Liverymen and Members’ Corner

Watercolour reproduced by kind permission of artist Victoria Rees.
_______________________________________________________

Letter from the Master – February 2025

The Livery Year took a short break over the Christmas and New Year period, for which Penny and I were extremely grateful.  We needed to recharge our batteries.

Events in January and February have picked up and for me can be broken down into internal and external Livery events and supporting the City and the Lord Mayor.

Internal Events

I have been delighted to attend two Freedom Ceremonies at the Guildhall. They are the second stage of becoming a Liveryman and are so well and amusingly hosted by the Clerk and the Beadle of the Chamberlain’s Court. At the first the Mistress and the Clerk received their Freedoms along with Freeman Eraj Shirvani. At the second it was the turn of Freemen Sharron Trisk and Louchavan Lemard along with last year’s Mistress, Kathy Adams.  As this is an important part of our Members’ journey in to the Company I have always felt it appropriate to celebrate the occasion, which we have done with an informal lunch or drinks at the City Livery Club.  I also take the opportunity to talk about the Company, what we can offer, what we expect from our Members and what are their interests and what can they offer the Company. The third and final stage of becoming a Liveryman is the formal clothing at Court and I look forward to that happening in April.

We have held two of my social events since Christmas and my huge thanks to all the Stewards who have helped me.  The tour of and lunch at the Proof House and Gunmakers’ Hall was special, as was the trip to The London Archives (thank you also to Michael Cooper and the History Group) to see some of our ancient historical records. Both these events have been written up and appear on the website. We have just held the Plumbers’ Table at Ironmongers’ Hall with a great turnout of 38 – thank you for your support.

I also chaired my first Court meeting in January, followed by the Luncheon at Saddlers’ Hall with the very amusing Murray Craig, former Clerk of the Chamberlain’s Court, as our guest speaker.

One of the pleasures of the Master to choose the menu for our Annual Banquet with the Chef’s tasting in a private dining room at Mansion House with Debbie and Adrian. I can assure that you have something tasty to look forward to on 17 March! Whilst on the subject of food, I hosted a most convivial Staff Christmas lunch with Debbie, Adrian, Peter the Beadle and the Mistress in early January: a great time was had by all and it was a small token of my appreciation for all they do for the Company.

External Events

I have attended an excellent Masters & Clerks luncheon with the WC Masons at Mercers’ Hall and a sumptuous M&C dinner with the WC Plaisterers, who entertained 56 other Livery Companies that night.  It was back to Plaisterers’ Hall at the personal invitation of the Actuaries’ Master to the WC Actuaries’ Burns Night Dinner, with haggis and whisky to the fore!

The Lord Mayor and the City

One of the Company’s four principal purposes is to support the City and Lord Mayor. This often involves some pomp and ceremony and the chance to don the Master’s gown. I have four very different but interesting events to report.  The first was the City New Year Service held in St Michael Cornhill to welcome in the New Year, followed by a buffet lunch reception hosted by the Drapers.  I would imagine that all the 111 (now 112) Livery Companies were present. The second was to celebrate the installation of the Lord Mayor as Rector of City St George’s University of London in the Barbican with an honorary degree. A small number of Masters, suitably robed attended the ceremony when 100s of degree certificates were awarded in the School of Health and Psychological Sciences, followed by a buffet lunch. Next came lunch with the Judges at the Old Bailey hosted by Sheriff David Chalk.  Conversation with their Honour Judges was fascinating but sad given that they mostly sit in trials involving murder, knife crime, gang wars and drugs. My last and most recent event was in the Guildhall Yard for the launch of the Veterans’ Garden for the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch. In excess of 50 Masters would have been in attendance to support the occasion, the temporary garden being a depiction of a small London garden during WW2 commemorating the 80th anniversary of the ending of the War, and coordinated by our good friends, the WC Gardeners.

My theme of Fellowship continues apace! I hope you have enjoyed this report, and I will repeat it again shortly.

Charles Brooks Master – February 2025

Freedom Ceremony L-R: Eraj Shirvani, Penny Brooks (Mistress), Debbie Abergil (Clerk)

Freedom Ceremony L-R: Debbie Abergil (Clerk), David Adams (IPM), Kathy Adams, Louchavan Lemard, Sharron Trisk, Charles Brooks (Master)

L-R: The Ven Luke Miller (Archdeacon of London), The Hon Liz Green OBE DL, Ian Kelly, Mrs Nicola Davies, Sheriff David Chalk, Charles Brooks (Master), PM Erica Stary, Alderman Robert Hughes-Penny

City St George’s University of London Installation of new Rector: Back row: Master Baker, Master Management Consultant, Master World Trader, Master Horner

Middle row: Master Scientific Instrument Maker, Master Saddler, Master Entrepreneur, Master Plumber, Master Dyer, Master Stationer,

Seated: Master Constructor, Master Cook, The Lord Mayor Alderman Alastair King, the Executive Dean, Master Coachmaker, Master Educator

The Actuaries Burns Night Dinner Guest Masters: Master Firefighter, Master HR Professional, Master Plumber

The Master, Charles Brooks, at The Veterans’ Garden in Guildhall Yard

The Veterans’ Garden in Guildhall Yard: The Lord Mayor Locum Tenens, Alderman Vincent Keaveny CDE KStJ, giving the welcome address

City New Year Service: The Master, Charles Brooks, and the Mistress, Penny Brooks, with the Famous Painting at Drapers’ Hall