneath the wooden escalators of the 1930s. Shortly after it was Terror that stalked the London streets and stations, particularly the horrors of seventh of July 2005. We forget the significance and sacrifice of the Fire Brigade at our peril, and this museum is a timely reminder and reality check.

Monday, June 24 dawned brightly as I hurried to catch an early train to reach the Breakfast Club for Common Hall held at Haberdashers Hall from 8.00 am.  These events are really promotions for catering companies keen to engage the patronage of the Livery for their events. Nevertheless a full English breakfast is welcome for the start of a busy day.  By mid-morning we were all assembled in the crypt beneath Guildhall searching for our ground and regalia, dressed by the clerks and marshalled into order of precedence to progress into Guildhall at the opening of Common Hall. This was my second and last experience of active participation in the panoply and splendour, walking slowly down the centre aisle at the start of the proceedings. Shortly after the Lord Mayor took his seat at the centre of the dais, the Shrieval Election began. As the two posts were not contested the voting was by acclamation. Although every Liveryman is eligible to vote, in practice it is limited to as many of the livery who can crowd into Guildhall. Voting over, I walked across to Farmers and Fletchers’ Hall for an excellent luncheon.  Unfortunately service was slow and I had to apologise to leave before desert was served, as I was due back in Guildhall Yard for the annual Armed Services Parade and Reception. The link between the military and the City is long-standing and remains strong. Veterans from conflicts as distant as the Second World War attended the reception: I was astounded to talk to a veteran of 87, born nearby in Gracechurch Street, who had enlisted in the Royal Marines at 16 to be sent to south-east Asia to try to stem the onslaught of the advancing Japanese army. He had survived both this and many subsequent conflicts, during which many of his colleagues had fallen.

Only two commitments during the last week in June:   Tuesday June 25 saw the jury on the WCCA Student Drawing Prizes and the set of Committees as prelude to the Election Court on July 9th, and the End-of-Year show of the Building Crafts College at Carpenters’ Hall. This included some very sophisticated joinery and furniture which was of a professional craft standard, as well as the results of courses designed for young people who had dropped out of full time education. Across-the-board, it was a very worthwhile show and ended a busy month, possibly reflecting a rush of events programmed to happen before the summer recess.

Not that July 2013 looked noticeably quieter,
but that’s for a later installment. 

Ebeneezer and Una, explained by Master Mervyn

WCCALGCWDYTTA

Election Court, Annual Church Service and Dinner at Skinners' Hall - July 2013

On a sunny July afternoon, the latest Election Court was held in the side-chapel of St. Lawrence Jewry, the Wren church that lies next to Guildhall.  Master Mervyn held his term's last formal meeting that, amongst other business, confirmed the Court appointments for 2013-2014.

Our 'Master' elect - Jacqueline  Frances Howes.

Three new Freemen of the company were initiated 'by redemption' (ie by company sponsorship) and they will shortly receive their Freedom of the City from the Chamberlain of the City at Guildhall.  

John Assael, Andrew von Bradsky
and
Stephen Hodder. 

Then onwards (after a decent pause) to full membership of the Livery.

The death of three Liverymen in 2013 focusses the importance of new members of the Company and Court.  Our condoleances go to the families of these three once popular Liverymen.

After a service including a string of 'architectural' hymns and Bible lessons led by the Rev. Can. Parrott, the assembled company progressed across busy Cheapside, to 8 1/2 Dowgate Hill where we all entered the extraordiunay Skinners' Hall.  CLICK HERE for more on our Livery Halls.

Speechified, fed and watered, we all wended our way home in a balmy summer evening.

Skinners' Hall anteroom

The Master of rhetoric!

Dinner in Skinners' Hall

A convivial summer evening - daylight + candles

the low level view from the new 'Master-Cam' - including Mervyn's glass (+R. thumb) of
Bourgogne Pinot Noir Paul Pillot 2009

A photo treat for the advocate of the late great Sir Edwin LUTYENS!
- sharp July sunlight on the façade -
click on the image to enlarge

* S T O P   P R E S S *
Stephen Hodder
a new WCCA Freeman is 
Royal Institute of British Architect's
PRESIDENT-ELECT
2013

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