United Guilds Service and Plumbers’ Lunch – 28 March 2025

First, a little history and context: at a meeting of the Masters and Prime Wardens of the Twelve Great Livery Companies held on 1 February 1943, it was decided to hold a service at St Paul’s Cathedral for the Livery Companies and Guilds of the City of London. The idea behind the service was to help lift the spirits of the City following the Blitz during the Second World War. With regard to the religious origins of the Companies, Thursday 25 March 1943 was selected as the date for the first service, being the first day of the year according to the Julian calendar. As far as records show, this was the first occasion on which all the Livery Companies and Guilds of the City combined to hold a religious service. Since then, it has become an annual event and remains one of the few occasions at which the Livery Companies and Guilds of the City can gather together as a whole.

This year, the Master, Wardens and Clerk met for robing at Apothecaries’ Hall, before processing, along with officers from a number of other Livery Companies, to St Paul’s. Twenty-seven Plumbers’ members and guests took their seats in our reserved rows under the dome (being 31st in the Order of Precedence means we have the more prestigious seats towards the front of the Cathedral). The Master was once again blessed with the good fortune of being part of the guard of honour, formed by a small number of Masters and Prime Wardens, who processed down the central aisle ahead of the Clergy, other dignitaries, and the Lord Mayor. The Masters and Prime Wardens of the Great Twelve take part in this procession every year, whilst the other 101 Companies take it in turns.

The Clerk, the Renter Warden and the Master on the steps of the Great West Door at St Paul’s (note the Musicians’ Renter Warden muscling in the photo as well!)

The congregation at the West concourse of the Cathedral after the service.

The service itself was beautiful, the singing of the choir was exquisite, and the sermon, delivered by the Dean of Southwark, was widely remarked upon by experienced Liverymen as one of the finest in recent memory.

Congregation rises to leave the service

The Master and the Mistress

Following the service, twenty-six Plumbers and guests returned to Carpenters’ Hall for an excellent curry lunch hosted by the Worshipful Company of Carpenters. The Master Carpenter, Sir Loyd Grossman, warmly welcomed us, and the privilege of responding on behalf of the guests was afforded to the Master of the Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs, recognising their recent achievement of Livery status in February. Members from the Tylers and Bricklayers, the Clockmakers and the Builders Merchants also joined us for lunch.

Supporting the Lord Mayor and the City of London, together with fostering Fellowship, are two of the building blocks of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers, and both were achieved with great aplomb at the 2025 United Guilds Service and the Plumbers’ lunch which followed.

Charles Brooks Master 3 April 2025