tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25216989264091636002024-03-14T06:47:24.201+00:00CityandLiveryDiscovering the great and famous City of London and its diverse Livery Companies.cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-51899106632952626522024-02-25T11:46:00.024+00:002024-03-14T06:46:51.831+00:00A residence fit for any Liveryman<div style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-family: inherit;">For most of the 20th century the City offered little in the way of accommodation to the business traveller, liveryman or tourist. While overnight lodgings were provided for the troops of the Bank Picquet, and some of the Livery Halls were furnished with apartments for the Master, Clerk and perhaps the Beadle, most had to travel beyond the Square Mile for a good night’s rest.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Demand for hotel rooms in the City has led to the opening of upmarket establishments such as the Ned Hotel on Poultry in the premises of the former Midland Bank's City HQ*, and more recently the Vintry & Mercer on Garlick Hill which describes itself as ‘set in London’s Vintry Ward, among the livery halls, guilds and narrow streets that line the banks of the Thames’. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />NB. While I am certain that Vintry & Mercer is a fine establishment, it is not affiliated with either the Vinters’ or the Mercers’ companies.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></span></div><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><i>* Did you know, UK clearing banks were required to have offices within easy walking distance of the Bank of England prior to the advent of the telephone?</i></div></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Joining these upmarket hotels are a range of mid-market lodgings including the teasingly named Club Quarters (not a private Club), on Gracechurch Street. At the modest end of the spectrum there are several Premier Inns within the City, and even a Youth Hostel near St Paul’s Cathedral (sadly the YHA has decided to sell the hostel). </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />This growth in hotel accommodation is a 21st century phenomenon as the Square Mile’s tourism, culture and nightlife offer has developed. When my Grandparents lived in the City in the 1960 and 70s it had next to no nightlife and was a ghost town at weekends, but that has changed for the better in recent decades.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Alongside the commercial hotels, the City of London provides the Freeman or Liveryman with a selection of characterful places to stay that are not available to the general public. These include the <a href="https://www.cityliveryclub.com/club/cabins/" target="_blank">cabins in the Little Ship Club</a> (shared with the City Livery Club) and the rather grander <a href="https://www.cityoflondonclub.com/accommodation" target="_blank">private suites and bedrooms in the City of London Club</a> on Old Broad Street. Something of the history of that club and its early role in providing accommodation for members can be found in <a href=" https://cityoflondonclub.com/cdn/uploads/attachments/col_history_country_life.pdf" target="_blank">this article from Country Life</a>. The Saddlers’ Hall has undergone significant refurbishment which included the provision of <a href="https://studiopdp.com/saddlers-hall" target="_blank">bedrooms for the Company’s staff, members and guests</a>, but these are not generally available to members of other Livery Companies.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Members of the Court of Common Council and Masters of Livery Companies may also stay in the bedrooms provided in Guildhall, although access to them is limited. By contrast many Freemen and Liverymen will have enjoyed staying in the attractively priced <a href="https://www.vintnershall.co.uk/our-hall#bedrooms" target="_blank">Vintners’ Company’s cosy bedrooms</a> atop Five Kings House, where the jovial concierge and security guard has become something of a living legend to all who have visited.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Until 2022 these were the only options for Liverymen staying in the City, until <span style="font-family: inherit;">the Mercers’ Company opened the refurbished premises of 6 Frederick’s Place boasting 9 bedrooms which are now available for booking by members of the all livery companies. This article is based on the author’s experience of staying there during January 2024.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Tucked away in a quiet cul-de-sac off of Old Jewry, 6 Frederick’s Place was once the office of Benjamin Disraeli, Prime Minister and later the 1st Earl of Beaconsfield. Built in the late 18th century by James Adam as a speculative property investment, and since 1950 a Grade II listed property. The premises presents something of a familiar Downing Street frontage that would enhance any street in the City. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Window boxes adorn every sill (note to the Gardeners' Company's <i>Flowers in the City</i> campaign) and a warm red front door presents a reassuring welcome over which flies a flag of the arms of the Mercers’ Company. As seems to be the case with many of the Mercers’ Company’s properties elsewhere in London a door brass of the Mercers’ Maiden (the heraldic charge of the Mercers’ Company's coat of arms) completes the picture. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">6 Frederick's place is also the office address of the Mercers' Company and serves as the London residence of the Clerk. It is joined to Mercers' Hall, although because Frederick's place is a cul-de-sac the main entrance to the hall proper is on Ironmonger Lane. While I arrived on foot, and Frederick's Place is pedestrianised, it may be possible for a Hackney Carriage to pull up outside.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTS5Yrd4DhHIRHwGP_YcGcWK5nz76lbr4nAP_g-DJjHJ5NWUG20pGuVz0Lag4xiYmwrWExgip8WL-UNifsqMZAM65szSMuFXG9qPZO0Ytc175hdIPG3kO8uMintl40hc2IuSfRmCWh3E-vlxjYg2zXeN7Qa1KzutTJniHK6PbRbG7GENnBVWSIQHrkN-eh/s4032/IMG_5952.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTS5Yrd4DhHIRHwGP_YcGcWK5nz76lbr4nAP_g-DJjHJ5NWUG20pGuVz0Lag4xiYmwrWExgip8WL-UNifsqMZAM65szSMuFXG9qPZO0Ytc175hdIPG3kO8uMintl40hc2IuSfRmCWh3E-vlxjYg2zXeN7Qa1KzutTJniHK6PbRbG7GENnBVWSIQHrkN-eh/w640-h480/IMG_5952.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The frontage of 6 Frederick's place has a cosy and welcoming feel. Photography © Paul D Jagger.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawaWMxk-GPMl3Up8u3D19v_zgn8WvydvD4gO27kE1HZzJS9xHqqwXyHH-nK5zFapJy-boolu0uNGbYu2UMZ5lyuSJyGZ4UI_MhWOYc6V6i2AJZgdBkgvJrKNI1F8g6a5rbqlFSXfoS8P8SZX19wTqK0ObSMstxPfDUnbSLddmhJmQkUtqClaJP0XD1F88/s2986/IMG_6189.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="2986" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawaWMxk-GPMl3Up8u3D19v_zgn8WvydvD4gO27kE1HZzJS9xHqqwXyHH-nK5zFapJy-boolu0uNGbYu2UMZ5lyuSJyGZ4UI_MhWOYc6V6i2AJZgdBkgvJrKNI1F8g6a5rbqlFSXfoS8P8SZX19wTqK0ObSMstxPfDUnbSLddmhJmQkUtqClaJP0XD1F88/w640-h482/IMG_6189.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The familiar Mercers' Maiden, seen on many a door front in Covent Garden. Photography © Paul D Jagger.</span></div></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Opposite 6 Frederick’s Place one may see a blue plaque on the former office of Edward Waterhouse, an ‘eminent accountant’ whose name lives on in the accounting and consulting firm PWC. I have previously said that there are no monuments to famous accountants other than inside Chartered Accountants’ Hall, but as befits the City, there are always exceptions to the rule!<br /><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Booking a room with the Mercers’ Company begins with an enquiry as to availability. Frederick’s Place has 8 bedrooms and they do tend to get reserved in the Livery season, so my advice is book early.<br />Before your reservation is confirmed, the Mercers’ Company will require confirmation of your membership from the Clerk or Beadle of your (mother) Livery Company. This can best be facilitated by a brief email and it is as well to notify your Clerk in advance. Unless you become a regular and a known guest of the Mercers’ Company (or you are a member of that company) then it is likely this prerequisite will be required for subsequent bookings, in which case you may wish to secure a letter from the Clerk for reuse at a later date.<br /><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Once your bona fides as a member of a Livery Company have been established your reservation will be confirmed, along with check in and check out times. When I booked no mention was made of the room rate, and it wasn’t until nearer the time that I realised this. An email enquiry to the Mercers’ Company confirmed the rate. It was an oversight on my part not to enquire earlier but I think it would be helpful for the Mercers’ Company to provide details of the room rates, capacities and the booking process on the Company’s website, although the Livery Committee has kindly hosted <a href="http://www.liverycompanies.info/fellowship-of-clerks/masters--past-masters/fredericks-place-flyer-2020.pdf" target="_blank">this brochure</a> including booking details and prices on its website. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">NB. I believe room rates are lower for member of the Mercers’ Company.<br /><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">The experience of checking in at 6 Frederick’s Place was the fastest and smoothest I have ever enjoyed. The gentleman at the reception desk was expecting me, greeted me by name and had my room key in hand as I entered the building, there was no paperwork to complete and I was not asked to present a credit card. A short trip up a couple of floors in the lift and I was in my room for the night. If only all establishments were this customer centric and efficient, even the Victory Services Club requires me to show ID when I stay there and I am a life member!<br /><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">NB. The building is fully accessible once inside and has three bedrooms which are wheel-chair accessible, but there is a small step up at the street entrance. <br /><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">My positive first impression continued when I entered the bedroom. Since it was only me staying over in the City that night I didn’t need a spacious room but I was none the less pleased to find not only a good sized room but some added extras that caught my eye. The first of which was a print of the frontage of the old Mercers' Hall, a facade I have seen before as it is now relocated to the Town Hall in Swanage, Dorset - admittedly this is the sort of detail my eye is drawn to.<br /><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaam8A4BWw2LTlhwKwjXAURRqBYd-GUtLfFDq_km8bcyDAbg3MksxWaTWoYyGBAK57QB3ctt8T5OiIfag5vH2a1RweGRZ5jxIMx5ZC4Smxa0uypJ2BuqSkPwjZO926MOaDqd8BnuZnsUNEaBx-ND21f0geMSjUSbjbmAK0KY6Uwvig5GF1yRIWBnQGBn5/s4032/IMG_6168.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaam8A4BWw2LTlhwKwjXAURRqBYd-GUtLfFDq_km8bcyDAbg3MksxWaTWoYyGBAK57QB3ctt8T5OiIfag5vH2a1RweGRZ5jxIMx5ZC4Smxa0uypJ2BuqSkPwjZO926MOaDqd8BnuZnsUNEaBx-ND21f0geMSjUSbjbmAK0KY6Uwvig5GF1yRIWBnQGBn5/w640-h480/IMG_6168.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My room for the night, black velvet smoking jacket not included! Photography © Paul D Jagger.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: small; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Mrs Jagger believes I have something of an addiction to Roberts radios; it is fair to say we have more than sufficient of them around our home, so I was pleased to find a Roberts radio in my bedroom and not just the typical bedside clock variety but a full size tabletop appliance. <br /><br /></div></span></div><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>* Did you know Roberts was a somewhat obscure radio manufacturer that was struggling until one of its radios featured in the TV series ‘To the Manor Born’? That was one of the UK’s most successful situation comedies and led to Roberts becoming a household name - well, among a certain milieu, which is perhaps why Roberts has two Royal Warrants. </i></div></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Another touch that I appreciated was the presence of a trouser press, something I have not seen in a hotel room for decades. Rather more surprising was the decanter of whisky along with the usual tea and coffee making facilities. I thought a decanter to be a very generous gift, it would have been ungrateful not receive it in the ‘spirit’ in which it was given.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWG8iMCMTZxJi1HetFDlSSPIWwnWTcfKj7qM4ygNepCaUoWMBmZoItLDktBHioyhKivMZcNsQa_LKsWK6jDOLinyTYt2tXFoGVyXgD7Ue98TeOAGblLBsZHnBG5ennYJocCrDLwg7GaNC8SAIEjZVLDv6NgRwH6vdSbwyPlsvSL4uRh5Sf4dY8Cv22YYzr/s4032/IMG_6166.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWG8iMCMTZxJi1HetFDlSSPIWwnWTcfKj7qM4ygNepCaUoWMBmZoItLDktBHioyhKivMZcNsQa_LKsWK6jDOLinyTYt2tXFoGVyXgD7Ue98TeOAGblLBsZHnBG5ennYJocCrDLwg7GaNC8SAIEjZVLDv6NgRwH6vdSbwyPlsvSL4uRh5Sf4dY8Cv22YYzr/w640-h480/IMG_6166.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Surely every guest bedroom should provide a Roberts </span>radio and a <span style="font-family: inherit;">decanter of </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">whisky?</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">. Photography © Paul D Jagger.</span></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvdVplYhvcm_fQn8nivvn86n_jIUDUNjgESZjB9MVDqn0egd7hnqxczoxsPFh0Nb0vIUFELrFlwpAn7j85yQsQZ9ndUssXWdyyQpTq8K8eNRmgVjxEBDn7yLV2DQ7qYIVL5_UbZuK0wGmn4mcYrENhC0G09h4-6TYNJRGYOU0tITtHFUjqs8k0kaD-j-X/s4032/IMG_6184.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvdVplYhvcm_fQn8nivvn86n_jIUDUNjgESZjB9MVDqn0egd7hnqxczoxsPFh0Nb0vIUFELrFlwpAn7j85yQsQZ9ndUssXWdyyQpTq8K8eNRmgVjxEBDn7yLV2DQ7qYIVL5_UbZuK0wGmn4mcYrENhC0G09h4-6TYNJRGYOU0tITtHFUjqs8k0kaD-j-X/w480-h640/IMG_6184.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Corby Trouser presses were once ubiquitous in good hotels and I appreciated having one in my room. Photograph © Paul D Jagger.</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">In all other respects the room was comfortably furnished and decorated, the bathroom was provided with towels from John Lewis and toiletries by Molton Brown - in keeping with the upmarket experience. A handy phone charger was to be found in the bedside table, but I noted that unlike Vintners’ Hall, no copy of The City of London Freeman’s Guide was on hand (essential bedtime reading). That’s an omission which is easily fixed ;-)</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />After a freshen up and change for dinner I departed for a Livery Company event elsewhere in the City, and returned close to midnight. The Mercers’ Company provides round the clock security and I was greeted on my return before heading up to my room for the night. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite being in the heart of the City my stay at 6 Frederick’s Place was very quiet; I don’t know how many others guests were staying but I did not experience any noise during my stay, either within the premises or from outside. A good night’s sleep followed.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Breakfast was served in a rather magnificent dining room on the 1st floor. A single table was set for all the guests staying overnight and I appeared to be the first to arrive. The staff were exceptionally welcoming, attentive and helpful; newspapers were available to be read there or be taken away. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">NB. Breakfast is continental style at weekends.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUh3RV1VszC4RJS9Grf-LezizqbumRHCHQiBaelaMIyjuE9t4gcVg4G8nHUUK5G85Q-4tKORfUPNFa9embgpt6BY0GMRrZ2zDbiOYGi2c5Ad62TV_W58PqMvsu_XkGkw2yZLrRob8rV0uhp0lXu_NmIk0f7Rewr1zM0l4DnDhUQCLqe0Z-7lXXYkVtWyLz/s4032/IMG_6181.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUh3RV1VszC4RJS9Grf-LezizqbumRHCHQiBaelaMIyjuE9t4gcVg4G8nHUUK5G85Q-4tKORfUPNFa9embgpt6BY0GMRrZ2zDbiOYGi2c5Ad62TV_W58PqMvsu_XkGkw2yZLrRob8rV0uhp0lXu_NmIk0f7Rewr1zM0l4DnDhUQCLqe0Z-7lXXYkVtWyLz/w640-h480/IMG_6181.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Breakfast was a sumptuous affair in palatial surroundings. Photograph © Paul D Jagger.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">I was soon joined by a member of the Court of the Mercers’ Company, a lady who had travelled in from Wiltshire and was staying over prior to a Court meeting. Our conversation over breakfast was the highlight of my stay as we discovered various connections within and without the City, with the IT industry, with my home town, and with a school in Wiltshire where I delivered a talk on the Livery Companies prior to the pandemic. It is always a pleasure to meet such fascinating people as comprise the Livery. The sense of shared values, heritage and fellowship is the golden thread that weaves its way through and among all the companies.<br /><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">The time came for me to check out, and I dropped my key off at reception before taking a few photos of the lounge. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall I was very impressed by first stay at 6 Frederick’s Place, and I would encourage every member of the Livery to consider staying there as one of those unique and special City experiences that enrich the life of every Liveryman.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoH6pEn5a79RKtVfvSO6tQIE386v5IPShYBhymfkjjrD6xP8WKs1FtOHMIGHfhAI_-PO1m2sSNDEmQSCl_7fMw6_cxHYGd0OSpTveN4cPjDAraYqvtZBNYlOMHjgfG28Gn4YRFz2-dkNsFlN6sSoMRb64_INHSxL6NZr3VZc77P_fBFnZZYHIhYe7nk30/s4032/IMG_6187.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhoH6pEn5a79RKtVfvSO6tQIE386v5IPShYBhymfkjjrD6xP8WKs1FtOHMIGHfhAI_-PO1m2sSNDEmQSCl_7fMw6_cxHYGd0OSpTveN4cPjDAraYqvtZBNYlOMHjgfG28Gn4YRFz2-dkNsFlN6sSoMRb64_INHSxL6NZr3VZc77P_fBFnZZYHIhYe7nk30/w640-h480/IMG_6187.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">The lounge at 6 Frederick's Place also provides access to office facilities.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"> Photography © Paul D Jagger.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">PS. <span style="font-family: inherit;">It was not until I got home that I realised nobody had asked me to settle up a bill, and it followed in the post the very next day; I was impressed to see that I could pay by direct bank transfer or cheque - the latter of which I am doing my little bit to keep alive.</span></div>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p></span></div><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-43138427749281117432023-09-30T17:00:00.051+01:002023-10-01T09:15:57.747+01:00The City Sheriffs and their Chain Gangs<div><b>There's a new Sheriff in Town (well two actually)</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Any good cowboy and western film will feature that square jawed character who stands for law and order - the City Sheriff. In the wild west the Sheriff relied on his badge, his revolver, his horse, and a good dose of common sense to keep the peace. His office was usually next to the courthouse, and there were invariably cells for holding wayward townsfolk. This familiar trope of the spaghetti western finds it origins in the City of London where there are many parallels to be draw, but as ever the City of London likes to be different from other towns and elects two new Sheriffs to hold office every year, a right it has held since time immemorial.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Who were the first Sheriffs in London?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The office of Sheriff is undoubtedly the oldest in the City's vast treasure chest of ancient offices, it predates that of the Lord Mayor (1189), and the Aldermen (earliest record 1111). Its origins reach back before the Norman Conquest to Anglo-Saxon times, perhaps as far at the 7th century, when the Sheriff (Shire Reeve) was a royal official and the King's senior judicial officer in each of the ceremonial counties of England. Other styles of reeve existed throughout the kingdom including Town Reeve, High Reeve, Manor Reeve, etc. </div><div><br /></div><div>By the time of the Norman Conquest the City had a Port Reeve (City Reeve) who is named in William I's charter of April 1067. It was the Port Reeves who ran the show and governed supreme until the City was granted the right of a Chief Magistrate styled Mayor, later Lord Mayor in the late 12th century.</div><div><br /></div><div>The City of London is unique in having two Sheriffs, both elected by the Livery in Common Hall. In all other ceremonial counties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland the High Sheriffs are appointed by the Crown, or in the case of Cornwall by the Duke of Cornwall (currently HRH William, Prince of Wales), and in the case of Lancaster by the Duke of Lancaster (more popularly known as His Majesty the King).</div><div><br /></div><div>From circa 1131 the citizens of London also had the right to farm the county of Middlesex on payment of an annual fee of £300 to the Crown, and to appoint their own Sheriff over that county. The two Sheriffs of London were also considered to be 'one' Sheriff over Middlesex until the Local Government Act came into effect in 1889 and a separate Sheriff for Middlesex was appointed by the Crown.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Who can become a Sheriff in the City of London?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>To stand for election as a Sheriff in the City of London the candidate must be a Freeman of the City of London, and invariably one of the candidates for Sheriff is also an Alderman. While there is no legal requirement for either Sheriff to be a Liveryman, since the election is in the hands of the Livery it is exceptionally unlikely they would elect someone who was not also a highly respected and well-known Liveryman of long standing and good repute.</div><div><br /></div><div>Every candidate to become a Sheriff will need an election agent, a campaign team, and a long list of supporters among the Livery who pledge to vote for them in Common Hall. No candidate for the following year may start campaigning until the elected Sheriffs take office. The usual rules apply regarding election campaign finances, and Sheriffs will find they need to get out and about among the Livery to get their message across.</div><div><br /></div><div>Note: Some texts refer to the two Sheriffs as the Aldermanic Sheriff and the lay or non-Aldermanic Sheriff. This distinction does not exist in law. Both Sheriffs are styled the same, whether or not one or both are also Aldermen.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>How are the Sheriffs elected?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The Sheriffs are elected on Midsummer's Day by a show of hands in Common Hall, that is the body politic of the Livery. The election is a direct contest but in the case of an Alderman standing for election he or she does so unopposed by any other Alderman. This is done because progression to the office of Lord Mayor requires that an Alderman must first serve as a Sheriff to 'tried as to their governance and bounty' in a ruling made by the Court of Common Council in 1385.</div><div><br /></div><div>While the election is by acclamation, any two Liverymen may call for a ballot which must be conducted within 14 days of Common Hall.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>What's the modern role of the Sheriffs?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>The Corporation of London website provides a <a href="https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/assets/about-us/plans-and-policies/non-aldermanic-sheriff-job-description.pdf">description of the role</a> of the Sheriff for potential applicants which summarises the qualities that potential candidates must exhibit and outlines the role, but the reality of the role is more nuanced and richly embellished than any job description can convey.</div><div><br /></div><div>In law the Sheriffs still have judicial powers, may execute writs and apprehend criminals, although these powers are no longer exercised directly by the Sheriff. In times past the Sheriffs were responsible for the protection of His Majesty's justices, i.e, the judges sitting in the central criminal court (the Old Bailey). Nowadays the Sheriffs open each court in a short ceremony every morning the judges are sitting.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is the responsibility of the Sheriffs to invite interesting people from wider society to dine with the judges throughout the Sheriffs' year in office, thus ensuring the judges get to meet people from all walks of life, not just those who happen to arrive in the box before them. Who the Sheriffs invite is their own business, as is paying for their lunch!</div><div><br /></div><div>The Sheriffs may be expected to deliver many speeches, attend all manner of civic, charitable, and livery events, and support the Lord Mayor throughout his or her year in office in various ways that make for an energetic, exciting and fascinating unpaid year out.</div><div><br /></div><div>On a less happy note, it remains the personal responsibility of the Sheriffs to conduct any judicial execution should parliament legislate for a return to capital punishment. In times past the Sheriffs delegated that job to the common hangman and paid their fees.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>How are the Sheriffs installed?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Once elected the Sheriffs have until late September to prepare for office, a process which may include petitioning for a grant of armorial bearings (a coat of arms), commissioning a shrieval badge based on their personal arms* and those of the livery companies of which they are a member, along with the logo of their ward. The Sheriffs will also need to obtain Court dress and prepare to move into their apartments in the Old Bailey. </div><div><br /></div><div>The coats of petitioning for arms, commissioning a badge, and procuring ceremonial outfits and other accoutrements are considerable. For this reason it is a long-established custom that the Sheriffs supporters contribute toward these costs, coordinated by the campaign team or 'Chain Gang' as it has become known. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>* In 2023 the elected Sheriffs both chose not to petition for arms until such time as heraldic convention (sometimes misleadingly styled heraldic 'law') is reformed to achieve equality of the sexes. This is the first known incidence of Sheriffs making such a decision. Nothing stops the Sheriffs petitioning for, and being granted, arms at a later stage.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>When do the Sheriffs receive their Royal Warrants?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>His Majesty retains the ultimate veto and has approximately 14 weeks from their election to stay the approbation of the Sheriffs should he find them unfit for office. Fortunately this never happens, the City having learned over many centuries the fine art and noble science of ensuring only the most wholesome candidates progress in a civic career. </div><div><br /></div><div>The presentation of Royal Warrants to each of the Sheriffs is conducted in the Royal Courts of Justice in a ceremony presided over by the King's Remembrancer. The presentation is combined with the City's payment of rents for certain lands outside the City (<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2521698926409163600/5575801771069445096" target="_blank">see Quit Rents</a>). Three copies of the Royal Warrants are produced, one for each Sheriff and a third which goes on display in the Old Bailey in the corridor behind the main court rooms.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4YYwrVX9-eR8qrrYo0oBRPHI-oj1vpOv8MFelT4KbkpEqdIpqA3wEjcKN8QXYK96m5FE1nRUQ0Bptqu0PILWUyhSGvVsChfxOvB48gsztCYEO_d0mNCFdhmBi8Bsowoa7WfDekCxNVprBmPq_uueLBMopWKKinQ3DJs7RzsDgRUY41Jcy_BkTfiLvQf-/s2663/IMG_4063.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2663" data-original-width="2621" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4YYwrVX9-eR8qrrYo0oBRPHI-oj1vpOv8MFelT4KbkpEqdIpqA3wEjcKN8QXYK96m5FE1nRUQ0Bptqu0PILWUyhSGvVsChfxOvB48gsztCYEO_d0mNCFdhmBi8Bsowoa7WfDekCxNVprBmPq_uueLBMopWKKinQ3DJs7RzsDgRUY41Jcy_BkTfiLvQf-/w630-h640/IMG_4063.jpeg" width="630" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal Warrant appointing Alderman Dr Michael Mainelli and Common Councilman Christopher Hayward as Sheriffs. Owing to the Pandemic Dr Mainelli and Mr Hayward were the first Sheriffs to serve two terms of office since the 13th century. Photography © Paul D Jagger 2023.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><div>In addition to the Royal Warrants, the coat of arms of past Sheriffs may be seen in the judges dining room in the Old Bailey. These date back only as far as 1905 although Sheriffs have probably been armigerous since the 13th century.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7-u19cZAE9mbcOnpzo3xt2fZBvi-dye8rfn4sBiYrxdbASZBWc2eFylrVEJixcZE8eFiE5xps29d7mXLgvl-1n9NZeWJKcxKqI63671ecAI6T2z3CL1VEvjTaQopNckAkGQH1A9cURG_n1kAmhMEnB6yw0MpOaKCyk3djBx13hTTIaMwZhilYfmE5Dd1/s1309/IMG_5218.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="1309" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7-u19cZAE9mbcOnpzo3xt2fZBvi-dye8rfn4sBiYrxdbASZBWc2eFylrVEJixcZE8eFiE5xps29d7mXLgvl-1n9NZeWJKcxKqI63671ecAI6T2z3CL1VEvjTaQopNckAkGQH1A9cURG_n1kAmhMEnB6yw0MpOaKCyk3djBx13hTTIaMwZhilYfmE5Dd1/w640-h474/IMG_5218.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arms of past Sheriffs of London on display in the Judges' dining room in the Old Bailey. Photography © Paul D Jagger 2023.</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>What's the badge of office of a Sheriff?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Unlike the familiar tin star badge of cowboy movie fame, the Sheriffs badge in the City of London is a unique creation that is personal to the individual. It has been generously described as a 'frolic' allowed to the Sheriffs and invariably blends symbolism and artistry at the hands of a master goldsmith. However it is not the badge but the chain from which it hangs that denotes the office of Sheriff, </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPsxWJ1RAcevhuU0f2yC5ECrjocdZKEr9eGHuUI5MCVke4c8sx6mqPqk42DL2_EPgyv_EqErTf-fDUyIr2r5BXrHxVYV1QPgc-jfLv3Qc8N4XntTIed6yYibF8cB4FtcqQIgz5wbUMDJ0YuIVBkF5XsMZaJnA1BjitF1e0WM_PQS5c4WEWPPJNMWERJs43" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2669" data-original-width="1937" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPsxWJ1RAcevhuU0f2yC5ECrjocdZKEr9eGHuUI5MCVke4c8sx6mqPqk42DL2_EPgyv_EqErTf-fDUyIr2r5BXrHxVYV1QPgc-jfLv3Qc8N4XntTIed6yYibF8cB4FtcqQIgz5wbUMDJ0YuIVBkF5XsMZaJnA1BjitF1e0WM_PQS5c4WEWPPJNMWERJs43=w464-h640" width="464" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Every Sheriff commissions his or her own badge of office which traditionally combines coats of arms of their Livery Companies, their Ward and other affiliations. Badge of office of Alderwoman Dame Susan Langley. Photograph © Paul D Jagger 2023.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMDovGs7fFHcWO9XkW-Cm8W07S-iCOWATICMF9h3flo5yDrBHMXqQVKzT5634IurWp022qWCqDwK8Hjn_XFRhUsKNwD_TCvQQNjywR6Xtt6HQPkOb8wIigunKs-uxVDx8V6Hvr4uIy5WR2_aUy3g0lnREXmhvnqaEQTMudmthc5qxFJX7dZJwGEUHaFDz/s4032/IMG_4076.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMDovGs7fFHcWO9XkW-Cm8W07S-iCOWATICMF9h3flo5yDrBHMXqQVKzT5634IurWp022qWCqDwK8Hjn_XFRhUsKNwD_TCvQQNjywR6Xtt6HQPkOb8wIigunKs-uxVDx8V6Hvr4uIy5WR2_aUy3g0lnREXmhvnqaEQTMudmthc5qxFJX7dZJwGEUHaFDz/w640-h480/IMG_4076.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Badge of office and chain of Alderman Alison Gowman. Photograph © Paul D Jagger 2023.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyrrrNCB9vcel2QELVisrTAiibYFJCx-rXHyQOj9dj4qH2qHuOWSbIrorvCOvJXDsEZMHmbd9w95Zh4Qo1Ff8W3uNrE5Cyp7IZh-sYxA8sE6Hwvj79WYv6oJEzuii94_KeQ48NsbvxuGSYcKt_G2RJes0YaFlL18XYaMt8VsHsEAYbB5C5gvt2TUdzZdPt" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2588" data-original-width="3450" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyrrrNCB9vcel2QELVisrTAiibYFJCx-rXHyQOj9dj4qH2qHuOWSbIrorvCOvJXDsEZMHmbd9w95Zh4Qo1Ff8W3uNrE5Cyp7IZh-sYxA8sE6Hwvj79WYv6oJEzuii94_KeQ48NsbvxuGSYcKt_G2RJes0YaFlL18XYaMt8VsHsEAYbB5C5gvt2TUdzZdPt=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />The City's Sheriffs are identified by their triple linked chain from which is suspended their personal badge. They are installed in the presence of the Lord Mayor just prior to the Sheriffs' Breakfast in Guildhall. Photograph © Paul D Jagger 2023.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>What are the Sheriffs' apartments like in the Old Bailey?</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">No self-respective Sheriff lives far from the Court House or the lock-up, and so it is for the Sheriffs in London who have apartments in the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A substantial refurbishment of the Sheriffs apartments was undertaken following the pandemic and now provide modern, spacious and comfortable, but not ostentatious accommodation for the Sheriffs and their partners. Sheriffs are expected to be resident in the Old Bailey most of their year in office, and especially so when the judges are sitting in Court. To defend the judges the Sheriffs are equipped with a court sword, and for those who do not possess one a selection of suitable swords is provided in their apartment.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIN7qc-t4sP4FfM98qDNvLbxMpsrd2mIkgDTethsJ3fw55hrKUR0ELn3rir8FiK1gOi183wWg5QXgZqPX76suG1Uob7o5SNjukP9vacBh37WBUO4qF414foS3-wUxxFkmqYrH8JfudOUzn_JW1Rp9gb9wMq61WiR4qzgmm2zIiluhy0D64Zv0YrnJzRVu/s4032/IMG_4075.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIN7qc-t4sP4FfM98qDNvLbxMpsrd2mIkgDTethsJ3fw55hrKUR0ELn3rir8FiK1gOi183wWg5QXgZqPX76suG1Uob7o5SNjukP9vacBh37WBUO4qF414foS3-wUxxFkmqYrH8JfudOUzn_JW1Rp9gb9wMq61WiR4qzgmm2zIiluhy0D64Zv0YrnJzRVu/w640-h480/IMG_4075.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sheriffs' apartments are unfussy but spacious and well equipped. Photography © Paul D Jagger 2023.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK0_7GuC3j-3rsLApPySocVeCU3J7f3nOI4KczU-KZ6bU3aiihfa277PPqHnN-ZZ1xg__wsyHR2MGoVGHhc8LPgT6T2E5_GcyEmOXLCJc3Pk0bWSHvPUw-LZIroWmb-7vO6NVGr1CB-swERzCZBQOU7HDY2urclYEog4NYEbDIBgaCYzGwuayVc991Ilv/s4032/IMG_4073.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK0_7GuC3j-3rsLApPySocVeCU3J7f3nOI4KczU-KZ6bU3aiihfa277PPqHnN-ZZ1xg__wsyHR2MGoVGHhc8LPgT6T2E5_GcyEmOXLCJc3Pk0bWSHvPUw-LZIroWmb-7vO6NVGr1CB-swERzCZBQOU7HDY2urclYEog4NYEbDIBgaCYzGwuayVc991Ilv/w480-h640/IMG_4073.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Smith and Weston six shooter for the City Sheriff, a court sword is their weapon of choice for maintaining order and discipline in the City. Photograph © Paul D Jagger 2023.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Sheriffs also benefit from access to the administrative support of the Old Bailey, a chauffeur and Rolls Royce Phantom VI. Each Sheriff has a footman to assist in domestic duties and at ceremonial occasions such as the Sheriffs' Breakfast and the Quit Rents.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGPtMd0W96guGYcZyI-CMB9Lrlmb-vfyHJ8dhRyBPDpl1_7s5JU8G72nGAggd-g97-18hsktVNemcA9jUPruMSfdYYUyNITEjOj-W2JN598Wb0_Q71aaFn6nc4KI1e1xq4glctRDqxrMjvOBQo7frmidVDFqgRHUHMGBQBESC-6nJnVO8pcVWd3HB448u/s4014/IMG_4268.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4014" data-original-width="2057" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGPtMd0W96guGYcZyI-CMB9Lrlmb-vfyHJ8dhRyBPDpl1_7s5JU8G72nGAggd-g97-18hsktVNemcA9jUPruMSfdYYUyNITEjOj-W2JN598Wb0_Q71aaFn6nc4KI1e1xq4glctRDqxrMjvOBQo7frmidVDFqgRHUHMGBQBESC-6nJnVO8pcVWd3HB448u/w328-h640/IMG_4268.jpeg" width="328" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Sheriff's footman in all his finery. Each footman's uniform is embroidered with the coat of arms of the City of London. Photography © Paul D Jagger 2023.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Where are the Sheriffs steeds kept?</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While the Sheriffs do participate in an annual horse ride around the City, ably facilitated by the Light Cavalry of the Honourable Artillery Company, to raise money for the Lord Mayor's appeal, more modern conveyances are available to the Sheriffs in the City of London.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Old Bailey complex has its own covered parking area for the Sheriffs Rolls Royce Phantom VIs (one for each Sheriff). These are used on ceremonial occasions but for more practical City transport the Sheriffs benefit from an electrically powered London black taxi.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmENwmYrvoCOeuYCVHnkr5iqeGTkoG-DPNhL3LERWQd3iPeKO6oBVNuI-CjZTxK7kiLP8gxPUAuRYN4a1g2Ui0HlfgKw5EgVb0BaThT5O69s9gALp2SGLvWlsrhWZJ5j52bJWMGUXx9IYlWwUfSORxT-CwMe0hE_IYL7nMembt0FhEaN7mb8P1SS1_qLo/s4030/IMG_5707.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="4030" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmENwmYrvoCOeuYCVHnkr5iqeGTkoG-DPNhL3LERWQd3iPeKO6oBVNuI-CjZTxK7kiLP8gxPUAuRYN4a1g2Ui0HlfgKw5EgVb0BaThT5O69s9gALp2SGLvWlsrhWZJ5j52bJWMGUXx9IYlWwUfSORxT-CwMe0hE_IYL7nMembt0FhEaN7mb8P1SS1_qLo/w640-h194/IMG_5707.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rolls Royce Phantom VIs of the Lord Mayor and the two City Sheriffs parked outside the Guildhall Art Gallery. Photography © Paul D Jagger 2023.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGoLtuYV0NcyQ5NAOTS_yVW2qotyAYzK1xKfcWH2OFdz4G1DlloViYxVEDkDg1DTzpkPQsGcGWA7FBO7p6J6Xfe22fP-f1YP8KY0h_Tjulrb7U_aXWkmSwhwGk6kwJJfbve1kYblBcIcrU8oKoX79heGMkRjUnf7ceu-rAnmZNzD6Dl5vgpcfTPGedxC_/s4032/IMG_4082.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGoLtuYV0NcyQ5NAOTS_yVW2qotyAYzK1xKfcWH2OFdz4G1DlloViYxVEDkDg1DTzpkPQsGcGWA7FBO7p6J6Xfe22fP-f1YP8KY0h_Tjulrb7U_aXWkmSwhwGk6kwJJfbve1kYblBcIcrU8oKoX79heGMkRjUnf7ceu-rAnmZNzD6Dl5vgpcfTPGedxC_/w640-h480/IMG_4082.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The London Hackney Carriage for the City's Sheriffs (Note the City arms). Photograph © Paul D Jagger 2023.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-55758017710694450962022-11-20T12:02:00.010+00:002022-11-21T07:13:06.985+00:00Nails, Knives and Horseshoes - a rent payment like no other<div>The City of London is no stranger to quirky <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2521698926409163600/8479289090038527557" target="_blank">customs and ceremonies</a>, no alien to ancient offices or the parading of artefacts from centuries past. The Ceremony of the Quit rents combines all these elements in an annual rite that has been conducted since at least the early 13th century; only the Coronation ceremony is older and that certainly does not happen annually. </div><div><br /></div><div>In October of 2022 I was honoured to be invited to witness the ceremony as guest of one of the City's Sheriffs, Andrew Marsden, to whom I am most indebted for a privileged insight into this time-honoured tradition. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Ceremony of the Quit rents is held every year at the Royal Courts of Justice, Kings Bench division, and presided over by the King's Remembrancer (not to be confused with the City Remembrancer) who is the last vestige of the Court of Exchequer and the oldest judicial office in the Kingdom. </div><div><br /></div><div>Note: There is another, unrelated, Quit Rents ceremony for the Guildable Manor of Southwark. The King's Remembrancer also presides at that event. Further details can be seen in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3uN_9mzOmA" target="_blank">this YouTube clip</a>. The King's Remembrancer participates in another City ceremony by swearing in the jury for the annual trial of the pyx at Goldsmiths' Hall.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Ceremony of the Quit Rents at the Royal Courts of Justice involves the City of London paying its rent for two pieces of land that it does not use, the precise location of which nobody knows, and the reasons the City once rented these lands is lost in time. The lands are anciently recorded as the Moors somewhere south of Brignorth in Shropshire (an area of 200 acres of mixed pasture, meadow and other land), and the Forge in Tweezer's (or Twizzer's) Alley in the area of the Strand, south of St Clement Danes in London. Originally these lands were held in petty serjeanty, that is a form of feudal tenure for which a duty or other service is paid rather than monies. In this case the presentation of the required artefacts to the Crown is the rent. At some point in time the tenancy of these two pieces of land transferred to the City of London Corporation.</div><div><br /></div><div>If that were not peculiar enough, the nature of the rent takes us into the realm of the bizarre. No money changes hands rather the City pays its annual rent with 6 horseshoes large enough for a stout war horse, 61 nails, and 2 knives (one sharp, one blunt) which tested for their sharpness and bluntness on a hazel twig which must be a cubit in length and the thickness of the King's Remembrancer's forefinger. This payment is made with a mix of solemnity and frivolity, as the City Solicitor tries out the knives on the hazel twig with much vigour. The fist knife fails to break the twig and the City Solicitor shakes his head glumly, but the second makes a clean cut, the two parts of the twig are held aloft and the King's Remembrancer declares 'Good Service'. While the knives have been replaced over the year, and the current pair were presented by the Cutlers' Company, the were first recorded in a book of fees dated 1211 in payment for the Moors; the Forge in Twizzer's Alley has been paid for with the nails and horseshoes since 1235. As befits the settlement of feudal rents, the table on which the payment is made is laid with a black and white chequered cloth.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMmmsrlZB0-V_BOJlMnpnOgVErudWMSKoZ0s9BtaTCIFeYD1sRQslm-1ksARexk-O-LAGJBiWToK6bF9oFbfVAhRFklDqSPx-2wU_NTmXsUtTdADvzLyT1xuLMDOjNKVfgJvy09kR9axFLE3roWiu-UMnaD0okR3_dytTg3iRTVpY7aUZTTJgqmjbzg/s4080/PXL_20220920_143616970~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMmmsrlZB0-V_BOJlMnpnOgVErudWMSKoZ0s9BtaTCIFeYD1sRQslm-1ksARexk-O-LAGJBiWToK6bF9oFbfVAhRFklDqSPx-2wU_NTmXsUtTdADvzLyT1xuLMDOjNKVfgJvy09kR9axFLE3roWiu-UMnaD0okR3_dytTg3iRTVpY7aUZTTJgqmjbzg/w640-h482/PXL_20220920_143616970~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horseshoe and silver facsimile nail with jewel. Photograph copyright Joshua Fincher 2022.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Note: In times past the 'knives' employed were a billhook (the blunt knife) and a hand-axe (the sharp knife) although records show the original blunt knife was bent through its inability to cut the hazel twig, so a return to a more convention knife design has been adopted. The cutting of the hazel twig results in one part being retained by the Crown, the other being retained by the City as a form of receipt for payment.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next props to make their appearance in this pecuniary pantomime are the horseshoes which were made in 1361, just a few years after the formation of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, who oversee the register of Master Farriers to this day. It appears likely they were made by an apprentice but are considered advanced for their time. The nails also date from the same era as the horseshoes, but invariably prove more difficult to count. Each batch of ten nails is wrapped in cloth and counted allowed, but the City Solicitor fails to find the 61st nail, searches the pockets of his robe, and suit, producing various humorous items in the process, and after much huffing and puffing the 61st nail is found - hurrah! The King's Remembrancer concludes the formal proceedings with the pronouncement 'Good Number'.</div><div><br /></div><div>While the formal part of the ceremony is concluded in a matter of five minutes, the audience is further treated to a lecture by a guest speaker on a topic of relevance to the history of the City before retiring to the Middle Temple with the King's Remembrancer, the Sheriffs and the civic party for drinks and canapés.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzkSkc2t9Qnf-b3kst7idvxRk40bSN-OTDu962ATexGgAGmuvSBVHJ2moyKcRTuzWg9thI5OYk4qP4fKfMn-ZOhw2n0q5daU00CLWn6U5sNfokToFh5_KqQ3NZ_PilhUvfYjULK6SQDSH9USqrwIJUyKh8IXOGoIRZKQhWFLQOiVN2fK2rukTQrMyGg/s1280/Library%20-%201%20of%201%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzkSkc2t9Qnf-b3kst7idvxRk40bSN-OTDu962ATexGgAGmuvSBVHJ2moyKcRTuzWg9thI5OYk4qP4fKfMn-ZOhw2n0q5daU00CLWn6U5sNfokToFh5_KqQ3NZ_PilhUvfYjULK6SQDSH9USqrwIJUyKh8IXOGoIRZKQhWFLQOiVN2fK2rukTQrMyGg/w640-h480/Library%20-%201%20of%201%20(1).jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sheriffs, King's Remembrancer, Common Serjeant of London and guests enter Middle Temple following the Quit Rents ceremony. Photograph copyright Paul D Jagger 2022.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtt4-GCEfgWWLwqSrgwOjzoB-5NwSGaCbeGG-Y1ziTxvAXVFwYyzW74pHm63YmRUIDstpMGcSTSMU3EcDKeJt4KYn7rEs3ILvIrNsBOc47Gnn5gaCgfBsMbRCs2ZUdw_5YzpxL12flrh98yLM8K0DSvmzD8Voywario0Nl_wwMYLvP8y0ugH7mhLX2nA/s4080/PXL_20220920_143705550~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtt4-GCEfgWWLwqSrgwOjzoB-5NwSGaCbeGG-Y1ziTxvAXVFwYyzW74pHm63YmRUIDstpMGcSTSMU3EcDKeJt4KYn7rEs3ILvIrNsBOc47Gnn5gaCgfBsMbRCs2ZUdw_5YzpxL12flrh98yLM8K0DSvmzD8Voywario0Nl_wwMYLvP8y0ugH7mhLX2nA/w640-h482/PXL_20220920_143705550~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver reproduction nail of the original iron nails, fitted in the horseshoe. Photograph copyright Joshua Fincher 2022.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>The Quit Rents ceremony is is also the occasion when the City's two Sheriffs are presented with their Royal Warrants, their good character and bona fides having first been 'defended' by the Serjeant-at-Law in the Common Hall (aka. Common Serjeant of London). His Majesty having exercised no veto to stay the appointment of the Livery's chosen Sheriffs for the year ensuing the Sheriffs receive their warrants but more on that aspect of the ceremony will follow in another blog article. For now, we return to the business of nails, knives and horseshoes.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was my singular good fortune to attend the ceremony on the occasion when a young apprentice blacksmith by the name of Joshua Fincher was present. Joshua studied the ceremony as part of his apprenticeship, written about it in his dissertation, and manufactured facsimiles of the nails, horse shoes and knives which were on display in court room no. 4 prior to the formal commencement of proceedings.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QI0PG4-arZi0M3Wiq3NlE6tLcwoKOevNRg0eVmaK5hFkLiB6lNC69E6SyL9heX3PZOur3rau_cPttJ4HiUZPhJSHl6dbUhpydNC82sU3H6QM_hKuZWQaLTdxMjMAtxq4DXq6FWpi22GF6elZrE-W0MB2-v-hDmzbOjD7VT9Ta9rK8jhr6lYw6_7k4Q/s1280/All%20Photos%20-%201%20of%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QI0PG4-arZi0M3Wiq3NlE6tLcwoKOevNRg0eVmaK5hFkLiB6lNC69E6SyL9heX3PZOur3rau_cPttJ4HiUZPhJSHl6dbUhpydNC82sU3H6QM_hKuZWQaLTdxMjMAtxq4DXq6FWpi22GF6elZrE-W0MB2-v-hDmzbOjD7VT9Ta9rK8jhr6lYw6_7k4Q/w640-h480/All%20Photos%20-%201%20of%201.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Royal Courts of Justice sit just to the east of the old site of Temple Bar. Photograph copyright Paul D Jagger 2022.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQh5gOg5zKk0txFXd9i-1ai89i1ehoacMED8Tokph9M3zWZUm0bKVZTD2w3mQwuK8y2m2Ugtf0viLdq13TRfYcSWeHme9hT5wugp_ISfNRwpCsc_RX53dIYpDFyiEpWE_suhDx_cxabpmvInzAOvV5KRx9GICLmaGp5zRWiAaVfo4D7tT38RJvFEDKlw/s442/royal_courts_justice_court_room.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="442" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQh5gOg5zKk0txFXd9i-1ai89i1ehoacMED8Tokph9M3zWZUm0bKVZTD2w3mQwuK8y2m2Ugtf0viLdq13TRfYcSWeHme9hT5wugp_ISfNRwpCsc_RX53dIYpDFyiEpWE_suhDx_cxabpmvInzAOvV5KRx9GICLmaGp5zRWiAaVfo4D7tT38RJvFEDKlw/w640-h424/royal_courts_justice_court_room.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An empty court room no. 4 in the Royal Courts of Justice</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Joshua's silver nails were studded with a jewel, and designed to be worn as a brooch, indeed one was presented to the King's Remembrancer (Master Barbara Fontaine, Senior Master of the King's Bench Division). You can find out more about Joshua's nails <a href="https://www.fintonandsons.co.uk/products/silver-nails" target="_blank">here</a>, a limited quantity are available for purchase.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglnVmuvzsk-3djadPki2IlkbGHCs7ringyWq95ytx7PNofrR4SSx-0yT2e9x675oL1L631Ocsxk8NTfWeiIIQYiLziN6b0_9YtDh_sLCjhOZTNwrYfTvEb9P_-B--S25ya7Q_70xcVicb-X-uu7Gewbkow5AFKB0MtnenRGK36gU03oIlaFtJm0Bnsg/s1500/Harlequin+Blaze-17-min.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1500" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglnVmuvzsk-3djadPki2IlkbGHCs7ringyWq95ytx7PNofrR4SSx-0yT2e9x675oL1L631Ocsxk8NTfWeiIIQYiLziN6b0_9YtDh_sLCjhOZTNwrYfTvEb9P_-B--S25ya7Q_70xcVicb-X-uu7Gewbkow5AFKB0MtnenRGK36gU03oIlaFtJm0Bnsg/w640-h429/Harlequin+Blaze-17-min.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver nail presented as a brooch. Photography copyright Joshua Fincher 2022</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Because the Quit Rents ceremony is a judicial process held in court, filming and photography was not permitted during proceedings. The scene in court was everything one might expect of an ancient rite performed in a Victorian theatre of English common law. The judge sat centre stage in her long bottomed wig atop which rested a small black tricorn hat of a cursitor baron (hats were otherwise 'optional' for ladies); the court officials in their robes and short wigs, the benches packed with smartly dressed 'witnesses', the Common Serjeant suitably attired as the learned counsel, and the Sheriffs led in by a uniformed court usher. To the sides of the serried ranks of pews were bookshelves packed with leather bound court records; to the judge's left an empty dock enclosed by an iron frame.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LipZW4sdhmFvq1iGgb3CvY1RGM2Sj-XhcZw5fKdg0OPIlEjQyIjyvTd2sFW1OFTMOOmp29XcGab17jac0E_iSqV4mHR6xfs3iCeBxoEgqZ9vaad8LN0m_R66uQRUAI3uZJsM8y9SUIW_35qWty6xGCg6zyrQlGBSDBU3TUtlwpv8ykXduHx4l2K-GQ/s4080/PXL_20220920_143906909~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LipZW4sdhmFvq1iGgb3CvY1RGM2Sj-XhcZw5fKdg0OPIlEjQyIjyvTd2sFW1OFTMOOmp29XcGab17jac0E_iSqV4mHR6xfs3iCeBxoEgqZ9vaad8LN0m_R66uQRUAI3uZJsM8y9SUIW_35qWty6xGCg6zyrQlGBSDBU3TUtlwpv8ykXduHx4l2K-GQ/w640-h482/PXL_20220920_143906909~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two knives, one sharp, one blunt. Photography copyright Joshua Fincher 2022.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Once the court proceedings are over, the horseshoes, nails and knives return to the safe in the King's Remembrancer's office to be handed back to the City the following year, and so this curious annual rent payment continues as it has for over eight centuries.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you to Joshua Fincher on Finton & Sons, Blacksmiths, of Herefordshire, for his kind permission to use several photos in this article, and for providing various historical facts to support my research. </div><br /><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div><br /></div>cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-79278478727625265362022-06-20T07:34:00.008+01:002022-07-10T16:49:27.126+01:00The Carmen's Hall - the City of London's Youngest Livery Hall <div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">New livery halls in the City of London are a very rare thing, rarer in fact than new Livery Companies, and they do not come along too often. As of summer 2022 only 110 livery companies exist, the greatest number since the earliest company was formed before the Norman Conquest. So news of a new livery hall in the Square Mile is rather special, and the newest hall is that of the Worshipful Company of Carmen.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was delighted to be offered a sneak peak around the home and hall of the Carmen's Company in the summer of 2022 in advance of its official opening </span>by HRH The Princess Royal<span style="font-family: inherit;"> next year. So come on in and let's explore a little of the history of the Company, the hall and the Carmen's Museum.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWUssR5TDrX4vn4JM3HZsOwyE66DGvrDR4_KRgzG5izjrWclBvj7HRcBTGhnfq_yfEa3KxWDJTuJlORR0TQI96bhijLcNDA5JqsvckWMJkI9mvuEjSY4t-1jtxz2ubeULj8i0ndeMPRYnLqZ0Xu3gcshIsr-CxSNrMef4e8ukfzmh_tEJ4H9AHSGvPg/s1280/IMG_3255.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1244" data-original-width="1280" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWUssR5TDrX4vn4JM3HZsOwyE66DGvrDR4_KRgzG5izjrWclBvj7HRcBTGhnfq_yfEa3KxWDJTuJlORR0TQI96bhijLcNDA5JqsvckWMJkI9mvuEjSY4t-1jtxz2ubeULj8i0ndeMPRYnLqZ0Xu3gcshIsr-CxSNrMef4e8ukfzmh_tEJ4H9AHSGvPg/w640-h624/IMG_3255.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carmen's Hall is located on Fleet Street adjacent to St Dunstan in the West.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph © Paul D Jagger </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>The Carmen's Company past and present</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Worshipful Company of Carmen received its Royal Charter in 1946, the 704th such charter since William I arrived on these shores, but the Company traces its origins back to 1517 and ranks 77th in the order of precedence. The Carmen's Company therefore takes its place as the youngest of the ancient companies rather than among modern livery companies. In this context 'modern' means all those companies formed since 1926 starting with the Honourable Company of Master Mariners who are 78th in order of precedence.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Carmen's </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Company is well known in the City for its annual <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAnDrPnj4xc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cart Marking Ceremony</a> </span>held<span style="font-family: inherit;"> in Guildhall Yard, an event which I have written about in this <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2521698926409163600/7435337272889176773" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">previous blog article</a> about after I was invited to attend as guest of one of the Company's Past Masters. This Cart Marking highlights the Company's historical role in </span>regulating<span style="font-family: inherit;"> the vehicles (or Carrs) that entered the City of London with an early form of registration and inspection. Eagle eyed readers may spot the Carmen's mark on heritage vehicles in private collections and museums from time to time, yet the Company remains relevant and active in the 21st century.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today the Carmen's Company is connected with the logistics / supply chain industries and road haulage trade. Many among the Company's membership are leaders and business owners in those allied occupations. The Company also maintains strong links with the Armed Forces, too numerous to explore in detail in this blog, but with representation among the logistics branches of the Royal Navy, Army and </span>Royal<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Air Force. Several Past Masters have been drawn from affiliated uniformed services units.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qzNZQot67yk523OIT4i7Y1vsSg89gPcrSFO7H0Vk3T9OQL6LKRuAAmkmAuPm-X-OMiMEU70CaKFx1BjYcLUOT0naol1y001CribqTm7STsH1XBCmT7jPyfstyupv_IXfkkUD1g9bLo-YvF0tZ2SBAi_NER7rvVNe9JWYObcOBZj5r_3bf3AMpfGHBg/s3968/MWP_3764.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3696" data-original-width="3968" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qzNZQot67yk523OIT4i7Y1vsSg89gPcrSFO7H0Vk3T9OQL6LKRuAAmkmAuPm-X-OMiMEU70CaKFx1BjYcLUOT0naol1y001CribqTm7STsH1XBCmT7jPyfstyupv_IXfkkUD1g9bLo-YvF0tZ2SBAi_NER7rvVNe9JWYObcOBZj5r_3bf3AMpfGHBg/w640-h596/MWP_3764.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some recent Masters of the Carmen's Company.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph © Paul D Jagger </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Exploring the Hall</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Carmen's Hall is located in the complex of St Dunstan in the West on Fleet Street at no. 186C in a Grade I listed building. The hall occupies part of the church's connected buildings that was once a mathematics school. The Carmen's Company has taken a 125 year lease on the premises and invested in extensive modernisation and refurbishment funded by the generosity of the membership. St Dunstan's has connections with numerous historical events and characters, including Samuel Pepys (Clothworker), William </span>Tyndale, Isaak Walton (Ironmonger), Lord Baltimore and the Cordwainers' Company. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwyOUFLo-rsVKwrTHw_N7XDhss72EWMHoPSp3Iy27zT-Qa9Q23EJ5vZXf6LPjR6AFK_Cgt2hgV1mGjQLULdCYxYmqWWUe71cu3zsZznRAvt1imNM6SdTyCFxQbBecb7kzsKyHI1vFyaX8RdCqgGA944k_cjeKwXRUBhj4OmZsX1sAR9whgof4pZoHOw/s1280/MWP_3717.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1128" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwyOUFLo-rsVKwrTHw_N7XDhss72EWMHoPSp3Iy27zT-Qa9Q23EJ5vZXf6LPjR6AFK_Cgt2hgV1mGjQLULdCYxYmqWWUe71cu3zsZznRAvt1imNM6SdTyCFxQbBecb7kzsKyHI1vFyaX8RdCqgGA944k_cjeKwXRUBhj4OmZsX1sAR9whgof4pZoHOw/w566-h640/MWP_3717.jpeg" width="566" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HRH The Princess Royal served as Master of the Carmen's Company between 1986-87.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph © Paul D Jagger </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxFY0lB-Q9mjMDlyUmCuuRWSFgH-CiHNqapQf1Huat58f9cLUfc8mfpSNC04FDXqT7eNwgcb8pBo2uXYM-yM1gI51dQ6ZKr73Ct8HnC701HSHuyZpkB7vAKTdeB9yvQ8rouo8YbxWAU6vQ_bK6DOWjwy0d5-amagSn0WdVgEENqsNgkRi1hsmZFt0Qw/s5130/MWP_3734.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3933" data-original-width="5130" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxFY0lB-Q9mjMDlyUmCuuRWSFgH-CiHNqapQf1Huat58f9cLUfc8mfpSNC04FDXqT7eNwgcb8pBo2uXYM-yM1gI51dQ6ZKr73Ct8HnC701HSHuyZpkB7vAKTdeB9yvQ8rouo8YbxWAU6vQ_bK6DOWjwy0d5-amagSn0WdVgEENqsNgkRi1hsmZFt0Qw/w640-h490/MWP_3734.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lord Levene of Portsoken, Lord Mayor 1998-99 is a Liveryman of the Company. <br />Photograph © Paul D Jagger </td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Sweeney Todd's barber shop was supposedly sited next door to St Dunstan's and to this day City of London guides will often bring tourists to the adjacent light well in Hen and Chicken Court to tell the story of the infamous Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Opinions differ as to whether Sweeney Todd was a purely fictional character or based on an amalgam of real people and events, but based in fact or not the Clerk to the Carmen's Company assured me that Mrs Lovatt's pie shop in Bell Yard is not among the Company's approved catering providers. That said a previously unknown crypt piled with bones was found at the entrance to the hall not long after the Company took possession in 2017. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtswuo1V2t4VDowJ4klRMNN4V3IL9lq4F9rlc2EaqO1yoR8l1icc56vyUL4wDOWqwMAHZrmP2cAwsTU6rUr4rEXktPmoLM48hfsglPhuuVlcJgVu2_f25CVZfdJ-rv7o5Ok3wxRlSQAQxRoxeEq2SxKXJrA8Plfu0-ZA84X2ZaAdhGjeMTMRJUsnU6Hg/s1280/MWP_4069.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtswuo1V2t4VDowJ4klRMNN4V3IL9lq4F9rlc2EaqO1yoR8l1icc56vyUL4wDOWqwMAHZrmP2cAwsTU6rUr4rEXktPmoLM48hfsglPhuuVlcJgVu2_f25CVZfdJ-rv7o5Ok3wxRlSQAQxRoxeEq2SxKXJrA8Plfu0-ZA84X2ZaAdhGjeMTMRJUsnU6Hg/w640-h428/MWP_4069.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entrance to Carmen's Hall is below the only statue of Elizabeth I in London that is known to have been made during her reign. Photograph © Paul D Jagger </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>On a more serious note, the hall is equipped for the needs of the 21st century Livery Company and is well suited as both an entertainment venue and location for business meetings. The hall has access to a full service kitchen, shared with the church, air conditioning throughout, and a dedicated servery / kitchenette adjacent to the main gallery room; the company has opted not to contract with a tied caterer. The gallery room is spacious, bright and provides flexibility for multiple uses from a Court meeting, to drinks reception (up to 60 standing) or formal dinner (up to 36 seated).</div><div><br /></div><div>Recent developments in the revitalisation of the local economy on and around Fleet Street are ideally timed for the opening of this most westerly among the Livery Halls which is within a few minutes walk from the Royal Courts of Justice and the Inns of Court. Carmen's hall may not offer the scale or opulence of the grand halls of the Great Twelve, but it offers that unique City blend of ancient and modern in a prime location.</div><div><br /></div><div>The hall is also accessible to those with impaired mobility with a passenger elevator to all floors large enough to accommodate wheelchairs. At the time I visited work was about to commence on a ramp to enable step free access to the building. The successful digital transformation undertaken by the City's livery companies has caused many to update their IT infrastructure and consequently the Carmen's hall provides all the networking and audio-visual facilities required for in-person and hybrid meetings, lectures, presentations and conferences.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Vcl_WWe53oN0AhPvTbMJROLlU0Zs93XeTydREg9tJsG6qN2JIbNjva4bLadLgtLsG_L-TSIFyOBFdSh7L1Yf9y5Vas0bc7emjadhVWlCvkTS16Hna1WGVunDuB_asiWPZDwraNlqC1Eqv33hkBbOyhUGmYpan95CnOX3mvywMUvIYDq7_hhEZRBpVw/s6000/MWP_3729.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3007" data-original-width="6000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Vcl_WWe53oN0AhPvTbMJROLlU0Zs93XeTydREg9tJsG6qN2JIbNjva4bLadLgtLsG_L-TSIFyOBFdSh7L1Yf9y5Vas0bc7emjadhVWlCvkTS16Hna1WGVunDuB_asiWPZDwraNlqC1Eqv33hkBbOyhUGmYpan95CnOX3mvywMUvIYDq7_hhEZRBpVw/w640-h320/MWP_3729.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carmen's Hall is equipped for the digital era, and provides facilities for hybrid working.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph © Paul D Jagger </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Treasures in the hall</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Notwithstanding this modernity, the hall is also home to a wide array of the Company's treasures, including portraits of notable members of the Company such as HRH The Princess Royal (Master 1986-87), Lord Levene of Portsoken (Lord Mayor 1998-99) and Sir Christopher Leaver (Lord Mayor 1981-82). </div><div><br /></div><div>My eye was drawn to a number of fascinating objects including a centre piece in the form of an Alvis Stalwart high mobility amphibious truck, a vehicle I remember seeing in action as a child on a visit to the Armoured Corps Museum in Dorset. I was also impressed by a table clock in the form of the coat of arms of the Company - a usage of armorial bearings I have not seen before. <span style="text-align: center;">Fellow heraldists might note the clock's casing should be golden in colour to be strictly in keeping with the arms of the Company, but it is a wonderful treasure all the same.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjA3ZJjXfbh8UhyorA1RCSXbzY-zzRXOhOda4un-e_ylcKNpIUgy5DDo43gu5WMf71wvxyid7-WEGMbK6sqt8lUkAVVrfE7MwHNiAT3voUXZbsTZXlTM0zCFpii-4XWirodCMq3gxsrf5AmAQzFgUEJcCy9zbQfHpRVdvmliCu76cH5IMbbCQ_OlCpYg/s2000/MWP_3727.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjA3ZJjXfbh8UhyorA1RCSXbzY-zzRXOhOda4un-e_ylcKNpIUgy5DDo43gu5WMf71wvxyid7-WEGMbK6sqt8lUkAVVrfE7MwHNiAT3voUXZbsTZXlTM0zCFpii-4XWirodCMq3gxsrf5AmAQzFgUEJcCy9zbQfHpRVdvmliCu76cH5IMbbCQ_OlCpYg/w640-h426/MWP_3727.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Centre piece modelled on an Alvis Stalwart high mobility truck as befits a Livery Company for the logistics industry. The Carmen maintain links with the Royal Logistics Corps.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph © Paul D Jagger </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3SHwVR6swrdFeUBcC54o8-KXwNf0YWjd-aEGugEyNFoQu03cIU_vqTSiMNULiFaWuuqJh9OSxGHnTJnWftIVRHd-6nMaJdiawIDQA8mh1b1zIQPoteyDxf46H_2sYNKkoACqT4-tw_ojXioiUIzCGIEzV8DfTSEy9Dk8BKmD2bL6-JzjfNgpsAuqFg/s1280/MWP_3722.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3SHwVR6swrdFeUBcC54o8-KXwNf0YWjd-aEGugEyNFoQu03cIU_vqTSiMNULiFaWuuqJh9OSxGHnTJnWftIVRHd-6nMaJdiawIDQA8mh1b1zIQPoteyDxf46H_2sYNKkoACqT4-tw_ojXioiUIzCGIEzV8DfTSEy9Dk8BKmD2bL6-JzjfNgpsAuqFg/w640-h640/MWP_3722.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Carmen's Clock - an innovative usage of the Company's coat of arms. The shield is a pair of doors that open to reveal a clock within.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph © Paul D Jagger </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><b>The Museum</b></div><br /><div>The hall also has a growing museum of artefacts connected with the history of the Company and its allied trades, much of which reminded me of a similar collection held at the <a href="https://www.whitewebbsmuseum.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Whitewebbs Museum of Transport</a> in Hertfordshire where connections to the Carmen's Company may also be found. The hall has a small collection of model road transport vehicles, including a model lorry of the J.Lyons company - a chain of cafes that were responsible for the development of the world's first business computer - Lyon's Electronic Office (LEO).<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOpOx3xaJonMc2mE3tPjkwI2NjlPUiRFEvd4Zhw-oSOaTjzUmrDBzByvrvTVKPunNAUR7cw3GT5cfb9M7peLhKVPa3yjDHNsZ4ARPTmzYite24tR8Ytw4WwgwwzoiX8Vl4j9MiaDfV2GaLEWsIBlsp4fzrDNW__ph8EYxStM_7IkrM9VHLtI1Rognkg/s5532/MWP_3751.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3688" data-original-width="5532" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOpOx3xaJonMc2mE3tPjkwI2NjlPUiRFEvd4Zhw-oSOaTjzUmrDBzByvrvTVKPunNAUR7cw3GT5cfb9M7peLhKVPa3yjDHNsZ4ARPTmzYite24tR8Ytw4WwgwwzoiX8Vl4j9MiaDfV2GaLEWsIBlsp4fzrDNW__ph8EYxStM_7IkrM9VHLtI1Rognkg/w640-h426/MWP_3751.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fellow Information Technologist might be surprised to learn that J.Lyons introduced the world's first business computer: LEO (Lyons Electronic Office).<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph © Paul D Jagger </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge06GwTVGUjKnqeWDxmq_hA4O4r-TsIOeNPlZjaJgLtzcr32zwAOCHrU-hMu8G3nxUVdPVW1psytzrbCZ2AjB_PozB2X8ueuyb5LLAPyYJM3Il7JEu2f94TkGv7gfe8PHEPRiSE9nZ0Ftxa_qXwIHlXhVu1ndMKIdr3LUFLrh88rXITlVeQMqxoQ8T2Q/s1280/MWP_3740.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1280" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge06GwTVGUjKnqeWDxmq_hA4O4r-TsIOeNPlZjaJgLtzcr32zwAOCHrU-hMu8G3nxUVdPVW1psytzrbCZ2AjB_PozB2X8ueuyb5LLAPyYJM3Il7JEu2f94TkGv7gfe8PHEPRiSE9nZ0Ftxa_qXwIHlXhVu1ndMKIdr3LUFLrh88rXITlVeQMqxoQ8T2Q/w640-h312/MWP_3740.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A selection of various road transport models on display in the Carmen's Company museum.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph © Paul D Jagger </td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">The museum also doubles as a reception room where drinks may be served prior to a formal dinner, and as the Company's collection grows it will certainly provide a wealth of talking points for members and guest alike. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Engagement with Schools and Education</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">A visit to the Company's hall, and museum, offers the opportunity to strengthen engagement with education. With many leading practitioners in the industry among the Company's membership there is no shortage of expertise to draw upon for educational talks. Visits by several local schools have already taken place, and education sessions about the transport and logistics industry are key aims of the Company. Enquiries from schools, colleges, universities and trade bodies are welcomed by the Company.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>In conclusion</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">While the hall is still to be formally opened, readers can get a glimpse of the building as it was in October 2017 when the Company took possession in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC5ztEUxp6M" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this video</a> on YouTube. The video opens with a look at the most ancient statue of Elizabeth I in London which is above the entrance to the hall. The refurbishment and updating of the Carmen's hall was almost complete when I visited and is now open for bookings by other livery companies and business clients. Enquiries may be made to the Clerk via the Company's <a href="https://thecarmen.co.uk/locations/carmens-hall-4/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm looking forward to returning to the hall one day when I can experience the hospitality provided at this 'youngest' of the City's livery halls, albeit I have just learned that further hall may open this year... but that's a story for another blog article.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0sP80f35SpZnx6kqSyu5rL15vrAn4y7dOO3pCVCpsWetDEFcJw5gfIlyb6QwZGj6y0x_nKIEs__TU-mzvbVcgrKgVqAbx0D2Wjk278Rj00DyT2JSHxLELMwQw9wEu9Bhk72z7r2VBV-WxZlZZMDT_K_apHS-QIPLPl-Iw1Q5qustMRgoaiuw-c2DCaw/s1280/IMG_3254.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="1280" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0sP80f35SpZnx6kqSyu5rL15vrAn4y7dOO3pCVCpsWetDEFcJw5gfIlyb6QwZGj6y0x_nKIEs__TU-mzvbVcgrKgVqAbx0D2Wjk278Rj00DyT2JSHxLELMwQw9wEu9Bhk72z7r2VBV-WxZlZZMDT_K_apHS-QIPLPl-Iw1Q5qustMRgoaiuw-c2DCaw/w640-h314/IMG_3254.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good Queen Bess stands guard over the entrance to Carmen's Hall.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph © Paul D Jagger </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div><br /></div>cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-86296025029316755802021-12-02T13:39:00.098+00:002021-12-05T16:59:37.503+00:00The Honorary Freedom of the City of London - An exploration of The Lives of the Great and the Good<div>The Lives of the Great and the Good - Honorary Freeman of the City of London is a new book written by William (Bill) Clark, Past Master of the Woolmen's Company and the prime mover behind the annual Sheep Drive over London Bridge, an event that has now become a popular fixture in the City's calendar and for which Bill was recognised with a Highly Commended award by the City Livery Club's Root & Branch Award committee in 2018.</div><div><br /></div><div>I heard of Bill's project to write a book about the Honorary Freemen of the City of London prior to the City Briefing in September 2021. My first thoughts were about how the Honorary Freedom is defined, a topic which it turns out was the genesis of Bill's excellent work, and one I still do not have entirely straightened out in my mind (see below) despite chatting with the Clerk to the Chamberlain's Court (Murray Craig) about it at the end of that City Briefing. </div><div><br /></div><div>Nevertheless, Bill's book is a masterpiece of penmanship, condensing the essence of 265 life stories into substantial (500 page) yet accessible and easy-to-read work of reference that captures many of the landmark events in British, Empire, Commonwealth and Global history - such is the nature of the people who have been admitted as Honorary Freemen. The book features a Foreword by Alderman Vincent Keaveny (Lord Mayor 2021-2022) and contains photos or images of portraits of many of the luminaries who have been admitted into the Honorary Freedom.</div><div><br /></div><div>While thoroughly well researched and expertly presented, The Lives of the Great and the Good deals with a complex topic in a straight forward manner with just the right amount of coverage of each Freeman. It has sparked my interest in discovering more about all sorts of fascinating characters - Monarchs, Prime Ministers, Admirals, Generals, Philanthropists, Statesmen and even the occasional rogue.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was particularly interested to learn that at least two examples of the Honorary Freedom were presented to persons who were already Freemen of the City of London. Lord Robert Baden-Powell of Gilwell became an Honorary Freeman in 1929, but had already served as Master of the Mercers' Company in 1913 - election to that office is contingent on being a Liveryman of the Mercers' Company, which in turn is contingent on being a Freeman of the City of London. Another example is that of Colonel and Alderman the Viscount Wakefield who was made an Honorary Freeman in 1935, having already served as Lord Mayor of London in 1915-16.</div><div><br /></div><div>Her Majesty The Queen was admitted as an Honorary Freeman in June of 1947 (The HRH The Princess Elizabeth), having been admitted in to the Freedom of the Drapers' Company by right of patrimony the previous month. As a Freeman of the Drapers' Company Princess Elizabeth had every right to be presented by the Drapers' for admission into to the Freedom of the City of London. The Court of Common Council voted to invite Princess Elizabeth to take the Freedom upon herself, and so she was admitted as an Honorary Freeman. In 2017 the Court of the Drapers' Company voted to elect Her Majesty to the Court of the Drapers' Company - a 70 year wait for promotion!</div><div><br /></div><div>The Lives of the Great and Good would make an <b>outstanding present</b> for anyone who is interested the people who have been so honoured and what a roll call it is. Names such as Baden-Powell, Berners-Lee, Churchill, Eisenhower, Garibaldi, Gladstone, Mandela, Montgomery, Nelson, Nightingale, Pitt (Elder and Younger) are recorded among a pantheon of peers who have been made Honorary Freemen.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you would like to purchase a copy, it is <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1102119832/the-lives-of-the-great-and-the-good?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1" target="_blank">now available from Etsy</a> for delivery before Christmas (but do hurry) or alternative, if you are in the City, you can purchase a copy from the Guildhall Art Gallery shop.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8psANkLVwnDXSRKcLkuRYAIeqvLyzk0VJ6KaTLp_EY8av6udmtO8zNpeXxSEboIG5zz4-6rH-ojXilWhEg8ougg_P3Xwi8CaHAsVa7P44pQlFVG8GDcEBENTU7YligREB55pmjVY8dzv/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8psANkLVwnDXSRKcLkuRYAIeqvLyzk0VJ6KaTLp_EY8av6udmtO8zNpeXxSEboIG5zz4-6rH-ojXilWhEg8ougg_P3Xwi8CaHAsVa7P44pQlFVG8GDcEBENTU7YligREB55pmjVY8dzv/w480-h640/IMG_2550.png" width="480" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Great and the Good - Honorary Freemen of the City of London. Photo copyright Paul D Jagger</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>What exactly is the Honorary Freedom? </b></div><div><br /></div><div>Every Freeman of the City of London may feel 'honoured' when they are admitted in that ancient ceremony in Guildhall, but the Corporation makes it clear in a leaflet handed to Freemen that while they may feel honoured, only the Honorary Freedom is of the form of an honour; much in the way that an doctoral degree is not an honour unless awarded <i>honoris causa</i> (for the sake of honour).</div><div><br /></div><div>The Honorary Freedom is the City's highest honour, and one that is granted exceptionally rarely. In all respects it conveys the same rights, privileges and duties as any other form of Freedom of the City but it is awarded as an honour following a vote of the Court of Common Council.</div><div><br /></div><div>Aside from the fact that is granted as an honour, and is usually presented at a special ceremony attended by the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and assembled guests, the Honorary Freedom confers no special rights. In times past Honorary Freemen might receive their certificate in a gold box 'worth 100 pounds' and some military officers received a gilded sword in addition to their certificate. The Freedom certificate presented to an Honorary Freeman is usually a rather elaborate affair, richly embellished on parchment, although there is no uniformity to them - unlike the conventional Copy of Freedom.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The origins of the Freedom of the City of London</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The earliest recorded Freedom goes back to the 15th century, but it was clearly an established practice at that time as the Court of Aldermen were issuing regulations pertaining to the Freedom in the early 1400s. We do not know when the first Freemen were admitted but it seems almost certain that early admissions were tied to, and evolved from, membership of the City's Guilds (later Livery Companies) which already had their own concept of admission to Freedom of the Guild. The entry level membership grade for Livery Companies in the 21st century remains 'Freeman'.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfzAHevossLGFwyf5qvdfHxoQXj2ixUKcNEAhnew5IAXChdgSp3HcjVPgX6fnTN3Ac6OWcAdX-k1k4i_mgG9rxQuAkv4385OB7j9kWz-7Qum4FdzFEYbn0gOiw2rXtm_3Z2-SJvx3oFoz/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfzAHevossLGFwyf5qvdfHxoQXj2ixUKcNEAhnew5IAXChdgSp3HcjVPgX6fnTN3Ac6OWcAdX-k1k4i_mgG9rxQuAkv4385OB7j9kWz-7Qum4FdzFEYbn0gOiw2rXtm_3Z2-SJvx3oFoz/w640-h480/DQecMqZWkAAD3A1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">An early 'Copy of Freedom' on display in the Chamberlain's Court in the City of London. Photo copyright Paul D Jagger.</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Traditionally there were three routes to the Freedom, all came by way of the Livery Companies: Servitude (completing an apprenticeship), Patrimony (inheriting the right from either parent) and Redemption (payment of a fine). More recently voters in the Square Mile have been encouraged to take up the Freedom if they are on the Ward List (register of voters).</div><div><br /></div><div>Hundreds of thousands of people have been admitted into the Freedom of the City of London, today the Chamberlain's Court of the City of London Corporation (the Chief Finance Officer's department) deals with somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 applicants a year - most of them still coming by way of the Livery Companies. By way of comparison the Honorary Freedom was first conferred only in the 17th century, and Charles II was the first recipient. The Honorary Freedom continues to be an exceptionally rare distinction.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Where it all started - can a King be granted an honour?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>King Charles II was admitted into the Freedom on 29 October 1674. Earlier Monarchs had been admitted into the Freedom of Livery Companies, but Charles II was the first to be honoured by the City. Whether it is possible for a King's subjects to confer an honour on the Fount of Honour is a constitutional conundrum I will leave for others to debate - the Stuart monarchs were not know for permitting any confusion between a King and his subjects. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is notable that our current sovereign became a Freeman of the City of London while a princess - this is important because the Freeman's declaration binds the Freeman to the sovereign in a way that would make a regnant King or Queen of this realm both parties to the contract! The photo of the Declaration of a Freeman shows the wording of the modern declaration and I draw your attention to the clause 'That I will be Good and True to our Sovereign Lady'. Furthermore it would not be possible for the sovereign to 'be obedient to the Mayor of this City' in his or her own realm.</div><div><br /></div><div>Her Majesty is also a Freeman of the Drapers' Company but has never been elevated to the Livery, although she ranks first among Court Assistants. Perhaps the Drapers' Company has a declaration made by Liverymen during the clothing ceremony that likewise binds them to the monarch... raising the same legal issue as the Freeman's Declaration, no doubt someone from the Drapers' Company will let me know in due course.</div><div><br /></div><div>Her Majesty's status as a Freeman of the Drapers' Company and Court Assistant is, I think, the only example of a Freeman being elevated to the Court of a Livery Company. In all other circumstances a person must first be clothed with the Livery before being considered for progression to Court.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWubwITcQUWdJh52gtm1T6Vy_D9kIiaHXaKEgSc7icfsb54OHLvkiUulJOoNBMaZx17_elViGCjFP9hhqLZ462hsp6ENyq-8raENAEoiHDBIrQfABoPFWDLtyOKosElcua-fPXV2TqPpoY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1040" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWubwITcQUWdJh52gtm1T6Vy_D9kIiaHXaKEgSc7icfsb54OHLvkiUulJOoNBMaZx17_elViGCjFP9hhqLZ462hsp6ENyq-8raENAEoiHDBIrQfABoPFWDLtyOKosElcua-fPXV2TqPpoY/w640-h466/Declaration+of+a+Freeman.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Declaration of a Freeman. Photo copyright Paul D Jagger</span></div><div><br /></div><div>My view is that the first Honorary Freedom was actually an astute political move, a gesture by the City to its sovereign; one designed to win the King's favour and apologise for the role the City had played in both the civil war and the schisms that followed the passing of the laws known as the Clarendon Code, the first of which (the Corporation Act, 1661) prevented nonconformist from becoming civic officers - thus excluding Catholics from being elected to Common Council or the Court of Aldermen.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Honorary Freedom today</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The Court of Common Council still confers the Honorary Freedom from time-to-time, although the era of awarding it to Admirals of the Royal Navy or General's of the British Army for defeating the King's enemies (historically the Dutch, French or Spanish) has passed, modern awards tend to be made to great statesmen and senior members of the Royal Family. Sadly the tradition of presenting a sword seems to have fallen into abeyance.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMdXLIE5p7DzhvoGnkjjKwKwlSykD7AFyNHAuqMaD7E57tFRV15j2EqJuGsXrnmAOURzAcf1RRDZZNj5GOE1Twyg5OgRVEOY_MhK_fOJ1zhTAMMpjBOmsseA19V4aYefDsJ8QgG39JapL/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="2484" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMdXLIE5p7DzhvoGnkjjKwKwlSykD7AFyNHAuqMaD7E57tFRV15j2EqJuGsXrnmAOURzAcf1RRDZZNj5GOE1Twyg5OgRVEOY_MhK_fOJ1zhTAMMpjBOmsseA19V4aYefDsJ8QgG39JapL/w640-h250/Screenshot+2021-12-02+at+17.11.12.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The good old days when Admirals of the Royal Navy received a presentation sword with their admission into the Honorary Freedom. Photo copyright Paul D Jagger.</span></div><div><br /></div>The most recent award was to Aung San Suu Kyi in May of 2017, and that was the also the first, and only, Honorary Freedom to be revoked (2019). Notwithstanding that hiccup, it seems certain the Court of Common Council will continue to award the Honorary Freemen to the Great and the Good as it did in 2014 when I had the privilege of attending Sir Tim Berners-Lee's admission ceremony in Guildhall. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>So where's the confusion?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The only thing that makes the Honorary Freedom an 'honour' is the fact it is conferred as an honour, but it is otherwise a substantive Freedom (unlike an honorary degree). The Court of Common Council has also created two routes by which a person may be recognised in a manner that might be considered an honour. They are: Freedom by Special Nomination and Freedom by Invitation. To quote verbatim, the Corporation's website provides the following descriptions of these two additional routes:</div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Freedom by Invitation</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The City of London Corporation from time to time invites individuals who have made a significant impact in their field to take up the Freedom to acknowledge their particular contribution. Such Freemen receive a partially illuminated copy of freedom, the ceremony is conducted by the Chamberlain and is followed by a toast and a lunch.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Freedom by Special Nomination</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>A third category whereby the Freedom can be regarded as an honour or mark of respect is Freedom by Invitation whereby individuals are invited to receive the freedom with no requirement to pay the fee. The invitation is often extended by the Lord Mayor or the Chair of Policy and Resources, the ceremony is conducted by the Chamberlain or Remembrancer and hospitality may be offered after the ceremony.</i></span></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>As with the Honorary Freedom, Freedom by Invitation or by Special Nomination is still a substantive form of Freedom, but like the Honorary Freedom it is a particular mark of distinction which is presented at a special ceremony for the occasion with a special parchment. In my view these routes to the Freedom slice the distinction between the Honorary Freedom and the other routes (servitude, patrimony, redemption and ward list) very thinly indeed!</div><div><br /></div><div>Many actors, sportsmen, artists and celebrities have been admitted into the Freedom by one of the above two routes, and in modern times they might make it to the TV or the press, usually expressing a feeling of having been honoured. While I won't spoil the story behind Bill's book, it is noteworthy that when Dame Barbara Windsor was admitted into the Freedom she declared to the gathered press and cameras, and to her late mother <span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(63, 63, 66); color: #3f3f42; font-size: 16px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"I love London with a passion and I'm just so honoured. I'd say 'look Mum, at last I'm posh'."</span></i></span></div><div><br /></div><div>---</div><div><br /></div>I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-68488085515789439732021-03-06T11:11:00.011+00:002022-06-18T06:52:46.511+01:00The role of the Gallant, Learned and Honourable Clerk<div>Of all the City's many unusual titles and offices, that of the Clerk to a City company or guild is undoubtedly the most diverse and multifaceted, perhaps even the least well understood. The role of the clerk is a curious hybrid and no two clerks have the same job description, duties or terms and conditions of employment. To illustrate the point:</div><div><br /></div><div>Some clerks work full-time, some part-time; some manage a hall where their office is located, others work in rented offices in the hall of another company, some work from home; some have an extensive staff, others are single-handed; some have the benefit of tied accommodation in the City, others must commute to their office. There are even some brave fellows who simultaneously occupy the office of clerk to more than one City company - thus attempting to serve two masters.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are as many differences among the role of the clerk to a City company or guild (hereafter 'company') as there are companies and guilds in the Square Mile. Consequently, any attempt to lump them all together into a single definition is certain to paint a confusing picture and that starts with the very definition of the role.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>What is a Clerk?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The word clerk implies a clerical, perhaps administrative function, and while there are certainly aspects of that in the role of a City clerk, the job title is more often compared to the modern position of Chief Executive Officer; Chief Operating Officer or general manager. There are certainly parallels to be drawn with these roles but no comparison does justice to the role. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Clerk is often the senior salaried employee of the company or guild, although some clerks are self-employed and hired on a contract basis, and others have served in an honorary (unpaid) capacity. </div><div><br /></div><div>NB. A company clerk has nothing to do with either an articled clerk in an accountancy or law firm, or a clerk in holy orders, although they may well be a qualified accountant or even a priest.</div><div><br /></div><div>In any case the clerk is not the presiding officer of the company's court - that position is firmly and unambiguously occupied by the Master, Prime Warden or Upper Bailiff depending on the title of the elected chairman (imports both genders) or their deputy in the event the Master is indisposed. The clerk is an officer of the Court and serves at its pleasure - although in most companies the executive is a sub-committee of the Court.</div><div><br /></div><div>However the role is defined, the clerk is always 'to' rather than 'of' the company which employs them. Clerks are not part of the membership and there is no requirement for them to be either a Freeman of the City of London or a Liveryman of one of the City's Livery Companies, although many clerks are Liverymen - though not usually of the company they work for. Adding to the confusion there is no shortage of examples of clerks who have served as Master in another company and at least one recent example of a clerk who has served as Master of their own company - twice with the clerkship sandwiched in between. </div><div><br /></div><div>NB. Before the more discerning reader thinks 'oh no he didn't'.... oh yes she did!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>What are the duties of a Clerk?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>There is no single job definition for a clerk to a company, as such the duties differ significantly from one to the next. The following list of duties is therefore a super-set of those which may apply to any particular clerk, neither is this list exhaustive: </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Planning and organising company events (governance, social, ceremonial)</li><li>Management of the company's finances</li><li>Administration of the company's membership records</li><li>Preparation of agendas, minutes and reports for company meetings</li><li>Answering correspondence sent to the company</li><li>Managing the Master's diary</li><li>Liaison with the company's affiliates in the military, church and professions</li><li>Managing the company's staff</li><li>Upkeep of the company's hall</li><li>Contract management with the company's suppliers (eg. tied caterers)</li><li>Appointed governor at one or more of the company's schools</li><li>Appointed trustee or Secretariat to one or more of the company's charities</li><li>Membership recruitment</li><li>Website and social media management</li><li>Membership communications (eg., newsletter and website)</li><li>Overseeing the company's IT infrastructure</li><li>Security of the company's treasures and other property</li><li>Custodianship of the company's history, customs and traditions</li><li>Liaison with Mansion House and Guildhall (eg. Common Hall)</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div>In some cases these duties may be delegated, or held by another employee of the company. This is particularly true where a company has a hall and treasures. The company may have a full-time Beadle or Hall Manager, an archivist, a historian, the clerk may have an assistant, a website manager, the Master may have a PA or diary secretary, various members of the company may support these duties in a voluntary capacity (eg., newsletter editor) - and so the list goes on!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The evolution of the role of Clerk</b></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The clerk was known to Chaucer and makes an appearance in the Canterbury Tales wherein the Clerk of Oxford, albeit a student in this case (another ancient usage of the title ‘clerk’, but he takes his place in the tale alongside such guildsmen as the Weaver, the Dyer, the Haberdasher and the high status Alderman.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p></div><div>Livery Company records show that the office of beadle preceded the creation of clerk, and many of the duties that now fall to the clerk were performed by the beadle. As companies grew in size, complexity, wealth and accrued more political power in the City, so a need for a professional administrator with literacy and numeracy skills was born.</div><div><br /></div><div>In times past many clerks were drawn from the legal profession, perhaps having served as a Barrister-at-law, and it may be for this reason that a clerk's gown has echoes of legal dress. Since WWII many companies have employed retired military officers as their clerk, and while this tradition continues (especially among the more senior companies), a generation of professional programme managers forms a significant portion of the modern day clerks. There has also been a steady increase in the number of women represented among the clerkship and perhaps a quarter of all companies now employ a female clerk.</div><div><br /></div><div>The importance of the clerk's role in the life of a City company was well understood in the mid Victorian era. In 1869 Thomas Arundell's work <i>Historical Reminiscences of the City of London and its Livery Companies</i> said the following of the clerk:</div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><i>"We know scarcely any position which requires so much power of adaptability in its occupier as that of a clerk to a City company.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Clerks may be said to be of a far higher type than mere office drudges, and may rank among the higher class of educated and intelligent men."</i></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>It should be noted that the second of these observations is of its time.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The insignia of the Clerk</b></div><div><br /></div><div>A Clerk's gown is usually plain black with open sleeves, not unlike an undergraduate gown, sometimes with the addition of plain black tassels and embroidered with doctoral lace in the style of Cambridge - . This is contrasted with the gown worn by the Beadle which is usually coloured with a number of silk bands and rows of ornate and often coloured tassels which in times past may have been dipped in perfume to mitigate the stench of the City's open sewers when leading a procession.</div><div><br /></div><div>The clerk's badge of office is invariably a pair of crossed quill pens, and is typically worn on a ribbon to which is appended a jewel depicting the company's armorial bearings. Together these two items, the gown and the collar jewel with crossed quill pens are the clerk's uniform.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEp7J4T0d6O2lQHTHmowcCBfnETyqyYPbXkIC7Jw8TZbZnCAISG6WTzXb-b0IKsA_tEmzkgCwhpY6PRIZ2INjdQeQ-D8ZVPtSUhZgKAp67eC6Qv5X98ZyCUtBkNyWfXnbk2M-RuUP024oR/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="741" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEp7J4T0d6O2lQHTHmowcCBfnETyqyYPbXkIC7Jw8TZbZnCAISG6WTzXb-b0IKsA_tEmzkgCwhpY6PRIZ2INjdQeQ-D8ZVPtSUhZgKAp67eC6Qv5X98ZyCUtBkNyWfXnbk2M-RuUP024oR/w282-h400/WCIT+Clerk%2527s+Badge.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Information Technologists' Company Clerk's Badge. Photo courtesy of Susan Hoefling, Clerk to the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAZ5OzLLRD1D9ksSHAk7XhRHUh-mMfSwBgGN_tzWL0eKdazcbybxOKLF2_-mXzo6NvQ97pKXpwNIabCbdN_5NJedAr7iPGEibZ41dGlbyhHCEfT-a02M-QU1lrp5ifJvMBym3d4rgcviF/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="826" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAZ5OzLLRD1D9ksSHAk7XhRHUh-mMfSwBgGN_tzWL0eKdazcbybxOKLF2_-mXzo6NvQ97pKXpwNIabCbdN_5NJedAr7iPGEibZ41dGlbyhHCEfT-a02M-QU1lrp5ifJvMBym3d4rgcviF/w475-h640/Merchant+Taylors.png" width="475" /></a></div>The Clerk's gown of the Merchant Taylors' Company. Image copyright Kenneth Crawford of Robes of Distinction: www.robesofdistinction.org.uk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Xd2sJ29G61LzFEk5x-iXDYNeFoDE9tn_iLehPFXRX2fva2YRvF7PxKWJKqbIkjuKVFhssqnkbOj57bdjUycbloVKIYVEJ_skf6BfKJgZ7vWlH23XJO9A76_NWKTUJMU20szcOH6Oyk7p/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="1304" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Xd2sJ29G61LzFEk5x-iXDYNeFoDE9tn_iLehPFXRX2fva2YRvF7PxKWJKqbIkjuKVFhssqnkbOj57bdjUycbloVKIYVEJ_skf6BfKJgZ7vWlH23XJO9A76_NWKTUJMU20szcOH6Oyk7p/w400-h116/Screenshot+2021-03-06+at+11.09.41.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doctoral lace in the style of Cambridge is usually employed on a Clerk's gown. Image copyright Kenneth Crawford of Robes of Distinction: www.robesofdistinction.org.uk<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9libl5D-BY3gMO9bCDPDOpQlUasdJzCeykl4i8MUAsKnL8ev7AIeVrRI0N58FMPL4PJJs1lswi-EBAFeLiBjGeUhPIP6YpHlDjq9FBqZfZD0Snn_VPMuDSoE2PzE3Z9SJQlLDQi_KVLXR/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1478" data-original-width="652" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9libl5D-BY3gMO9bCDPDOpQlUasdJzCeykl4i8MUAsKnL8ev7AIeVrRI0N58FMPL4PJJs1lswi-EBAFeLiBjGeUhPIP6YpHlDjq9FBqZfZD0Snn_VPMuDSoE2PzE3Z9SJQlLDQi_KVLXR/w283-h640/Screenshot+2021-03-06+at+11.09.28.png" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Clerk's gown of the Haberdashers<br />' Company. Image copyright Kenneth Crawford of Robes of Distinction: www.robesofdistinction.org.uk<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>The title of the Clerk</b></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Company Clerks are often referred to in one of the following ways:</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Honourable Clerk to the Company of ... if a Barrister-at-Law, or</span></li>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Gallant Clerk to the Company of … if a retired officer of HM Armed Forces (as many are), or</span></li>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Learned Clerk to the Company of … if holding a degree (as most will)</span></li>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Gallant and Learned Clerk to the Company of … if both the previous two conditions apply</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Where none of the above accomplishments apply the Clerk is often referred to as the Worthy Clerk</span></li></ul></div><div>More typical the clerk is simply addressed 'the Clerk' in Court meetings and during ceremonial occasions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some companies have elevated a retired clerk to the status of Clerk Emeritus, perhaps also investing them with the Livery of the company upon retirement.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Clerks' Associations</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Every clerk has the right to join one of the City's three informal associations for clerks, each having its own membership requirements and process for electing officers. The clerks associations provide a forum for discussion of matters of common interest to clerks, and a means for newly appointed clerks to seek advice and guidance from more established members.</div><div><br /></div><div>As befits the City, there is no one association which embraces all clerks, and three different associations have partially overlapping membership:</div><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The Fellowship of Clerks - which is open to all clerks to City companies and a few allied institutions. The Fellowship is also open to <span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">deputy or assistant clerks and </span>retired clerks.</li><li>The Clerks' Association - which is open to clerks to City companies who own a hall<span face="-webkit-standard, serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">, presently fixed at 24 members.</span></li><li>The Great XII Clerks' Association - which is open to clerks to the twelve most senior companies in order of precedence.</li></ol><div>These three associations play a role in submitting candidates for the City's Livery Committee.</div><div><br /></div><div>NB. It should be noted that there is no requirement for a clerk to be a member of any of the above associations, even if they have a right to do so.</div><p></p><div><b>Election to the Livery Committee</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The City of London has a sui generis system of government in which the Livery participate in the election of the Sheriffs the Lord Mayor and certain other ancient officers. These elections take place in Guildhall on two occasions during the year that are collectively known as 'Common Hall'. </div><div><br /></div><div>The organisation of these elections is the responsibility of the Livery Committee, a body to which six of the clerks to the City's livery companies (but not its Guilds or Companies without Livery) are elected to serve a three year term and may be relocated for a maximum of two terms. In addition the Livery Committee may have up to four co-opted members including clerks. <span face="-webkit-standard, serif">The remainder of the Livery Committee consists of nominated Aldermen and Common Councillors.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium;"><span face="-webkit-standard, serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><br /></div><div>That said, at the time of writing the Livery Committee enjoys representation by three clerks and four liverymen who are nominees of the Fellowship of Clerks, but not clerks in their own right.</div><div> </div><div>This complicated arrangement is perhaps just one of the reasons why the Royal Commission into the Government of London (1957-1960) said that 'logic has its limits, and the position of the City lies outside them',</div><div><br /></div><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-20954775523103163762021-01-28T17:08:00.001+00:002022-06-18T06:54:02.650+01:00The Livery's Perception Problem - Real or Imagined?<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This blog article was first published in late January 2020. A year on, and considering the impact of the global pandemic, I've decided to reflect on how the image of the Livery has evolved over the past twelve months - principally as a result of wider digital engagement.</span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">----</div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">During 2019 several events occurred that caused me to stop and think long and hard about the way the Livery Companies may be viewed by persons outwith the Livery.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Oh to see ourselves through the eyes of others</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first event was my response to the Pan-Livery Initiative’s Attitudinal Survey. While I cannot remember exactly what I wrote in response to the survey’s several questions the overall thrust of my submission was informed by my experience of the Information Technologists’ Company.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Information Technologists’ Company is rooted in a modern profession and exhibits a 21st century culture. The Company has admitted women to the Court from the earliest days, indeed the purchase of the Company’s Hall was enabled by a gift from Dame Stephanie Shirley CH. The Company has no history of admission by patrimony and has grown by being open, welcoming and inclusive. Almost all Company events are open to Freemen, Liverymen and guests - ensuring that new lifeblood joins the Company. </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My perspective of the Livery is therefore informed by the vibrancy, modernity and relevance of IT in a Livery Company context; I find no juxtaposition between the maintenance of ancient tradition and a profession that operates at the sharp end of the information age.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Having read the results of the Pan-Livery Initiative’s Attitudinal Survey I was dismayed to find that perceptions of the Livery included being stuffy, out of touch, exclusive and even an old boys club. Digging a little deeper I realised these perceptions are in fact second-hand, they are what the respondents to the survey (all of whom were Freemen or Liverymen) think that others outwith the Livery may say of the Livery Companies if asked.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is notable that the Attitudinal Survey only asked the Livery what it thought others might think of it, nobody outwith the Livery was consulted. In fairness the survey was always intended to be insular to the Livery. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the same survey the Livery also thought that most people outwith the Livery had little or no knowledge of the Livery and hence could not form an opinion of Livery - good, bad or indifferent. Meanwhile the Livery’s perception of itself was entirely more positive, focussed on charity, fellowship, tradition and benefitting wider society. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How can it be that the Livery has a positive view of itself, while harbouring worries that others may have negative views, and yet believing those others know far too little to form any opinion. If the results of the Attitudinal Survey are correct then perceptions of the Livery are clustered around three points on the scale: strongly positive (our view of ourselves), strongly negative (how we think others might view us) and neutral (what we believe others know of us).</span></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">I'm my view it was a mistake to ask the Livery what others think of the Livery. The Livery Companies are, more often than not, notoriously poor at external communications (a point identified in the survey) and make little effort to raise their profile outside their membership. Asking Liverymen what others may or may not think about the Livery doesn't advance engagement with an external audience - asking them how they can inform and educate others would have been a much more useful undertaking - but the Livery does like to engage in navel gazing where external perceptions are concerned.</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span>
<b>Never let the facts get in the way of a good story</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The second event was a news article that appeared on the BBC News website’s home page for a single day in February of 2019 that headlined “London’s secret billion-pound guilds”. Closer inspection of the article revealed it to be based largely on the musings of one disgruntled member of a Livery Company, a member who had won for himself a series of disciplinary actions by the Court. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know nothing of the individual concerned, or the circumstances that led to the disciplinary measures he has been subject to, but I am conscious that a Livery Company’s membership is made up of volunteers who give of their own time, talent and funds to continue the work of the Company. Nobody is compelled to stay in a Livery Company against his or her will, and the essence of a Livery Company’s life is sustained by fellowship - not acrimony. The Courts of some companies are slow to see the need for transparency and engagement with the wider Livery, and therein lies the opportunity for disengagement with members.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The BBC News article articulated the views of this one Liveryman including a statement about the Livery Companies, to wit “They became gentlemen's clubs generally from about 1700”. There may be a grain of truth in this in so far as some companies began to lose their connection with trade, but they were never men-only institutions and certainly not clubs in the sense of those in the West End around St James’s. Indeed many companies continued to have a vital role in their trade, craft or profession such as the Apothecaries, the Goldsmiths, the Spectacle Makers and others. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The article was not well researched and gave the impression that all Livery Companies are spectacularly wealthy and have billions tied up in property and investments. This may be true for a tiny number, but it is far from the reality for most which own no property and the investments of the Livery tend to be in their charitable trusts which benefit good causes (not the Livery).</span></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thankfully such voices are few and far between, and throughout 2020 many Livery Companies have worked hard to engage with membership and the public at large through digital means. An excellent example was Carols for the City, an initiative that attracted over 5,000 participants and raised over £50,000 for charity.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>The echo chamber of Social Media</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The third event was a protracted series of Tweets emanating from a certain corner of Common Council implying that the Livery was out of touch, and a posh dining club populated by elderly men. Emoji’s featuring Bertie Wooster like characters with monocles and top hats characterised the sort of mild and rather lazy invective present among a slew of such social media postings.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s all too easy to scoff at the Livery with its passion for dressing up, for tradition, for dining in grand style, but this is just the cherry on a cake full of vanilla sponge, and it is done with a purpose - to foster fellowship. Most of the life of a Livery Company goes on in committees, in working groups, in administration and at informal events that are remarkably similar to the daily diet of Common Council. If Common Council were judged by state banquets or the dignified pomp of the Silent Ceremony it too could be painted as out of touch, stuffy, obsessed with ritual and pageantry. I know that's only a tiny part of the experience of serving on Common Council and that most of the work happens during the working day in committee meetings - and so it is for the Livery.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If one’s perceptions of the Livery are informed only by Social Media postings then it’s understandable why a particular perspective might gain ground among some less well informed members of Common Council. The Livery does like to post photos of banquets, speeches, loving cup ceremonies and the suchlike. I’m as guilty as any of sharing such images - frankly they make for great photos of people enjoying themselves in fellowship. Pictures of committee meetings, minutes, agendas, day-to-day administration, reviewing the performance of charitable investments and the many other activities that make up the bulk of the life of a Livery Company do not lend themselves to attention grabbing photos, attention grabbing headlines or pithy captions.</span></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thankfully these veiled attacks on the Livery have subsided, perhaps because the last Livery Company to exclude women has ceased with that (unlawful) restriction. Moreover many Livery Companies have worked to raise the profile of their charitable work and pastoral care in 2020.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The reality is that Common Council and the Livery share an awful lot in common; both comprise unpaid volunteers who give of their time, talent and commitment freely, often during the working day; both are committee based and work by consensus; both are engaged in a wide variety of activities that benefit stakeholders at local and national scale; both are stewards of land, property, physical and cultural heritage; both have been around for centuries and accrued responsibilities that are varied and unusual; both are supported by a committed team of salaried employees who consistently go above and beyond the call of duty to deliver an excellent service.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That’s not to suggest the Livery doesn’t have its challenges, diversity and inclusion are areas where the Livery (and Common Council) is working hard to attract talent from the widest possible audience and certainly could do better. Progress has been made, and continues to be made on diversity and inclusion. While progress has not been uniform the overall picture is one of continuous improvement toward a more diverse and inclusive Livery. Moreover progress should be measured by the advances that have been made, not by where the Livery is at any moment in time.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unlike Common Council, the Livery is not one body politick, neither is it subject to the regulation of a local government body. The Livery is 110 fiercely independent companies, each with its own history, customs, traditions and culture. Expecting the Livery to advance along a common path, at the same pace, is dreaming in technicolour.</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sH0fGkz3ND-tAZbXuFBSLa66MJGlciarxYInZGi55ByNiuCM14_t-_UmLK1xaRdeIYZw6OWB9V4DS5VzYMMP5Hkb3vMlXSWqhgg8vr-se-FeU1CfO-Dv1cJkEyGO3rFDf9NejqVRSJ5t/s1600/IMG_7657.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sH0fGkz3ND-tAZbXuFBSLa66MJGlciarxYInZGi55ByNiuCM14_t-_UmLK1xaRdeIYZw6OWB9V4DS5VzYMMP5Hkb3vMlXSWqhgg8vr-se-FeU1CfO-Dv1cJkEyGO3rFDf9NejqVRSJ5t/s640/IMG_7657.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Formal dining events make for good photos but they represent a minuscule fraction of the life of a Livery Company</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Looking beyond Social Media to the real world</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The fourth and final event was actually a series of events - my lectures to various audiences in 2019. Since I began lecturing on the City and its Livery Companies I have probably stood in front of 20,000 people at universities, learned societies, WI branches, U3A groups, City Briefings and Arts Societies. With the exception of City Briefings I always ask the audience if any of them have visited a Livery Hall, and if anyone is a Freeman or Liveryman. On average about half the audience will have visited a hall, but fewer than five in any audience will be a Freeman or Liveryman.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have probably answered hundreds of questions about Livery Companies, and never has anyone asked a question of me or expressed an opinion that implied the Livery to be elitist, stuffy, opaque, exclusive or any of the negative perceptions that the Livery seems to think others might harbour. </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What I have experienced is a deep fascination to learn more, a sense of surprise and wonder at the variety of ways in which the Livery benefits wider society, and a pride that these ancient institutions remain relevant in the 21st century.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span>
This fascination manifests itself in the number of follow up enquiries I receive about organising hall tours, or enquiries about articles in my blog, but most evidently in the growing number of bookings I take for further lectures.<br />
<br />
I have yet to run into anyone who has preconceived ideas of the Livery that are in any way negative, rather I find they move from a position of knowing little or nothing to a hunger to learn more. In 2020 I delivered a record number of virtual lectures and the appetite for knowledge of the Livery Companies remains strong among the groups that invite me to speak. Of the hundreds of questions I have answered on the Livery, I don't think I can recall one question which was difficult to answer with candour.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What can the Livery do about the perception problem?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It will come as no surprise to my followers on Social Media, the readers of my blog articles, or those who meet me in person, that I believe the Livery needs to seriously up its game in terms of outward communication regarding its role, relevance and impact. Indeed on this matter the Pan-Livery Initiative’s Attitudinal Survey finds common ground with me as most respondents thought their company’s internal communications were good, but outward communications were - how may I put it politely - in need of improvement.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This echoes my own experience, and I think it is the nearest thing to a truthful appraisal of perception of the Livery from without - most people have no idea who we are or what we do, and it is up the Livery to address that.</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
I see and hear no evidence for the negative perceptions that the Livery believes others might have about it, at least not beyond the wild ramblings of a few of the more excitable crackpot lunatics who lump the Livery in with shape-shifting lizards, the illuminati and global conspiracies to control the money markets. This is a topic I have <a href="https://cityandlivery.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-city-of-londons-livery-companies.html" target="_blank">dealt with in a previous blog article</a>.</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;">
<br /></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">While many Livery Companies have upped their engagement online in 2020, turning adversity into opportunity but some companies persist in remaining opaque, uncommunicative and unwilling to engage online. This is a risk as one company recently discovered when an unauthorised Twitter account was setup by persons unknown claiming to be an unofficial account for the Company. The Company has decided not to engage on Social Media, perceiving no need to do so, but simultaneously surrendering their digital shop window to others over which the Company has no control. For good or bad the Pandora's Box of Social Media is well and truly open, there's no shutting it, and no putting anything back in the box.</span><br /></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;"><br /></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 12px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">If your company isn't active in the digital realm, your company has no next to no ability to get your message out beyond your membership, change perceptions, counter misinformation or worse - deliberate disinformation (including some peddled by elected members of Common Council), highlight your Company's good work, attract new members, engage with a younger audience, reach members who are isolated or maintain the fellowship and goodwill upon which the Livery relies for all that it does.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So my challenge to every Freeman and Liveryman is to stop worrying about what we think others might think of us, and start communicating about who we are, what we do and why it matters in the 21st century. Tell your family, tell your friends, tell your work colleagues, tell your followers on social media... you are all the Livery's greatest ambassador! </span></span></div><div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div></span></div>
</div>
cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-12470487924483630222020-12-04T08:06:00.019+00:002022-06-18T06:54:41.511+01:00The quirks of Livery Company Coats of Arms<div>One of the most popular of the lectures I deliver for the Arts Society is that on the Heraldry of the City of London and its Livery Companies. When I offered to repeat the lecture for the Heraldry Society in the summer of 2020 it resulted in over 500 enrolments and a sorry looking wait list! Clearly there is substantial interest in the topic - not least because of it's strong visual appeal.</div><div><br /></div><div>Aside from the immense amount and variety of visual material this topic provides, it is also evergreen as the Livery Companies continue to return to the College of Arms in order to make additions to their armorial achievements or engage the services of heraldic artists to depict their arms in new and innovative ways. Meanwhile new Guilds and Companies without Livery periodically embark on the process of petitioning for arms thereby adding to the emblazoned panoply of corporate arms in the Square Mile.</div><div><br /></div><div>During my exploration of this topic I have discovered an array of heraldic quirks and foibles that are, I think, quite unique to the City of London. In some cases the origins of these oddities are known, in others they remain a mystery despite the proximity of the College of Arms and its Herald who have been located in the Square Mile since the middle of the 16th century.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2019 I commissioned a poster of the Arms of the Livery Companies and the Companies without Livery thinking there would be little change until one of the various Companies without Livery progressed to full Livery company status. What I never imagined is that two Livery Companies would go on to make amendments to their existing armorial bearings in 2020. I've since <a href="http://cityandlivery.etsy.com" target="_blank">updated the poster </a>to reflect the two important changes.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkH5_fl9lbZDG07t_zPVtsZcQX4cqE1gCBYS9iOsdAeBnLsHZb8O1_rZewo5KyZ5xV4RHHQNUEqdzlUuVVcVA41k4YjG5PrePMJnxwP8859MgKRMCwkhVHjyo74z_iHiSYOjQ9T-krEOu7/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkH5_fl9lbZDG07t_zPVtsZcQX4cqE1gCBYS9iOsdAeBnLsHZb8O1_rZewo5KyZ5xV4RHHQNUEqdzlUuVVcVA41k4YjG5PrePMJnxwP8859MgKRMCwkhVHjyo74z_iHiSYOjQ9T-krEOu7/" width="308" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A2 poster of the arms of the City of London's Livery Companies<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The most recent livery company to petition for supporters is the Worshipful Company of Fletchers, granted in June 2020. The petition for supporters was initiated as a result of the Company petitioning the Crown for a Royal Charter - itself an exceptional act for such an ancient Company.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hitherto the company had no grant of supporters but employed two rather curious looking demi-characters plonked into ornate plant pots in lieu of an official grant - these are not in fact supporters since they are not holding the shield, hence offering no 'support'. </div><div><br /></div><div>While the new grant is mentioned in the College of Arms newsletter of October 2020 and while it makes no visual appearance therein and rather annoyingly the blazon isn't reported either - my spies and informants have helped me source an image of the supporters which shows little change from those used by the Company without lawful grant up to June 2020.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuc1kkVDOK1vktTzFbtOFy6Ra5Uy5VnH8eU7l1W9TtTawJBoYimcrPM1tB9V6a04lt6G160K6OyoJEuzpd10O5vrz1jxVNsbvOvNDqFP6pBmyqz-xXK8U3P31Gt8Qskg0xN9138xuE47f/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="554" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuc1kkVDOK1vktTzFbtOFy6Ra5Uy5VnH8eU7l1W9TtTawJBoYimcrPM1tB9V6a04lt6G160K6OyoJEuzpd10O5vrz1jxVNsbvOvNDqFP6pBmyqz-xXK8U3P31Gt8Qskg0xN9138xuE47f/w362-h400/image001.jpg" width="362" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The supporters as lawfully granted (note how they now touch the shield)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOy_bwxsJ8azkrfcCSgG6tRkv2l9adApCb2Ar1nyx-F5d6WX6C4Af9kvXLjGLyOc_AgxD83XGiCDrmxbvrSGGBVF7ZwrMJ2DoYhrFbD-DKetQpbfhjaF7S0f0lFkwl6JMEaKTJptvjlqo/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="602" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOy_bwxsJ8azkrfcCSgG6tRkv2l9adApCb2Ar1nyx-F5d6WX6C4Af9kvXLjGLyOc_AgxD83XGiCDrmxbvrSGGBVF7ZwrMJ2DoYhrFbD-DKetQpbfhjaF7S0f0lFkwl6JMEaKTJptvjlqo/w355-h400/Screenshot+2020-11-22+at+11.50.09.png" width="355" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 'supporters' as assumed and employed until June 2020 - although since they do not touch the shield they are offering no support!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3et55P75fBTVsh6W5hlIwhMtYVGx3Vs6EmRGH7q8C9iyWMNxWacAI5MZ7hZ6bXFI873qrq_VqBO13LZuIWTfXckWGoF-SwDkUsQ9TT7RfmKtBadMtreTcgMED_64itr40QZzDtAOliLz9/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="261" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3et55P75fBTVsh6W5hlIwhMtYVGx3Vs6EmRGH7q8C9iyWMNxWacAI5MZ7hZ6bXFI873qrq_VqBO13LZuIWTfXckWGoF-SwDkUsQ9TT7RfmKtBadMtreTcgMED_64itr40QZzDtAOliLz9/w262-h400/image.jpeg" width="262" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Arms as lawfully granted</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The Company to have obtained a grant of supporters is the Worshipful Company of Tobacco Pipe Makers and Tobacco Blenders. This livery company has the dubious honour of having gone up in smoke - twice. The first time was on the surrender of its Royal Charter in 1643, and the second time was in 1864. The Company was reformed in 1954 and granted livery status in 1960 - hence an ancient trade finds itself among the Modern livery companies, ranked 82nd in the order of precedence. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Tobacco Pipe Makers recently petitioned for a new grant of supporters and were granted two spectacular Phoenixes by the Kings of Arms. The two birds are shown being consumed by and reborn from the fire, a very apt pair of supporters considering the history of the company and the way their product is used.</div><div><br /></div><div>This new grant was in lieu of a previous one that showed two gentlemen, a North American of African origin dexter [described in the blazon as a Negro] and a native Kenyan sinister as supporters. It should be noted the previous grant was made in 1956 and should be viewed as of its time - not appropriate to the 21st century. It should further be noted that there is no general issue with persons of Afro-Carribean, native American or African origin appearing in arms as is evidenced variously by the coats of arms of Belize, Jamaica, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia - all Commonwealth countries; and those of the Distillers and Gold & Silver Wyre Drawers' companies.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPwwop-5QVtsnS5KzhTQRlQ3KltEthyphenhyphenzbfYpfArGMwQY5ew_1YLunhKWYnZw42aE3sGlqFlJ5Rpq37I0gWp6S3bO9j77TOafwFGMTtzrEPnR2fz6vf6RMrhs5l7oBhq8YO8oiMt7klA0H/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPwwop-5QVtsnS5KzhTQRlQ3KltEthyphenhyphenzbfYpfArGMwQY5ew_1YLunhKWYnZw42aE3sGlqFlJ5Rpq37I0gWp6S3bO9j77TOafwFGMTtzrEPnR2fz6vf6RMrhs5l7oBhq8YO8oiMt7klA0H/" width="251" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new supporters to the Tobacco Pipe Makers' Arms<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWr9DJRtHcbKuJba5bvFToZFzRuyMWlKxHUi27heBJ6vlp-x_D93T9nghpe5UJYFML8ZJzDlSc0j4unoMWwp0dxMTYI50Wf18NzskBlWNTLqz1jwjkz61zYCOg55-GqysWWbGi0ASLI-p/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="550" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWr9DJRtHcbKuJba5bvFToZFzRuyMWlKxHUi27heBJ6vlp-x_D93T9nghpe5UJYFML8ZJzDlSc0j4unoMWwp0dxMTYI50Wf18NzskBlWNTLqz1jwjkz61zYCOg55-GqysWWbGi0ASLI-p/" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The previous supporters to the Tobacco Pipe Makers' Arms<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>In both cases the shield shows a good example of a technique known as diapering, an artistic effect to fill the field (background of the shield) with a repeating pattern that gives contrast and depth but is not part of the blazon and therefore not part of the official grant. Diapering also appears on several shields in the Armourers' Hall where past masters were not armigerous and chose to have a plain blue shield depicted with golden diapering alongside those of other Past Masters who were armigerous - a sort of heraldic place holder if you like. There's nothing wrong with this and should the user become armigerous the shield may be replaced.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTD1Zd2qKy5rEg34AwiE8oMzbVPCdARdzAjl6VI1cnapOe7JQLVmVLiUpQ28rZcEGS2AaqZn4k4PMS-D_gu445QSatTGq7RicWiS9gtJYjFGhhVJ64lzHObhqiVH2tptrI_lXKphVYC_sj/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="958" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTD1Zd2qKy5rEg34AwiE8oMzbVPCdARdzAjl6VI1cnapOe7JQLVmVLiUpQ28rZcEGS2AaqZn4k4PMS-D_gu445QSatTGq7RicWiS9gtJYjFGhhVJ64lzHObhqiVH2tptrI_lXKphVYC_sj/" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Examples of diapering in Armourers' Hall<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>This, in my view is preferable to the display of fantasy arms, which I loosely describe as assumed arms which do not follow the rules of heraldic design. Thankfully such examples are mercifully few among the Livery Companies, but occasionally a heraldic farrago appears, such as the example below.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVEPUmFAMM7EN17FY_nVBsdaND_8ZCajOVP2v__UnWBjE_W8Obpe2OuZqZuyvLF316GyiCIreQ4_nQSvD8uiP5y-zr9lozQOar29PdOo1tt7M83_XMsLemjA1vhuzH9aLa37RMnO_1t3H/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVEPUmFAMM7EN17FY_nVBsdaND_8ZCajOVP2v__UnWBjE_W8Obpe2OuZqZuyvLF316GyiCIreQ4_nQSvD8uiP5y-zr9lozQOar29PdOo1tt7M83_XMsLemjA1vhuzH9aLa37RMnO_1t3H/" width="197" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The least said about this armorial melange, appearing in one Livery Hall, the better<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>Occasionally a Livery Company will display arms that are lawfully borne by a current or past member, but make an error in the way they are displayed. For example, these arms of HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Gloucester, on display in the Vintners' Hall are displayed back to front! Even Guildhall made a mistake in the attribution of the arms of the first Mayor of London (Henry FitzAilwyn) by describing the owner as Lord Mayor - an error later redacted but visible in Guildhall.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuECgW1L1mdrcGl7eAC26hIxddxrucwGIh2ZzX-u2pzDhMTklHezN0BGy81idPx5xz4c-lyxaqldSYnG8CI_Oz4xaWt-yKou4KRAQk-yK1Z34UD1zOaTK1yVIHsRMzHcviJUS8UfUzJggK/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1257" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuECgW1L1mdrcGl7eAC26hIxddxrucwGIh2ZzX-u2pzDhMTklHezN0BGy81idPx5xz4c-lyxaqldSYnG8CI_Oz4xaWt-yKou4KRAQk-yK1Z34UD1zOaTK1yVIHsRMzHcviJUS8UfUzJggK/" width="244" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal lions 'running away' from battle - hardly a noble image!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Lest the Fletchers and Tobacco Pipe Makers think they are trend setters among the older companies where granting of supporters is concerned, the Fan Makers' Company preceded them both when it petitioned for a grant of supporters in 2015 when a Griffin holding a jet engine fan was added as the dexter supporter, and a Dragon holding a mechanical (or induction) fan as the sinister supporter. These additions illustrate the Company's connection with the modern air movement industries. The Griffin and the Dragon are also appropriate City symbols and it is no surprise that the Company won the Heraldry Society's Corporate Heraldry Award in 2019.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYE35x-qJAoWZofwZiLAAznTwyS0eDoXCALX-FPzSSvx-nFac1NeBjsDt4dyq8HNcXJ7-M_koGg5GD8qWZryj1I_dVb0gbg4T_LwtQoq-WR0yMmTKB3IUR3aPKg4X33Zy-Bu53hzHN9r8L/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="750" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYE35x-qJAoWZofwZiLAAznTwyS0eDoXCALX-FPzSSvx-nFac1NeBjsDt4dyq8HNcXJ7-M_koGg5GD8qWZryj1I_dVb0gbg4T_LwtQoq-WR0yMmTKB3IUR3aPKg4X33Zy-Bu53hzHN9r8L/" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Fan Makers' Arms with the supporters granted in 2015<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Another unusual aspect of livery company heraldry that warrants exploration is the usage of peers helms, ie. those sporting a closed grille. The most prevalent example of corporate heraldry using a peers helm is in the armorial bearings of the City of London, where the presence of the helm is taken to indicate the Lord Mayor's status as ranking with and among the Earls while in office. It should be noted that this status pertains to the office and not to the occupant although he or she may also be a peer of the realm in their own right as was Lord Mountevans in 2016.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEbuBUnWE_jHbwl8FQTv_2X5F3L4fiYPTrFJPCyWnMaxLSMM5F0KMPj_lK0Xyu5gHlHdiTkBM3qPbQPRsHq_CyaAz3D4l0Wno2i3vox1b2jJq1YYsNByMiscN9w3Nms5fmwzzG2dt9Ylp/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1744" data-original-width="2000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEbuBUnWE_jHbwl8FQTv_2X5F3L4fiYPTrFJPCyWnMaxLSMM5F0KMPj_lK0Xyu5gHlHdiTkBM3qPbQPRsHq_CyaAz3D4l0Wno2i3vox1b2jJq1YYsNByMiscN9w3Nms5fmwzzG2dt9Ylp/" width="275" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arms of the City of London displaying a peer's helm, but should the underside of the mantling be Ermine?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Four livery companies also display a peers helm; the Fishmongers; Goldsmiths; Apothecaries Society and the Clockmakers. To these I would add the arms of the Armourers and Brasiers' Company which has, in the past, shows an unusual closed helm also with a grille - although the most recent grant of 1970 shows a conventional esquires helm.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW21tIjCKFSoLnLfdTQN3Rx1mLsdXZj4SehJGnttNh6y5OfilYayaf0lUw_VusMNwx8zXdQ2ehZX_m0fw6The1shF1uDCpyu0VQRSaQSBkOARa4GqyHrvd3DOQy-6wZAd3lxuKGampqbkU/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW21tIjCKFSoLnLfdTQN3Rx1mLsdXZj4SehJGnttNh6y5OfilYayaf0lUw_VusMNwx8zXdQ2ehZX_m0fw6The1shF1uDCpyu0VQRSaQSBkOARa4GqyHrvd3DOQy-6wZAd3lxuKGampqbkU/" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Arms of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the case of the Fishmongers' Company the depiction of a peers helm seems to predate the reign of James I when the various social ranks became associated with particular depictions of a helm. The helm appears without explanation in a grant of 1536 when the Fishmongers merged with the Stockfishmongers (a stockfish is a cod).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwBVkL3DQgfQ-_Lu15OufuFAwLy3b63QNYDKfuS_987zBVXqHZDDZK1Zp8sQ9SdHDqIRYUuD52fNdDCxTEIup_KPqoxHuHDOrXTiFt0rRVvjthjWY8Oc_cUab-8_SXDDdgiQFA1bQNqsl/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwBVkL3DQgfQ-_Lu15OufuFAwLy3b63QNYDKfuS_987zBVXqHZDDZK1Zp8sQ9SdHDqIRYUuD52fNdDCxTEIup_KPqoxHuHDOrXTiFt0rRVvjthjWY8Oc_cUab-8_SXDDdgiQFA1bQNqsl/" width="230" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpuHNPoFnM44MU3wBaDtqU9CcnUeW7zRtGzlc9cMcrw3Q75URN50jBX1Q2O6hkQSwNUPTMraZf8wLOuYN7QuQ10CXRkNqVuo8j6-_SeBFmaNBMy9q4CvV_aJwyQha9eCzEH65pLcvNSvD/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpuHNPoFnM44MU3wBaDtqU9CcnUeW7zRtGzlc9cMcrw3Q75URN50jBX1Q2O6hkQSwNUPTMraZf8wLOuYN7QuQ10CXRkNqVuo8j6-_SeBFmaNBMy9q4CvV_aJwyQha9eCzEH65pLcvNSvD/" width="240" /></a></div></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Arms of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths - ancient and modern depictions<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Goldsmiths' Company is another that has no clear reason for displaying a peers helm, certainly it is not in the original grant of crest and supporters from 1571. In 1891 Garter King of Arms issued a certificate of exemplification of the Goldsmiths' Arms which shows a peers helm - but without explanation. Since then the company has more often depicted its arms without a helm at all - very confusing. The Company also uses a monochrome depiction of its arms that positions the buckles in the 2nd and 3rd quarters incorrectly. The blazon clearly states the buckles are in Chief (ie. either side the top of the cup, not either side of the stem).<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUM1QDRepLXPi4rkW-Jb3Bky7i9xvv2_EX3kYUL-rVUxOnXMPppOC6Kd4d2Gcky2Ax-_ca0W_JIPz4TjN4PW5Us2h7VvPMj4vv_ZNmSYgEWEUUA4-jeE_onoshU_p4k8TqpsHY0vG-LUeB/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUM1QDRepLXPi4rkW-Jb3Bky7i9xvv2_EX3kYUL-rVUxOnXMPppOC6Kd4d2Gcky2Ax-_ca0W_JIPz4TjN4PW5Us2h7VvPMj4vv_ZNmSYgEWEUUA4-jeE_onoshU_p4k8TqpsHY0vG-LUeB/" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Arms of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Society of Apothecaries is another livery company that has a peers helm, again appearing in the official grant but without explanation. As is likely the case for the Fishmongers' Company the appearance of the peers helm is probably just the artists favourite design and predates the usage of distinct helms for different social ranks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsT_yqS6Dn_0ZGkBz_lDJB94lcUsz4X-SBrwhzRUv4xn0jsld7ZqMwxWRx3EplFMiikseh9d4BXIWR1ImDVgWjahIxP00zKmS0XhrrllIL5Ee8o1GoLMFPVocGSI9H2rCnf5ToZkoX6OQB/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsT_yqS6Dn_0ZGkBz_lDJB94lcUsz4X-SBrwhzRUv4xn0jsld7ZqMwxWRx3EplFMiikseh9d4BXIWR1ImDVgWjahIxP00zKmS0XhrrllIL5Ee8o1GoLMFPVocGSI9H2rCnf5ToZkoX6OQB/" width="282" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Arms of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Clockmakers' Company is the last of the livery companies to display a peers helm and while it is clear in the original grant of arms of 1671, the reasoning is not given. Again, it seems this usage is merely the choice of the artist.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfciwMpPkJJZnPSlA3qigv92_fQ1bwPjgZI7QkcXtNPul43_tumy0yUe13NfXOTCRMyAy0zkWnEODnELjxE9K5kGMgBYrMWQX_eJh_ZFmlOVGqJHa2w_Wb03BykDKu45UJbFC9mq0G-Om3/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfciwMpPkJJZnPSlA3qigv92_fQ1bwPjgZI7QkcXtNPul43_tumy0yUe13NfXOTCRMyAy0zkWnEODnELjxE9K5kGMgBYrMWQX_eJh_ZFmlOVGqJHa2w_Wb03BykDKu45UJbFC9mq0G-Om3/" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arms of the Armourers & Brasiers' Company - past depiction of the helm<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbJ3H6ZJ45QdklvUGdqFGeurRNlFYNCrqKUjFxJD4P_Z0VjNN1FWsMaZaztV-2rM9oZsnMM36wFqIOvVIqwwlMCvfLZj0OXKgBQyzxMi2QVOgXfzlwj7ndKPM9FKvIzjCFOzOrPJwPZK5/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1500" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbJ3H6ZJ45QdklvUGdqFGeurRNlFYNCrqKUjFxJD4P_Z0VjNN1FWsMaZaztV-2rM9oZsnMM36wFqIOvVIqwwlMCvfLZj0OXKgBQyzxMi2QVOgXfzlwj7ndKPM9FKvIzjCFOzOrPJwPZK5/" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly a peers helm in the depiction of the Company's arms atop Armourers' Hall</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><br />The penultimate of the oddities I will explore in this blog is the story of the Cooks' Company's arms. Only the Worshipful Company of Cooks could think that having too many cooks is a good idea, and hence they elect two Masters: The first Master and the second Master. Various stories exist as to why this situation arose, my favourite is that the King and the Lord Mayor both commanded the Master Cook to attend upon them for different banquets on the same day; the expedient solution to this conundrum was to elect a second Master and the custom stuck.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not content with having two Masters the company has, throughout its history, depicted its arms with supporters that are either pierced by an arrow or free from injury. The Company has as many examples with the buck and the doe shot as it does not... so which is correct?</div><div><br /></div><div>Some years ago one of the Company's two Masters decided to resolve the matter and took the question to the heralds at the College of Arms. After much deliberation their adjudication was given - NEITHER!</div><div><br /></div><div>It seems the issue was not so much whether the buck and the doe should be shot with an arrow, but rather the colour of the engrailled chevron was long depicted as gules (red) where it should be sable (black). In theory the Company could have been fined for claiming a right to armorial bearings to which it had no lawful right. I suspect the matter was settled by the Master Cook offering to entertain the heralds at a fine banquet, though were is a mystery for the Company's hall succumbed to fire in the 18th century; I am sure this is no reflection on the Company's cookery skills!</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilf4HqR03AkxIPNUxEEnTQd1p__aR_Tz6WmVvFV4nDYYXzoHX5CSZhRuMPgMYV_n_CEqitNwB6BoGEGwkT57SMcIXgf8BW_NepCth3HV5cHW34apepYbka6Wx52HVnRlbqDTlmsztHX1OI/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="870" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilf4HqR03AkxIPNUxEEnTQd1p__aR_Tz6WmVvFV4nDYYXzoHX5CSZhRuMPgMYV_n_CEqitNwB6BoGEGwkT57SMcIXgf8BW_NepCth3HV5cHW34apepYbka6Wx52HVnRlbqDTlmsztHX1OI/" width="195" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The official history of the Worshipful Company of Cooks depicts the erroneous arms!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The last armorial oddity among the Livery Companies is the simple fact that one among the 110 Livery Companies and the two armigerous Companies without Livery uses arms that have never been lawfully granted, otherwise known as 'assumed' arms. Assumed arms have all the legitimacy of an assumed surname or an assumed title of dignity - while not illegal it is unlawful. I leave it to others to figure out which Company has chosen this path!</div><br /><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div></div>cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-5378473290393926492020-07-14T12:52:00.006+01:002022-06-18T06:55:06.627+01:00Exploring the City's Livery Halls in Lockdown<div><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggG4PdeLOMMhq-J2KwGNv0wZVB4Tfcs-4zJ5FtAVx85v2ZsqlJphrw5UGnwMbKSVp8CXEUMgQbIY6TSoQ-5IgTKsH8HnKCuh9iyyEusAkdFZ2YhcA4ivLJvimGSGsLcqTiiRtTBY8ja0UP/s1280/P1020755.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A guided tour of Armourers' Hall" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggG4PdeLOMMhq-J2KwGNv0wZVB4Tfcs-4zJ5FtAVx85v2ZsqlJphrw5UGnwMbKSVp8CXEUMgQbIY6TSoQ-5IgTKsH8HnKCuh9iyyEusAkdFZ2YhcA4ivLJvimGSGsLcqTiiRtTBY8ja0UP/w625-h469/P1020755.jpeg" title="Enjoying a guided tour of Armourers' Hall" width="625" /></a></div><font face="inherit"><br /></font><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit" size="2">Enjoying a talk by the Clerk to the Armourers' Company during a tour of that Company's Hall</font></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">The City’s Livery Halls form an eclectic collection of scattered gems throughout the Square Mile - some are grand palatial buildings on par with England’s large country homes, others are more modest town houses and one is a ship - yet all are fascinating, have their own stories to tell, and treasures to reveal.</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><b>Guided Tours</b></font></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">During 2019 I began organising guided tours of several Livery Halls for Arts Society groups, usually one hall in the morning and another in the afternoon with a brief walking tour after lunch. These tours have been immense fun and endlessly fascinating, not least because of the excellent support from the Livery Halls. I've learned a great deal from organising tours and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, while not every hall is suited to tours, those that are do their utmost to put on a wonderful experience.</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><b>Virtual Tours</b></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">Sadly the impact of Covid19 has resulted in the closure of all the halls, and it seems unlikely that they will open their doors before the Autumn of 2020. Meanwhile it is possible to explore some of the halls in a virtual manner. Seven of the City’s Livery Companies have produced 3D interactive virtual tours of their halls, they are:</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.glaziershall.co.uk/virtual-tour/">The Glaziers’ Company Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.pan3sixty.co.uk/virtual_tours/goldsmiths-company/#the-staircase-hall">The Goldsmiths’ Company Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://haberdashers.co.uk/virtual-tour">The Haberdashers’ Company Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=eZvqBxcAZBE">The Ironmongers’ Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="http://www.saddlershall.com/virtual-tour/">The Saddlers’ Company Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://saltershall.london/virtual-tour/">The Salters’ Company Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://stationershall.co.uk/hall-hire/virtual-tour"><font face="inherit">The Stationers & Newspaper Makers’ Company Hall</font></a></li>
</ul>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTm8evZHQlOLqlYAKSPk5-0-sUY0GRhJNrLhURQ9BhEJ4g4tVxrEc8nxk9gz3is5XtgR-bhTLJOmU6FRIF5FHQsiB3SbdEKR3thUyekVo3RsqqZnEEgaKi5owYt4v0u79zrjvbINsBSzdP/s1280/P1020047.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTm8evZHQlOLqlYAKSPk5-0-sUY0GRhJNrLhURQ9BhEJ4g4tVxrEc8nxk9gz3is5XtgR-bhTLJOmU6FRIF5FHQsiB3SbdEKR3thUyekVo3RsqqZnEEgaKi5owYt4v0u79zrjvbINsBSzdP/w625-h469/P1020047.jpeg" width="625" /></a></div><font face="inherit"><br /></font><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: center;">The Drapers' Company Hall is one of the more palatial of the City's Livery Halls and has stood in for Buckingham Palace in films</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">Straying beyond London there is also a similar 3D interactive virtual tour of one of the provincial company halls:</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=cdbijaxN9ME"><font face="inherit">Cutlers’ Company of Hallamshire Hall</font></a></li>
</ul>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">The 3D virtual tours available from these companies are designed primarily as marketing aids for commercial hall bookings, as such they focus on exploring the spaces available for meetings and events rather than the stories and treasures, never the less they provide a good sense of the experience available in each hall. The Stationers’ Hall is soon to undergo a major refurbishment in order to improve accessibility and update it for the needs of the modern events market so this virtual tour also provides a record of the hall prior to the building works.</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">in addition there are several excellent 3D interactive virtual tours of other City venues that may be of interest to readers:</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=MbdWuscvPaV&sr=-2.92,.49&ss=178">Armoury House, home of the Honourable Artillery Company</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/bAENB4YerH6k0Q?sv_lng=-0.09830756948119301&sv_lat=51.51374354680281&sv_h=82.36377341723131&sv_p=3.923287634014457&sv_pid=bqcGFUhwiMB6ljI4wUzZfQ&sv_z=2.3066779753409232">St Paul’s Cathedral</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://360.visitlondon.com/#"><font face="inherit">Museum of London</font></a></li>
</ul>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><b>Video tours</b></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">Rather more of the City’s Livery Companies have recorded video tours of their halls and posted them on YouTube, some of these video tours guided by the Beadle or the Clerk others are narrated, as with the 3D virtual tours they are usually created as marketing aids for the wedding and corporate events business but they are certainly worth viewing to get a glimpse inside these halls.</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deFz957XD5Y"><font face="inherit">Apothecaries’ Hall</font></a></span></p><p style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w38ZaKYYcY">Brewers’ Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=291pylBQwak">Butchers’ Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w38ZaKYYcY">Clothworkers’ Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7InGMd6XOQ">Farmers & Fletchers’ Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS3WP3DF2f8">Founders’ Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ7b-0h8lBg">Furniture Makers’ Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVzInwxnmSQ">Grocers’ Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFZBt5_Q_N4">Haberdashers’ Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J7NYLkPyx0">HQS Wellington</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpqqkkNUUnk">Painters’ Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb4Y5hCKVsU">Pewterers’ Hall</a></font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/436525570"><font face="inherit">Plaisterers’ Hall</font></a></li>
</ul>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">Several of the Companies have produced short guides to their halls and the treasures kept therein. While these are not generally available other than on a hall tour, some of the larger guides are available for purchase online and there are several books that record Livery Company treasures, including:</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">Plate at Goldsmiths Hall London (1960) published privately by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths</font></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Halls and Treasures of the City Companies (1970) published by Ward Lock</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">100 Treasures of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers (2016) published by the Ironmongers’ Company</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Arts of the Apothecaries’ Hall by John Ford (2018)</span></li></ul>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">In addition to each Company’s own guide, there are two excellent books that provide a general exploration of the halls prior to and since World War Two.</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">The Livery Halls of the City of London (2018) published by Merrell</font></li></ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">The Halls of the Livery Companies of the City of London (1981) published by The Lavenham Press</font></li>
</ul>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">NB. This last publication is a print on demand hardback book that can be ordered from the Surveyors’ Company</font></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><b><font face="inherit">Maps of the Livery Halls</font></b></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The following resources may further support your exploration of the City of London's Livery Halls:</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.mapping.cityoflondon.gov.uk/geocortex/mapping/?viewer=compass&runworkflowbyid=Switch_layer_themes&LayerTheme=Show%20the%20Livery%20Halls%20layers" style="font-family: inherit;">Interactive map from the Corporation of London website</a></li><li><font face="inherit"><a href="https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca">Interactive map covering the period prior to the Great Fire of 1666</a></font></li><li><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/518328018/the-city-of-london-a2-poster-map-of?ref=shop_home_active_8" style="font-family: inherit;">A2 Colour Poster map of the Livery Halls and Principal Civic Buildings</a></li><li><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/579270904/the-city-livery-map-pdf?ref=shop_home_active_5" style="font-family: inherit;">Digital download of the above A2 colour Poster Map</a></li><li><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/532136875/the-city-livery-laser-cut-wooden-jigsaw?ref=shop_home_active_7&crt=1" style="font-family: inherit;">250 piece laser-cut wooden jigsaw of the above A2 colour Poster Map</a></li></ul><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-UddxqGH-ItSBdIed9pLOBpT_RXBlCTkxdr6zZpM-Je7d6eCAHKVq7-2fPdFBnv7kZjAooFxMG0flFR62j6wQUMyciiBVHte9LoHNI-vC2lkN0RA2IPMRveIg0Q1cTqdTylY-tCQuc40/s800/City+and+Livery+Map+%252816th+December+2016%2529+small.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="800" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-UddxqGH-ItSBdIed9pLOBpT_RXBlCTkxdr6zZpM-Je7d6eCAHKVq7-2fPdFBnv7kZjAooFxMG0flFR62j6wQUMyciiBVHte9LoHNI-vC2lkN0RA2IPMRveIg0Q1cTqdTylY-tCQuc40/w500-h354/City+and+Livery+Map+%252816th+December+2016%2529+small.png" width="500" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small; text-align: center;"><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p>This A2 size poster-map of the City's Livery Halls, Churches and Principal Civic Buildings is available from purchase from cityandlivery.etsy.com</span><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><b>Looking to the future</b></font></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="inherit">I hope to be able to return to organising guided tours of Livery Halls in 2021, until then I trust my followers will enjoy exploring the various virtual tours and reading more about the City’s many private treasure houses. Meanwhile we can but hope that some of the halls will open to the public on Open House London weekend in September.</font></p>
<p style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p>
<div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div></div>cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-50659073389350498772020-03-22T09:15:00.002+00:002022-06-18T06:55:34.913+01:00Virtualising the LiveryWhen I applied to join the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists in the winter of 2010 I made a decision to get involved in aspects of the Livery that were unconnected with my career in IT. This was partly because I wanted to do something new and challenging, and because I was very active in the professional body for the IT industry in the UK (BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT) I didn't need yet another extension to my career with IBM.<br />
<br />
The decision to get involved in something new led me to take an interest in the history, culture, customs, traditions, quirks and foibles of the City of London in general and the Livery Companies in particular. So far as is possible I've tried to keep my day job and my activities within the Livery untangled so the latter doesn't become an extension of the former.<br />
<br />
Occasionally my knowledge of IT and the digital realm has crossed over with the world of the Livery, most recently I co-delivered an event on Digital Heraldry at IT Hall just prior to Christmas. WCIT won the Heraldry Society's Corporate Heraldry Award in 2018... proving that ancient and modern can combine.<br />
<br />
The current situation with the Covid19 virus has forced the closure of the Livery Halls, cancellation or postponement of Livery events, and almost entirely eliminated the possibility of regular face-to-face meetings among Liverymen.<br />
<br />
So how can the Livery make use of Information Technology to maintain contact with members, to hold Court and committee meetings, to share news, to collaborate on projects, to participate in online events, and even to attract new members?<br />
<br />
In these challenging times voluntary associations, clubs and societies will need to adapt quickly in order to survive. The 'easy' option of simply shutting up shop and hoping for the best is a well trodden path to obsolescence. Let's not embark on that journey!<br />
<br />
<b>I encourage all the Livery Companies, from the most senior Past-Master to the youngest apprentice, now is the time to get social media savvy. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
If you are reading this you've already taken a big step, <a href="http://blogger.com/">blogger</a> (the tool I'm using to write this blog article) is one way your Livery Company can keep in touch with members and non-members alike.<br />
<b><br /></b>
Here are some quick, easy and practical steps you, your Livery Company staff and your fellow Freemen and Liverymen can take to stay in touch and continue Livery Company business by other means.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Sign up for <a href="http://twitter.com/">Twitter</a></b>. This is the perfect and simple-to-use tool for following your Livery Company's Twitter account. Twitter is great for short, punchy announcements, sharing photos, short video clips, links to websites and the suchlike. Most of the Livery Companies are active on Twitter. The Livery Companies that are not on Twitter have taken a step down the path I mention above.</li>
<li><b>Use <a href="http://skype.com/">Skype</a>, <a href="http://webex.com/">Webex</a> or <a href="http://zoom.us/">Zoom</a> to host online committee meetings</b>. These are just three popular web-conference tools that offer a basic account for free. Each provides the means to engaging in a meeting where all the participants are remote from each other. They allow video, audio and screen sharing in addition to text chat and other facilities. No doubt many older members of the Livery will have used Skype to chat to their grandchildren - there's nothing to stop you scaling that up for hosting Court or committee meetings. Note: While there are legitimate concerns regarding Zoom's privacy policy and lack of end-to-end encryption, these concerns are more relevant to the Prime Minister's use of Zoom for holiday cabinet meetings than they are for the day-to-day business of a club, society or Livery Company.</li>
<li><b>Digitise your Company newsletter or magazine</b>. The Pan-Livery Initiative's survey on Livery Communications found that most Livery Companies are pretty good at internal communications. Most Companies still produce a quarterly magazine and an annual review, often printed at great expense. Nothing stops you distributing that magazine by email in Portable Document Format (PDF), or publishing it on your company's website. In fact I would also suggest you <a href="http://forms.bl.uk/bibliographic/index.aspx?_ga=2.173564960.220699688.1585816776-1999176269.1585816776">register your digital magazine for an ISSN</a> (they are free) at the same time. The <span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;">British Library</span></span> will automatically pick up any digital publication with an ISSN that is published to a website - thereby allowing researchers, academics and historians to access your Company's magazine - which should be the first cut of the Company's history.</li>
<li><b>Share agendas, minutes, reports and other documents using <a href="http://dropbox.com/">DropBox</a></b>. This collaborative file sharing service provides a very simple and effective means of distributing documents online. It is secure, integrates well with your PC or Mac's inbuilt document folders and the basic version provides ample file storage for most Livery Company needs.</li>
<li><b>Get blogging with <b><a href="http://wix.com/">Wix</a>, <a href="http://blogger.com/">Blogger</a> or <a href="http://wordpress.com/">Wordpress</a>.</b> </b> These are just three among many free blogging tools available, and they are easy to setup and use for publishing articles that can include photos and links to other resources. Bonus: There's are no deadlines, and no sub-editor! (Actually those might be disadvantages). There's no reason why the Master can't have his or her own blog, and perhaps committee chairmen might have their own. You don't have to work to a regular schedule (I don't) and depending on the topic you may decide to write an in-depth article or a more frequent and concise in-flight magazine style piece.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<b>Pitfalls to avoid</b><br />
<br />
<b>Analysis paralysis</b>... that is the temptation to evaluate and test out every tool on the web, or engage in protracted research into the best tool in the store. The web has literally thousands of free tools to enable social collaboration online - beware entering the biggest digital DIY store with the intention of finding the perfect hammer to fix that picture hook to the wall. It's the picture you're keen to enjoy... not the brand, features and functions of the hammer.<br />
<br />
<b>Don't form another committee! </b>The Livery's response to most new challenges is to form a committee, to agree terms of reference (usually handed down by a higher committee), to appoint members to the committee, elect or appoint a chairman, secretary and other members, to draft an agenda, schedule meetings, engage in discussion, generate reports, report back to a higher committee... all very familiar... and all totally inappropriate for the needs of the hour. You'll be better served finding 2-3 enthusiastic members who are willing to dive in and have a go.<br />
<br />
<b>Key to success</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Sooner is better than perfect</b>. The Livery's normal decision making processes progress (and I quote a particular learned and eminent Clerk here) "At the pace of a striking slug". Getting stuck in and trying these things out, learning what works and what doesn't, is far more effective than spending weeks engineering the perfect solution. These web tools are designed to be easy to use, they are flexible, they are generally quite secure (if you apply the same diligence as you would with your wallet or purse), and you will improve with experience. Be prepared to make mistakes - fail fast, learn quickly and try, try again. As Churchill famously wrote when Alan Turing asked for support to build the Bombe computer that cracked the German Enigma code <i>"Action this day".</i><br />
<br />
allied to this...<br />
<br />
<b>Ask forgiveness, not permission</b>. We all know that if you want something done, ask a busy person. One of the characteristics of busy people is that they tend to be self-motivated, self-directed and do not wait for permission to act. This is just the sort of person who will drive forward the Company's engagement on Social Media. That's not to say they are (or should be) a loose cannon, but these times call for agility of thinking and action... not dogmatic application of the Livery hierarchy and decision making process. Set out a clear goal, some simple guidelines and let the enthusiastic volunteer get on with it. You'll be amazed what people will achieve when you trust them and let them bring their talents to the fore.<br />
<br />
<b>Do still get out (safely)</b>. The tools and tips I have provided can help you get started to virtualise Livery Company meetings, events and communications, but keep these balanced with the need to get out in the garden, take the dog for a walk, go cycling, phone your friends and relatives... keep as much normality as you can sustain while heading the advice of the Chief Medical Officer.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPu3TU-5ZCuaWVC-e1LmURWTOo11sdnT3X7eGDSPT3lSTEDP4zDolpHbayFg3C9no0wk9VMZ6fUtTfb49ECKAKm1Ol6-QJKdj5li3Et538UhyphenhyphenCciL4fwAdpLY8kK_zklC2zCr80Eo4e9wz/s1600/Screenshot+2020-03-22+at+09.15.27.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPu3TU-5ZCuaWVC-e1LmURWTOo11sdnT3X7eGDSPT3lSTEDP4zDolpHbayFg3C9no0wk9VMZ6fUtTfb49ECKAKm1Ol6-QJKdj5li3Et538UhyphenhyphenCciL4fwAdpLY8kK_zklC2zCr80Eo4e9wz/s640/Screenshot+2020-03-22+at+09.15.27.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This blog is in itself an example of virtualising the Livery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<b>Still not convinced?</b><br />
<br />
On 10th and again on 17th April I am hosting a live, web-based lecture, presentation and Q&A event entitled Treasures of the Livery Halls. This will be my first public lecture about the Livery on a popular topic. I am already using Twitter to promote the event, I will broadcast using Webex and will write up a blog afterwards using Blogger. If you'd like to join me to get a feel of how a web-based event works sign up at <a class="url-ext" data-full-url="http://liverytreasures.eventbrite.co.uk" href="http://liveryhalltreasures.eventbrite.co.uk/" rel="url noopener noreferrer" style="color: #1da1f2; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", Arial, "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3", "Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro", メイリオ, Meiryo, "MS Pゴシック", "MS PGothic"; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">liveryhalltreasures.eventbrite.co.uk</a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpds1_LO3ImfRrAiIEd3avq_RPCMBW3mwifxLaRqjR8U20IaCiXpx-rbhty77WW7CNIW9UFgVZubApA3brR-dxd6Mw5KKHcj5Nen3bJ-ITEJS-o-jJV0obs1zM035SSNeqyh2VHDJLpGv/s1600/Screenshot+2020-03-21+at+06.49.32.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpds1_LO3ImfRrAiIEd3avq_RPCMBW3mwifxLaRqjR8U20IaCiXpx-rbhty77WW7CNIW9UFgVZubApA3brR-dxd6Mw5KKHcj5Nen3bJ-ITEJS-o-jJV0obs1zM035SSNeqyh2VHDJLpGv/s640/Screenshot+2020-03-21+at+06.49.32.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first public web-based lecture will be on 10th April and again on 17th April (6-7.30pm UK time)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br /><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-2944382094603599512019-12-02T11:33:00.003+00:002022-06-18T06:56:08.075+01:00What exactly is a Livery Company?<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The tragic terrorist attack of Friday 29</span><sup style="font-family: inherit;">th</sup><span style="font-family: inherit;"> November 2019 that took place within and outside Fishmongers’ Hall at the northern end of London Bridge threw a spotlight on that building and the organisation that owns it, but also more widely on these curious City of London institutions called Livery Companies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The events that took place in the hall and then spilled out onto the pavement caused a peak in interest on social media about the Fishmongers’ Hall, not least because of the heroism of the staff as reported by the Company's Clerk (Commodore Toby Williamson) on the BBC News. Social Media was alive with questions about whether the Fishmongers' Hall was a pub, a fishmonger's shop, perhaps even a fish and chip shop... it is none of those things.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This blog seeks to explain what a Livery Company is (in the UK) for those who may wish to learn more. Reduced the simplest description a Livery Company is an occupational guild formed by Royal Charter, but that hardly helps explain what they are, so read on...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKE07ZvN8SpybQ5KpSCQZrdS1AOkHCYUscQmoloAnZJk9noTZIZHXCUO_3lW9N_7xOYeu7vrSSzYh49hYFE7TnYtxy05Y0smMnDSka1StWsQD-uBn2TWlCzc-_sVMFJeVsSNKko_q18qp1/s1600/Livery+Company+Arms.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKE07ZvN8SpybQ5KpSCQZrdS1AOkHCYUscQmoloAnZJk9noTZIZHXCUO_3lW9N_7xOYeu7vrSSzYh49hYFE7TnYtxy05Y0smMnDSka1StWsQD-uBn2TWlCzc-_sVMFJeVsSNKko_q18qp1/s640/Livery+Company+Arms.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coats of Arms of the City of London's 110 Livery Companies, and two Companies without Livery<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><b>A thing without comparison</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first challenge one faces when explaining a Livery Company is that of its unique nature. No two Livery Companies are identical and none of them are directly comparable with others social, political or cultural constructs – yet they exhibit aspects of all three of these facets of society. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The entirely understandable desire to compare the Livery Companies with some other institution that is more </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">readily</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> understood results in all sorts claims that bare no relationship to the reality of the Livery Companies. More on that further on...</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">The second challenge is that of the rule of exceptions. The only rule that applies uniformly to all Livery Companies; ancient or modern; large or small; wealthy or not is the rule of exceptions. Every Livery Company is distinct from the next, and they prize their independence. It is possible to be a very active and engaged member of one Livery Company and oblivious to the goings on in the others. Livery Companies cannot be lumped together as if they are part of a greater whole, they are all distinct and separate, but they do share common features.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>There’s no Livery without history</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">While the City’s 110 Livery Companies remain relevant in the 21<sup>st</sup> century, it’s impossible to place them in the present without a brief look to their past. Nobody would invent a Livery Company from scratch today, and their evolution over centuries has endowed them with a variety of roles. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">The earliest Livery Companies probably started as religious guilds with an occupationally aligned membership. Early medieval London had over 140 churches, several monastic intuitions and the cathedral of St Paul. Since the various trades and crafts tended to gather in particular areas of the City, the merchants and craftsmen lived close by and probably prayed together. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">It’s not a great leap from there to understand why they might have gathered together to feast and drink, to share the knowledge of their occupations, to raise sons as apprentices, and to provide for widows and orphans.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">So the guilds took on an increasingly occupational focus. They established rules of governance, elected officers, members paid a subscription, and the wealthier guilds began to build halls in which business was transacted, religious feasts were observed and members met to agree ordinances for the regulation of their occupation. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">It was from these roots that the Livery Companies flourished.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">In the interests of brevity we now need to skip almost 1,000 years of development, since some of the earliest Livery Companies began as Guilds prior to the Norman Conquest. This article doesn’t have space for even a concise history of the Guilds and their evolution to become Livery Companies, moreover than story has been immensely well researched and documented by historians going back as far as the Tudor era.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">Broadly the Livery Companies are grouped into the ancient companies (Butchers, Bakers, Candlestick Makers and so on) and the modern companies (Architects, Engineers, Surveyors, Educators, etc). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">There are 110 Livery Companies in total, and five more in the making. Broad generalisations about the Livery Companies soon fall into the trap of stereotyping and phrases such as ‘Gentlemen’s Club’, ‘Masonic Body’ or ‘Early Trade Union’ are a sure sign of ignorance of what a Livery Company actually is. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><br />These lazy comparisons are not helpful, but they are understandable for the reasons given above.<br /><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">Let’s deal with these comparisons before we go further by clearly stating that Livery Companies are not now and were never clubs for gentlemen (they admit women), secret societies, offshoots of Freemasonry or anything like an early mass labour movement body working to improve the conditions of rank and file workers.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Some Livery terminology</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;">The word 'Livery' simply refers to the uniform worn by the officers of the Company. Each Livery Company has its own colours and its own coat of arms much as universities have different academic dress. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;">The senior elected officer of a Livery Company goes by the title of Master, Prime Warden or Upper Bailiff. He or she is elected to chair the Company's Court (board of governors).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;">The senior employee of a Livery Company is titled the Clerk - an appointment sometimes described as CEO outside the Livery to make it easier to understand. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;">That said, direct comparisons with the structure of a modern company are not particularly useful as a Livery Company has no shareholders, produces no products, offers no services, does not trade, and as a Royal Charter Corporation it is not required to submit accounts to Companies House.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><b>The Livery Companies today, their role and relevance</b></span></span>
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">A very quick summary of the work of the City of London’s 110 Livery Companies in the 21<sup>st</sup> century identifies four major areas of activity:</span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><a href="https://cityandlivery.blogspot.com/2019/03/charity-north-star-of-livery-companies.html" target="_blank">Charity</a>. The principal activity of the Livery Companies today is that of charitable work, whether by making financial donations to good causes, by providing pro bono time and talent of the membership, by bringing worthy causes together with businesses at networking events, hosting fund raising events, or by enabling other charities to use their premises.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><a href="https://cityandlivery.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-art-and-mistery-of-livery-companies.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Trade</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. Some of the Livery Companies are also involved in the regulation of their occupation, a particularly good example is the Gunmakers’ Company which still tests all smallbore firearms in the UK. Another is the Farriers’ Company which operates a register of qualified farriers subject to the Farrier Registration Act (1974). The Goldsmiths’ Company run the Assay Office in London and it is from their marking of gold, silver, platinum and palladium that we get the term ‘hall mark’.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><a href="https://cityandlivery.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-city-of-london-and-livery-company.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Education</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. Some of the Livery Companies are engaged in running Apprenticeship schemes such as that operated by the Shipwrights’ Company. Several of the Companies are also involved in the governance of schools; Gresham’s, Oundle, Haberdashers’ Aske’s, St Paul’s and more recently Hammersmith Academy are but a few among many founded, funded and governed by the Livery Companies.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fellowship. Every Livery Company is a membership organisation, its strength comes from the commitment the Freemen (junior members) and Liverymen (senior members) make to the life of the Company, to charitable work, to school governorships, to upholding standards in trade and other aspects of the Company’s life.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">T</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">he Livery Companies bring their membership together in a wide array of sporting and social activities including some spectacular banquets, but this is just the cherry on the cake… it is by no means the whole story.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">In additional to the four cardinal points, the Livery is also active in six other areas:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Support to the Lord Mayor and the City of London Corporation. The Liverymen (senior members) of the Livery Companies elect the City’s two Sheriffs and the approve the candidates for election to the office of Lord Mayor. The Sheriffs and the Lord Mayor serve a single term of 12 months (unpaid) and every candidate will be a member of one of more Livery Companies. It is the City’s Livery Committee (a body that brings together the Livery Companies and the City of London Corporation) that manages the annual election process. The Livery Companies also participate in the Lord Mayor’s Show and support the annual Lord Mayor’s Appeal.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><a href="https://cityandlivery.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-citys-relationship-with-armed-forces.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Support to HM Armed Forces</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. Every Livery Company will have at least one and typically multiple military affiliations with Royal Naval ships, shore stations, Regiments and Corps of the British Army, and Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Each Livery Company finds its own way to bringing its relationship with the military to life, some are engaged in career development for officers and enlisted ranks, others are involved in awards and prize giving, others participate in joint charitable activities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Support to Uniformed Youth Groups. Most Livery Companies are affiliated with one or more Cadet Forces units, some are affiliated with St John Ambulance Cadets and the Worshipful Company of Fire Fighters is affiliated with a group of Fire Brigade Cadets in London. As with the military affiliations the nature of the partnership with uniformed youth groups will vary from one to the next, but most invite the cadets to form a guard of honour at formal banquets.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Support to the Church. Several of the Livery Companies have the Benefice (right to appoint the Priest) at numerous parish churches around England. Sometimes this Benefice is shared with another organisation such as an ancient university. Every Livery Company maintains links with a church in the City of London and usually conducts (at the very least) an annual service on day of installing its Master for the year ensuing and a carol service in the run up to Christmas. Most Companies will also appoint an Honorary Chaplain, and the membership of the Company are considered part of the church’s parish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Patronage of the Arts. The Livery Companies have a long history of commissioning portraits, gold and silverware, songs and anthems, and performances of all sorts. Several of the Companies award prizes at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, others, such as the Worshipful Company of Musicians, support talented musicians in their early careers.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Preservation of Culture and Heritage. Several of the Livery Companies own a hall in the City of London, some of these halls are of ancient origin, others are post World War Two rebuilds on the same site as an earlier hall. The halls contain a bewildering array of treasures from ancient manuscripts to modern art pieces, and yes - even the occasional narwhal tusk. The Livery Companies are both owners and custodians of these treasures, and they also maintain many customs and traditions that form part of the cultural history of England. One tradition that all Livery Companies observe is that of the Loving Cup which is shared during formal banquets.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Taken together these aspects of the life of a Livery Company provide a bewilderingly diverse array of activities, affiliations and associations that are not found in any other sort of organisation. Even among the Livery Companies there are enormous differences in the way these aspects are conducted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Fishmongers’ Company still inspects the quality of fish at Billingsgate Market, while the Pattenmakers’ Company has reinvented itself to ally with the development of prosthetic limbs. The Air Pilots’ Company has a flourishing profession and acts as the professional body for aviation (civil and military), whereas the Horners’ Company has found new relevance in the plastics industry. The Farmers’ Company is increasingly active in the field of technology in farming, the Goldsmiths have funded a new gallery in the Museum of London. No two Livery Companies are the same, but they all remain relevant in the 21<sup>st</sup> century.</span></span></span></span><br />
<b style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></b><div class="MsoNormal"><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #757575; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #757575; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></div>
<br />cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-2889408306592001722019-11-15T21:54:00.001+00:002022-06-18T06:56:25.553+01:00Vote for Vellum! The 'roll' [sic] of parchment and vellum in preserving history and heritage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Every Freeman of the City of London receives a small certificate as the physical token of admission into the Freedom. In times past this document was carried in a wooden tube and had to be available for inspection, something akin to a license to trade.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Most Freemen choose to have their Copy of Freedom (as it is described) framed by the Chamberlain's Court before they leave Guildhall. Because of this the Freemen rarely, if ever, handle the document to feel its texture, perhaps they assume it's just a piece of paper.<br />
<div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22ecUSqhiBzHOen2YJnwnNy_-pRhqHs1w-n_xlSlfP97fls3_fSrRBhCH2S1y2tWlKslyoTky5Miw4q9F_HYdyZuyDS22Np4VOZ9ofduawnB8FCS5cok52pwSBYjDgDMV6rPaLYdOIuK2/s1600/P1030211.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22ecUSqhiBzHOen2YJnwnNy_-pRhqHs1w-n_xlSlfP97fls3_fSrRBhCH2S1y2tWlKslyoTky5Miw4q9F_HYdyZuyDS22Np4VOZ9ofduawnB8FCS5cok52pwSBYjDgDMV6rPaLYdOIuK2/s640/P1030211.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">A copy of Freedom of the City of London, ready for the final calligraphy work by the Chamberlain's Court in the City of London. This one prepared for a Freedom admission during the year of the 692nd Lord Mayor of London, William Russell</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Every Copy of Freedom is written on fine quality parchment rather than paper. The parchment is made from the skin of a sheep and is produced in the UK by <a href="http://www.williamcowley.co.uk/about-us/" target="_blank">William Cowley</a> of Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire (a family owned business founded in 1850).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
William Cowley is thought to be the last commercial parchment (sheep) and vellum (calf or goat skin) maker in the world, and still crafts with traditional tools and techniques to produce the highest quality materials for writing, drawing, painting and upholstery.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
William Cowley's products are used by governments, universities, archive bodies, painters, calligraphers, book binders, interior designers and others who produce documents, paintings, illustrations and anything that might otherwise be represented and stored on paper. If you want to ensure a written document is around in 1,000 years - vellum or parchment is the best and perhaps only choice.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The City of London's connection with parchment and vellum is also evident in the numerous Royal Charters granted to the Livery Companies, the Letters Patent granting arms to individual Liverymen and to their respective Livery Company, and in the Royal Warrants that appoint the City's Sheriffs (on display in the Old Bailey).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOC4tpA7TybM0woSFKpdpowZDi9dtGaxCgzzSifsdCxES8HnL3Q_oXxygPEiDgqQE7JDLhi9676Pad6oOBOj1m_afQVqnr1Eb-VIHI-zjoc0-TYCZI2hBLyFC0we-5Gpk73PmpahrMV_O/s1600/P1020052.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOC4tpA7TybM0woSFKpdpowZDi9dtGaxCgzzSifsdCxES8HnL3Q_oXxygPEiDgqQE7JDLhi9676Pad6oOBOj1m_afQVqnr1Eb-VIHI-zjoc0-TYCZI2hBLyFC0we-5Gpk73PmpahrMV_O/s640/P1020052.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail from the Letters Patent granting arms to the Drapers' Company, dating from the mid 15th century</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
The College of Arms in the City of London is another major user of vellum and has been for centuries. Grants of arms are still presented on vellum today and are richly illustrated, making a treasure that will, like a coat of arms, be unique and perpetual. Likewise the Court of Lord Lyon in Edinburgh and the Canadian Heraldic Authority make use of William Cowley's products.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>So why do we still use parchment and vellum in the 21st century?</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Parchment and vellum are exceptionally strong, hard wearing, long-lasting and stable products that will last for many centuries, even millennia under normal storage conditions. They are sustainable, organic products that are environmentally friendly and exceptionally versatile.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you are in any doubt about the qualities of animal skin as superior product to paper, ask yourself this question: Why don't we make shoes out of paper? Mudlarks are still finding Roman era leather shoes on the banks of the Thames at low tide anywhere up to 2,000 years after the Roman's arrived in London. Think about that for a moment: Those shoes have survived 2,000 immersed in river water!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Parchment and vellum provide a superior product for all manner of documents that will have a lifespan of many centuries. They do not require any special storage requirements and may be displayed or stored in the home or workplace.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>How important is parchment and vellum in the history of written communication?</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
No copy of Magna Carta would exist today had that document been written on paper. Tony Hancock would never have said those immortal words<i> 'Does Magna Carta mean nothing to you, did she die in vain?'.</i><br />
<br />
The <i>Liber Albus</i> or White Book of the City of London, the oldest book on Common Law, would not exist had it been written on paper. The Domesday Book would be unknown to us had it been a paper manuscript. The various <i>Mappa Mundi</i> would be unknown to us although I'm sure Sir Terry Prachett's Discworld makes for a suitable 21st century alternative.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
With the exception of stone carving, our written knowledge of early history, the development of religion, government, law, politics and other pivotal events in the growth of civilisation would be entirely gone. Events leading to and following the Norman Conquest would be known only by a large embroidery (erroneously described as a tapestry) in Bayeux, and so on throughout history.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The importance of parchment and vellum to the development of civilisation cannot be over-emphasised. Simply put without it our history would be gone.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Surely paper can replace animal skins?</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Modern paper manufacturing processes rely on wood pulp which becomes acidic over time even if Ph neutral or alkaline at the time of manufacture. This causes it to break down in as little as a week after manufacture in normal conditions. Paper also suffers from photo-degradation and of course it doesn't get on well with water, and burns rather enthusiastically.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Archiving of written records on paper requires specialist paper designed to counteract the development of acids, specialist inks and careful handling (our hands transfer oils to the paper which accelerate the degeneration) and lastly specialist storage conditions. In short if you plan to archive on paper you have to manage the inevitable degradation from which paper suffers.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
From the perspective of animal welfare not a single calf, sheep or goat would be saved or have a longer life by ceasing to use parchment or vellum as supply far outstrips demand. Most animal carcasses go to landfill, parchment and vellum making takes a minuscule proportion of the world's existing trade in animal products, taking only what would otherwise be destroyed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Conversely paper is a manmade product that comes from wood pulp, not always from sustainable sources, and often forested from mono-crop forestry plantations that have their own environmental challenges. A 2018 report into the state of the global paper industry by the Environmental Paper Network states that 'Paper consumption is at unsustainable levels and globally is steadily increasing... the industry has substantial climate change impacts'.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Despite all the hopes of a paperless office resulting from the advent of computers, global paper consumption continues to increase to an average of 55kg per person per year with attendant issues of water pollution, consumption of fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions and a consequential growth in government regulation of the industry. Who among us does not have a recycling bin for paper as a result of legislation to lessen the environmental impact?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Animal skins are a natural product and nature creates no waste. That said intensive farming methods of livestock also brings environmental challenges, but overall parchment and vellum are environmentally superior to paper in every respect.<br />
<br />
Another benefit of parchment and vellum is that it is reusable. Manuscripts can be cleaned and smoothed down with pumice stone to produce a fine surface that may be written on again. With the use of UV technology it is possible to read the original text. Manuscripts of this type are called palimpsests.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Making of parchment and vellum</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In November of 2019 I had the privilege of visiting William Cowley to see, smell, hear and feel the process of parchment and vellum making. I'm indebted to Paul Wright, General Manager of William Cowley for allowing me to visit as the firm is not normally open to visitors.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The process starts with selecting animal skins from an abattoir, and this needs to be done before they begin to rot. A tiny proportion of animal skins are selected and while 500 may be examined in a day, perhaps 60 are taken. The end to end process takes about six weeks so the total number of skins taken by William Cowley is impossibly small to measure against the scale of the meat industry world-wide.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Since skins are organic products, the concepts of industrialisation and uniformity of production are alien to parchment and vellum making. Just as no two humans are the same, no two animals are the same. Factors such as species, age, diet, season, exposure to the elements, pigmentation and even whether the animal died naturally or was slaughtered will all affect the skin.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The skins are stored 'salted' (another natural substance) until they are ready to be washed in lime over several day which aids the removal of hair. Eventually the skins are clean enough to be dried and stretched on a frame called a hearse. Drying is achieved through the natural circulation of air in a warm room, no direct heat is applied and the skins dry quickly as they would if the animal were skill alive.</div>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIePVjhoJbZoQQW08G3S_FDdSRJmeguZShFhbFqpS6AFFsuBroHwVpguvAZHbl8DM0IYtOg0ls0rPqGrAEUWYsakxuF6RM6tH-nkTuPscD_3ta8wRGFcAvRQS3WmCgZJ746g98s6fQQkb/s1600/P1030216.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIePVjhoJbZoQQW08G3S_FDdSRJmeguZShFhbFqpS6AFFsuBroHwVpguvAZHbl8DM0IYtOg0ls0rPqGrAEUWYsakxuF6RM6tH-nkTuPscD_3ta8wRGFcAvRQS3WmCgZJ746g98s6fQQkb/s640/P1030216.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beast that once had this skin is now 'pegged out', the frame on which it is held under tension while drying is aptly named a hearse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
Once the skins are dried they are held under tension and scraped with a tool named a lunar or lunarium which is a curved blade with a double handle. The skin is scraped with a punching motion which removes any remaining hair and pigmentation on the upper side, and the sinews of fat on the underside. I had a go at using the lunar and found that it wasn't necessary to apply any great pressure to work the surface of the skin, but parchment making career was very short so if you want to see the Master and Apprentice in action, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX-sEx83afg" target="_blank">watch this short video</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcHIVPjo2RUQUnaI4JZzoX9APUhEk3bvLxBer_5YN18Pw4vCRKj_EYw26sVYs1mntYMijp_wXmaY0W8djykpjUOiyBPaNgF-UxL-OPbwDgshRBsGXBJ9Tdw3Rp2FVC8aBAQwlbv79njKk/s1600/P1030223.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcHIVPjo2RUQUnaI4JZzoX9APUhEk3bvLxBer_5YN18Pw4vCRKj_EYw26sVYs1mntYMijp_wXmaY0W8djykpjUOiyBPaNgF-UxL-OPbwDgshRBsGXBJ9Tdw3Rp2FVC8aBAQwlbv79njKk/s640/P1030223.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleaning a sheep skin to make parchment. The curved blade, called a lunar(ium) acts somewhat like a razor to achieve a smooth surface.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When the parchment or vellum has been reduced to the required thickness it is marked with the maker's mark and is then ready for cutting, dying (if required) and storage. The highest quality vellum is covered with a glue made of the offcuts of the skin to give it an even smoother surface. This particular style of vellum is known as kelmscott and is used for the very finest illustrations that can achieve a precision and level of detail that is impossible to deliver on paper.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdFfZ1mNSOGhwoqtWyoQrZ7kqiJA298rl_FANeh2H1GWjr4Q6AdTKU8GcQO6hUBk5LMhaeepZxg0DnMvg9pWNsGTA7Co0lZzAbcuFM9t-F1g0vsqh9EZkQ2fyshB2w1Nh8Obdjtyd3CPX/s1600/P1030232.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdFfZ1mNSOGhwoqtWyoQrZ7kqiJA298rl_FANeh2H1GWjr4Q6AdTKU8GcQO6hUBk5LMhaeepZxg0DnMvg9pWNsGTA7Co0lZzAbcuFM9t-F1g0vsqh9EZkQ2fyshB2w1Nh8Obdjtyd3CPX/s640/P1030232.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every finished skin is marked with the maker's personal mark for quality control and traceability</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Some goatskin vellum is dyed for use in the production of interior furnishings. A wide range of colours are possible and the pattern achieved will be unique to each skin as the oil in the skin will cause the dye to be absorbed in differing strengths.<br />
<br />
Another characteristic of the unique nature of parchment and vellum is that it contains DNA. This enables the artist to keep a small section of the material for future testing against any suspected fake or forgery. While it is possible to copy brush and pen strokes, to source ages canvas, to use 3D printing and other techniques to defeat the art dealer and specialist, DNA cannot be forged. Using vellum or parchment as the medium for painting and illustration allows the artist, the dealer, the auctioneer and the owner to prove beyond all doubt the provenance of the work.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrWiS9wWNb7I_kt6lvjDBHnVE_m9rlml3ORFTlnY2ICjlRzo9dV4WiNlQUXMfCFznnIong0CSZqYvGKS0XqVhDsi5oqd1wzuWSklqnq6_ZPWCIZOIZ8d2FpYYnifonySxcRu9IEk3EedK/s1600/P1030233.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrWiS9wWNb7I_kt6lvjDBHnVE_m9rlml3ORFTlnY2ICjlRzo9dV4WiNlQUXMfCFznnIong0CSZqYvGKS0XqVhDsi5oqd1wzuWSklqnq6_ZPWCIZOIZ8d2FpYYnifonySxcRu9IEk3EedK/s640/P1030233.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dyed vellum is used in the luxury furniture trade and is exceptionally hard wearing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSc3arJ7T_1w7Cxwp2oI6QSxozdYHyGuUHVnNNHfgMNzWz5ASqg0-I_tOJpHDXxb0CL_mjDoZRTouoCGqvadrOsd_dlVq3aC3Zy9d_fbb4_6pBq5KP8t7zc4Wi0hwEsIBHs372vcmn1DGJ/s1600/P1030235.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSc3arJ7T_1w7Cxwp2oI6QSxozdYHyGuUHVnNNHfgMNzWz5ASqg0-I_tOJpHDXxb0CL_mjDoZRTouoCGqvadrOsd_dlVq3aC3Zy9d_fbb4_6pBq5KP8t7zc4Wi0hwEsIBHs372vcmn1DGJ/s640/P1030235.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every piece of dyed vellum will exhibit a differing pattern which results in every piece of furniture that uses vellum being a unique artefact which is special to the owner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>A vote for vellum!</b><br />
<br />
Since parliamentary records began in the UK they have been recorded on animal skins. It's for this reason that the events of great importance in our national history are so well recorded. The entry of Charles I into the House of Commons is recorded up to the point that he ordered the scribe to stop writing... just a few years later the scribe had plenty to write during Charles's trial and subsequent execution.<br />
<br />
A blow to the craft occurred in 2016 when, after considerable debate, a motion to do away with vellum as a means of recording laws in the UK was <a href="https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-04-20/debates/16042043000001/RecordCopiesOfActs" target="_blank">debated in the House of Commons</a>. The motion was motivated by short-sighted penny pinching. Thankfully the House of Commons voted it down, however the House of Lords decided to change to using paper none-the-less.<br />
<br />
In the end the cabinet office stumped up the funds to achieve a partial retention of animal skin in recording our laws by providing a cover piece in vellum while the content is printed on archive quality paper. The saving to the tax payer was in the order of £10,000-£20,000 per annum, a saving that was immediately wiped out by the cost of maintaining paper in special conditions to slow its inevitable deterioration.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile the annual <a href="https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2018-11-05.HL11243.h" target="_blank">catering and retail service bill</a> for the House of Lords for the year 2017-2018 was £1,346,000.<br />
<br />
<b>What's the future for parchment and vellum making?</b><br />
<br />
William Cowley is the only commercial maker of parchment and vellum. The business has a Master and an Apprentice in training along with two other members of staff. The skills take at least seven years to learn in order to become proficient and many more to become a master craftsman. Many of the skills cannot be recorded and transferred in written form as they involve the senses of smell, touch, sound and sight. Above all the craft is one that relies on practical experience and it is therefore vital that the skills are retained by putting them in to practice.<br />
<br />
Here I see a role for the Livery Companies, long custodians of ancient crafts, and several have connections with the trade. If the Skinners' Company was on the lookout to re-establish an occupational link, and sponsor an apprentice, what better than sustaining and developing the skills and promoting the work of the vellum and parchment maker?<br />
<br />
<br /><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-38203121059880389302019-10-23T16:43:00.002+01:002022-06-18T06:56:42.128+01:00The City's Ward Clubs and their place in the 21st CenturyThe Ward Clubs of the City of London are one of those curious creatures that exist only in the eco-system of the City and find no direct parallel anywhere else in the UK. Part social club, part residents' association, part platform for engagement with voters, and part fabric of the City's cultural heritage the Ward Clubs vary in age, size, vibrancy and engagement with the residents, workers, voters and institutions of their respective ward.<br />
<br />
This blog article explores the origins, role and relevance of the Ward Clubs in the 21st century, at a time when many (but not all) of them appear to have retired to comfortable obscurity as quiet social clubs for persons of a certain age, but perhaps they are needed more than ever to engage with the growing and changing City residential and working population.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>When did the Ward Clubs begin?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The origins of the several of Ward Clubs may be found in early residents or rate payers associations, initially formed to keep down the rates in their respective ward. Nobody can be absolutely certain of the age of the oldest Ward Club but at least one (Candlewick) lays claim to being formed in the early 18th century. More recently Tower Ward Club was formed in 1971. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ward Clubs seem to have proliferated since rail travel made commuting into the City a viable means of getting to work. The Ward Clubs provided a focus for blending civic and social life among workers who were not also resident in the ward. Some Ward Clubs have failed and relaunched, others have merged (see below), but they all remain part of the City fabric.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Whether ancient or modern each club has its own culture and customs, and there is no template model that applies to every </span>club<span style="font-family: inherit;"> in terms of the membership and activities </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">undertaken by the club.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<b>What's the role of the Ward Clubs?</b><br />
<br />
In the 21st century the Ward Clubs serve a variety of roles, but most important among them is supporting the elected officers of the ward, to wit the Alderman and the Common Councilmen (these terms import both genders). Beyond that they provide a conduit for communication between voters and the elected officers of the Corporation, but their membership has evolved to encompass a wide array of people with varying levels of connection with the ward.<br />
<br />
One civic duty the Ward Clubs retain is that of organising the Wardmote at which the candidates standing for election to the offices of Alderman and Common Councilmen are elected. Such Wardmotes will occur whenever there is a vacancy, or every four years for Common Councilmen, or every six years for the Alderman. A Wardmote is also called once a year whether there is an election or not, and the ward's Alderman, Deputy and Common Councilmen use this as an opportunity to update residents on matters pertinent to the ward and wider City.<br />
<br />
The Wardmote is opened and closed by the Ward Beadle who in times past would have been responsible for ensuring all Freemen in the Ward were in attendance on penalty of a fine! Most wards have a single Beadle, but some of the larger wards have more than one Beadle.<br />
<br />
<b>How many Ward Clubs are there?</b><br />
<br />
There are 25 wards in the City of London, and every ward has two Ward Clubs. Therefore you might reasonably conclude that there are 50 Ward Clubs in the City. Remember though that this is the City of London, a realm beyond the reach of that most stringent of regimes known as logic. There are in fact 23 Ward Clubs of which three combine two wards each, and another spans every ward. As ever nothing is straightforward in the City.<br />
<br />
The complete list of Ward Clubs is as follows:<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #1a1a1a;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Aldersgate*<br />Aldgate<br />Bassishaw<br />Billingsgate<br />Bishopsgate<br />Bread Street*<br />Bridge<br />Broad Street<br />Candlewick<br />Castle Baynard<br />Cheap<br />Coleman Street<br />Cordwainer<br />Cripplegate<br />Farringdon (spanning the wards of Farringdon Within and Without)*<br />Langbourn*<br />Lime Street & Cornhill*+<br />Portsoken*<br />Queenhithe*<br />Tower<br />Vintry & Dowgate*<br />Walbrook*<br />United Wards' Club (spanning all the wards)</span></div>
<div style="color: #1a1a1a;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">* These Ward Clubs are not Associates of the United Wards' Club, proving that the rule of exceptions which applies so universally to the Livery Companies also touches the Ward Clubs. Association with the United Wards' Club gives the membership of an </span><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(26, 26, 26);">individual Ward Club the right to participate in events run by the United Wards' Club.</span></span><br />
<br />
+ An interesting point to note is that past ward boundaries meant that Lime Street and Cornhill wards were not joined by any boundary as they are today.<br />
<br />
<b>Who can join a Ward Club?</b><br />
<br />
Ward Clubs are membership organisations and each has its own fees and admission process, broadly the Ward Clubs will all admit resident voters, business voters, Freemen, Liverymen, elected members of Common Council and others with substantive links to the ward in particular or the City in general. It is certainly not a requirement of membership to live or work in the ward associated with the Ward Club.<br />
<br />
Joining fees tend to be a fraction of that for a Livery Company and well within the reach of even those on a very modest wage. Similarly Ward Club events tend to be very reasonably priced and are usually held in a pub or similar venue, although annual luncheons will be held in Guildhall.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><b>What does a Ward Club actually do?</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In many respects the Ward Club is the same as any other social grouping, it has an elected committee and a broader membership, there's an Annual General Meeting, there are regular committee meetings and a variety of social events that range from outings, to dinners to talks and presentations. </span>Another feature of Ward Club life is the annual Carol Service which will usually be held in a church in the ward.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A Ward Club civic luncheon is one of the few City events where Morning Dress is the appropriate dress code, albeit a rather more sober interpretation than might be worn for a wedding or for Ascot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ward Clubs tend to have their own customs and traditions, and insignia of office. Most also have a regular newsletter which the City of London Corporation kindly provides in <a href="https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-the-city/voting-elections/Pages/ward-news-and-clubs.aspx" target="_blank">digital form on its website</a>. Likewise most Ward Clubs have a website, again details are to be found on the Corporation's website, and a few are even active on Social Media. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BLhF8lJNAfsEkaMzM6SVqtHBIu5WzJ-vqjXIiCQFl2MEv-VGGMDW3WzQ74REhGHCsAQSNBD2_s9F3UV5L66gOpkhX1XFVHGmfmIlae2RFOQSW1xWT8pNTbS4hGFlrOVOTx8vpc-_aEjx/s1600/IMG_3364.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BLhF8lJNAfsEkaMzM6SVqtHBIu5WzJ-vqjXIiCQFl2MEv-VGGMDW3WzQ74REhGHCsAQSNBD2_s9F3UV5L66gOpkhX1XFVHGmfmIlae2RFOQSW1xWT8pNTbS4hGFlrOVOTx8vpc-_aEjx/s640/IMG_3364.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Benefactors' Bell of the Farringdon Ward Club is rung at the annual Civic Luncheon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is also a charitable aspect to the life of a Ward Club, and each Club will identify with one or more charitable causes, often in addition to the Lord Mayor's Appeal. Ward Clubs will also turn out in strength and fund a float in the Lord Mayor's Show when the Alderman for their ward becomes Lord Mayor, usually raising funds for the Lord Mayor's Appeal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
For most of the Ward Clubs the aspect of active engagement with and among the residents and worker population is either very limited or non-existent, perhaps existing on paper alone. This is far from where many of them started, indeed the United Wards' Club was very active in local politics when first founded in 1877.<br />
<br />
<b>How can the Ward Clubs remain relevant in the 21st century?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The Ward Clubs are, despite their somewhat obscure image, well placed to breath new life into their own affairs and engage with the City's residents, workers and the institutions in the ward such as Livery Companies and Churches.<br />
<br />
The City of London used to be a ghost town in the evenings and weekends as recently as fifteen years ago, but it now has a substantial after-work economy with pubs, bars, restaurants and the evolving culture mile. Allied to that the commuter population has increased to beyond 400,000. The City provides a wealth of open spaces, community events such as the regular Farmers' Market or the annual Beerfest that were not part of the fabric of City life until recent years.<br />
<br />
The advent of Social Media provides myriad opportunities for Ward Clubs to get their message out, to attract new members, to promote their own events, and collaborate with other groups in their ward such as church groups, Livery Companies, residents associations, businesses, charities, sporting associations, schools and other institutions.<br />
<br />
Ward Clubs offer something unique, the can draw directly on the deep well of City customs and heritage while being more accessible than a Livery Company, which are occupationally aligned and admit members only by Patrimony, Servitude or Redemption. Ward Clubs also have direct access to the ward's representatives on Common Council and include among their membership many leaders in other walks of life. Ward Clubs have great untapped convening power to bring together different stakeholder groups in the ward with the elected representatives.<br />
<br />
The Ward Clubs can play a vital role in ensuring that Common Councilmen strike the right balance between advancing the City's role and reputation on an international stage, and the parish pump politics of their ward. They can also connect voters with the civic City and encourage wider participation in the democratic processes. Ward Clubs should be a way for current and aspirant elected representatives to meet, listen and respond to the needs of the business and residential voters.<br />
<br />
A revitalised role would also help the Ward Clubs with that omnipresent issue faced by most voluntary and social organisations - an ageing membership. While age is neither barrier or guarantor of fitness and competence, every organisation needs new lifeblood, new ideas, an influx of new energy, the Ward Clubs need this as much as any other. Engaging beyond their established audience is the way to address the age demographic challenge.<br />
<br />
Aside from the risks associated with an ageing membership, failing to engage with a wider and younger audience also creates an echo chamber within the Ward Club as it focussed on the purely social aspect of its purpose, thereby disconnecting with the elected officers of the Ward.<br />
<br />
It is time for Ward Clubs to open up, to renew their original purpose, to engage proactively with resident and business voters, and the other stakeholders in the Ward including the Livery, Guild Churches, and the commuter population at large... and that population in particular has now reached over half a million (and growing). The Ward Clubs have a unique opportunity to foster wider engagement among City workers with the civic aspect of the Square Mile, whether it be through participation in elections, communication with Common Council or participation in philanthropic activities such as City Giving Day.<br />
<br />
All this the Ward Clubs can do from an apolitical perspective, raising awareness of the importance of the City, the role of the Lord Mayor, Alderman and Common Council, the continued relevance of the Livery, and highlight access to other charitable and pastoral participants in City life.<br />
<br />
There remains a space for the Ward Clubs to continue their social activities, but they must embrace new audiences else they will become little more than a series of quiet Derby and Joan clubs - though some would say that is their origin as Derby was a printer based in Bartholomew Close in the City of London, curiously the home of my own Livery Company and a place I visit very often!<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Finally, what's it like being a member of a Ward Club?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
I'm a life member of the Farringdon Ward Club, which combines the wards of Farringdon Within (the wall) and Farringdon Without. I have attended several events including guided City walks, gatherings with the Ward Team (the elected officers for the Ward), several evening suppers with interesting speakers, a couple of AGMs and I have even spoken at two events. I've found the membership to be an eclectic bunch drawn from all walks of life, and unlike a Livery Company there's no occupational bias.<br />
<br />
Overall the experience has been convivial and enjoyable if a little out of step with the era of digital communications but City institutions tend to be quite conservative (small c) when embracing change and especially where outward communication is concerned.<br />
<br />
For anyone who wants to get more involved with the City but doesn't fancy a Livery Company, or one of the various Private Members' Clubs, then a Ward Club is an excellent, inexpensive and simple way to get involved. Joining a Ward Club can also be a step on the road to becoming a Freeman of the City of London, joining the City Livery Club or perhaps a Livery Company.<br />
<br />
<br /><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); clear: both; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); clear: both; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br style="caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" />cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-23592777080114346282019-05-31T07:11:00.002+01:002022-06-18T06:56:56.854+01:00The Art and Mistery of the Livery Companies - their role in trade, craft and profession<b>How do the Livery Companies maintain their occupational links?</b><br />
<br />
A survey conducted within and among the Livery Companies during the Autumn of 2018 revealed that many members of the older Livery Companies view their company's role as primarily charitable with a supporting social dimension. While it is true to say that the Livery Companies are all heavily involved in charity it would be wrong to think the Livery has lost connection with trade, craft and profession or to dismiss them as dining clubs.<br />
<br />
It is a condition of formation of any new Livery Company that it must have a membership drawn from its chosen occupation, and the Court of Aldermen will want to see evidence that a majority of members are suitably qualified and active in the Company's field of endeavour before it progresses from Guild to Livery Company.<br />
<br />
Several of the Livery Companies impose strict membership criteria that ensure the Company remains rooted in its profession. Examples include the Chartered Accountants, Chartered Architects, Chartered Secretaries & Administrators, Chartered Surveyors, Engineers and the Solicitors among others. Just as the older companies would have been formed by practitioners who followed an apprenticeship to become journeymen and eventually Freemen of the Company, the modern companies are all comprised of people who work (or have retired from) a specific occupation although the definition now extends to those in allied fields such as research and education. The membership of these companies tends to be drawn from senior leadership, scientists, researchers, educators and others involved in driving their occupation forward.<br />
<br />
This strong focus on occupational alignment continues in the Guild of Nurses and Guild of Investment Managers, and even Livery Companies for unregulated professions such as marketing and information technology were founded by members drawn from among the senior ranks of their respective professional bodies (CIM and BCS). These companies continue to admit senior practitioners, business leaders, entrepreneurs and academics from the profession and maintain strong links to their respective professional bodies.<br />
<br />
It would be lazy and incorrect to draw a divide between the ancient and modern Livery Companies where extant occupational connection is concerned. Even among the some of the older companies whose commercial activities are lost to history there is a trend to re-define links to a contemporary industry. The Tallow Chandlers alignment with the edible fats industry is an example, the Horners connection with the plastics industry is another. There are a few companies who appear to have lost all connection with their occupation, despite the occupation continuing to flourish! Where this has occurred it is down to a lack of vision and leadership on the part of the Company, thankfully such examples are few and diminishing.<br />
<br />
Thankfully most of the older companies retain links with their respective trade, craft or profession, a fact evidenced during the Heritage Skills Festival held in Lincoln Cathedral during the summer of 2017 about which <a href="https://cityandlivery.blogspot.com/2017/06/ancient-livery-companies-and-their-role.html" target="_blank">I wrote an extensive blog</a>. Even that spectacular display didn't do justice to the depth and diversity of ways in which the Livery remains not just connected, but actively engaged in the support of a variety of occupations.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
A summary of the Livery's continuing involvement is as follows:<br />
<ul>
<li>Championing standards</li>
<li>Delivering occupational training</li>
<li>Inspection and enforcement</li>
<li>Continuous professional development</li>
<li>Examination and awarding (including Chartered status)</li>
<li>Recognising excellence</li>
<li>Supporting apprenticeships</li>
<li>Maintaining registers of competence</li>
<li>Prize giving for excellence</li>
<li>Showcasing careers</li>
</ul>
<div>
Despite what you might read on a popular internet encyclopaedia or poorly researched news articles, in general the Livery Companies remain frenetically active in their respective occupational fields. While the specifics of each company's involvement will vary from one to the next, the overall picture is one of continued engagement with trade, craft and profession in an immense variety of ways. There are far too many links to examine them all so this article explores five ancient and five modern in a decimal digest of examples:</div>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Air Pilots</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The Honourable Company of Air Pilots is the only Livery Company that has international sections befitting its profession. The Company only admits qualified pilots, whether civil or military and progression to the Livery is restricted to those who have contributed significantly to the Company and the profession of aviation.<br />
<br />
Among the many ways the Company maintains its occupational links is by running a regular aptitude test for prospective pilots. The aptitude test is run at RAF Cranwell and draws on the relevant parts of the military selection process that apply to civilian pilots. The aptitude test is designed to advise the prospective pilot on their suitability for training before they embark on a lengthy and expensive process.<br />
<b><br /></b>
The Company also supports prospective pilots in both military and civil aviation with a dedicated website titled <a href="http://www.flying-start.org/" target="_blank">Flying Start</a>. It provides a wealth of advice, guidance and resources for those considering a career as a pilot.<br />
<br />
An illustration of the many ways in which the Company's membership support their profession is to be found in the various expert panel topics on which the Company may be called on for advice. The Company can provide expertise on subject as diverse as Aviation Law and Supersonic Flight.<br />
<br />
The Company also awards Master Pilot, Master Air Navigator and Master Rearcrew certificates to aviators who have '<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(55, 55, 55);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>in the opinion of the Court displayed over a number of years those qualities of pilotage, air navigation, airmanship and character which have brought honour and respect to the profession'.</i></span></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Farriers</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The Farrier Registration Act (1975) is the legislative basis for maintenance of a register of qualified farriers in England. It is a criminal offence for anyone to shoe a horse in UK who is not a qualified Farrier, indeed it is an offence to call oneself a Farrier or Shoesmith unless qualified.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Section 1 of the Act charges the Worshipful Company of Farriers with the responsibility of '<i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">securing adequate standards of competence and conduct among persons engaged in the shoeing of horses (hereinafter referred to as “</span><span class="LegTerm" id="term-farriers" style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">farriers</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">”) and shall promote, encourage and advance the art and science of farriery and education in connection with the said art and science.'</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Act </span>established<span style="font-family: inherit;"> the Farriers Registration Council which maintains register of qualified Farriers and grandfathered in all Farriers previously qualified </span></span>under the Company's voluntary scheme along with those who had qualified through the British Army.<br />
<br />
The Farriers' Company operates the register and awards the Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (DipWCF). Additionally the Company owns the trademark Master Farrier® and allows those who hold higher qualification as Associates or Fellows of the Worshipful Company of Farriers to apply for this designation.<br />
<br />
The Company maintains close links with both civil and military farriery, and is affiliated with the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the Light Cavalry of the Honourable Artillery Company.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Fishmongers</b><br />
<br />
The Fishmongers' Company has long performed an inspection role at London's Billingsgate Market and continues to appoint Fish-Meters (inspectors) who examine the quality of seafood sold at the market and have powers to order seafood removed from sale if found to be of inferior quality. In addition to their inspection and enforcement role these Fish-Meters also teach at the Billingsgate Seafood Training School (BSTS). The school was co-founded by the Fishmongers' Company in 1998 with support from the City of London Corporation and the London Fish Merchants Association.<br />
<br />
The Company further maintains links with the industry by working closely with the Shellfish Association which has its offices in Fishmongers' Hall, and through its <a href="http://www.fishhall.org.uk/fish-fisheries/" target="_blank">Fish & Fisheries team</a> which comprises a salaried staff who implement the Company's fisheries strategy through communication, education, research and development of trade links.<br />
<br />
More recently the Fishmongers' Company has introduced a national program of qualifications for Fishmongers and now awards the prestigious qualification of <a href="https://www.masterfishmonger.co.uk/" target="_blank">Master Fishmonger</a>. In 2019 the first Master Fishmonger qualification was awarded to a woman and the event made the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-48299537" target="_blank">BBC News in the UK</a>.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Goldsmiths</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
The Goldsmiths' Company also retains a close an intimate connection with its trade, as do its brethren in Edinburgh and Dublin. The three Goldsmiths' Companies are responsible for the testing and hallmarking of precious metals in England & Wales, Scotland and Ireland respectively. Additionally there are two further Assay Offices in England at Birmingham and Sheffield.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxZ99E8LXG3Xg0P9eMz2txfLBVpng2I1e6O40wVMk0ws8n2Pwq83pDNs9h5GEb_ooGqB8ZKXTDqn_pNFNZ-JHF9RHiV6L4cGMcckunb7Y0ywn6mqgrfuOViVW97e0UU_ePZXPski0Y0Jw/s1600/DSC_0232.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxZ99E8LXG3Xg0P9eMz2txfLBVpng2I1e6O40wVMk0ws8n2Pwq83pDNs9h5GEb_ooGqB8ZKXTDqn_pNFNZ-JHF9RHiV6L4cGMcckunb7Y0ywn6mqgrfuOViVW97e0UU_ePZXPski0Y0Jw/s640/DSC_0232.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hallmarking remains a core activity of the Goldsmiths' Company through the Assay Office in London. Photograph © Paul D Jagger</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The Goldsmiths' Company of London has the unique privilege of hosting the annual <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=33&v=UZQfA2cRHJs" target="_blank">Trial of the Pyx</a> during which coinage of the realm is tested for purity in a judicial process conducted at Goldsmiths' Hall. The trial also tests the coinage of other Commonwealth Realms where the Queen is Head of State.<br />
<br />
The Company also hosts and annual <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=bGnlm2oZgTo" target="_blank">Goldsmiths' Fair</a> in Goldsmiths' Hall, which is a showcase for many of the UK's leading jewellers to display and sell their pieces. Many of these jewellers will have started their <a href="https://www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/craft/trade/apprenticeships/" target="_blank">careers as appendices</a> of the Company and followed a program of training that has led to Freedom of the Company and the award of a City & Guilds qualification. The Goldsmiths' Company is truly involved in every aspect of its trade and craft.<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Gunmakers</b><br />
<br />
The Gunmakers' Company is probably the most occupationally aligned of all the Livery Companies as it continues to test small bore firearms at its premises, Proof House, in Commercial Road. In the context of firearms testing 'small bore' means 30mm diameter and under, which includes everything from a .22 calibre pistol to the cannon on an Apache helicopter.<br />
<br />
The Gunmakers' Company shares the responsibility for proving small bore firearms with the Guardians of the Birmingham Proof House which is a Crown corporation. Together these two companies form the British Proof Authorities and their marks may be seen on barrels that have been proved by either company (see pages 13-17 of the <a href="http://www.gunproof.com/Proof_Memoranda/RULESOFP.PDF" target="_blank">Rules</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.gunproof.com/Proof_Memoranda/RULESOFP.PDF" target="_blank">, Regulations and Scales Applicable to the Proof of Small Arms</a>, 2006).</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Marketors</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Worshipful Company of Marketors was conceived by a group of senior members of what is now the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) back in the early 1970s. The Company's relationship with the Institute has evolved as both organisation have sought to develop and maintain complementary roles. As such the Company has steered clear of examinations and CPD activities since these aspects of the profession are well served by the CIM.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>The Company hosts an annual Marketing Lecture which invites a speaker of note to explore some topic of contemporary interest to the profession at large. Since marketing is represented by over 40 different professional bodies and trade associations spanning everything from marketing research to digital marketing the opportunities for exploration of new subject matter are legion.<br />
<br />
Past speakers at the Annual Marketing Lecture have included, among others:<br />
<br />
Lord Heseltine (former Secretary of State for Trade & Industry)<br />
Lord Billimora (founder of Cobra Beer)<br />
Sir Robin Saxby (former CEO of ARM)<br />
Baroness Hogg (former Chairman of 3i Group)<br />
Sir Martin Sorrell (founder of WPP Plc)<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
Prize giving is another aspect of the Company's commitment to the profession is by giving prizes for excellence in various aspects of marketing education. Several prize winning students have gone on to become members of the Company, and one is now a Past Master.<br />
<br />
A recent innovation has been the creation of a mentorship scheme for younger marketing practitioners who seek the advice and guidance of a more experienced marketor. The time and expertise of the mentor is given free of charge and represents another commitment to developing the profession.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Master Mariners</b><br />
<br />
The Honourable Company of Master Mariners is the most senior of the modern Livery Companies. Although the Solicitors' Company was formed before it, the Master Mariners achieved full Livery Company status in 1932. From the outset the Company had a strong occupational alignment and admits Freemen who are qualified Master Mariners (Class 1 Foreign going Master Mariner's Certificate) who are drawn from the Merchant Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the Royal Navy.<br />
<br />
Sine 2013, under powers granted by its Royal Charter, the Company has conferred Chartered status on suitably qualified Master Mariners who exhibit the highest standards of excellence in the profession. The qualification confers the post nominal CMMar, representing the pinnacle of professionalism in the maritime industry.<br />
<br />
In common with the Air Pilots, the Master Mariners provide expertise to external bodies including the All Party Parliamentary Group for Maritime and Ports, the Lloyd's Register Technical Committee and the Royal Navy among others. However the sharing of expertise isn't just outward to other bodies, in 2019 the Company's Future Skills Conference invited members and non-members to explore developments in seafaring such as the use of virtual reality and simulators to reduce time, cost and the associated risks of training at sea - very much at the cutting edge of the profession.<br />
<br />
The Company also operates a mentorship scheme which enables Freemen and Liverymen to support mentees, who are apprentices of the Company, in their career progression. The scheme provides a range of benefits to the mentee and is offered on a voluntary basis. This scheme also provides a route into the Company for those who go on to become Master Mariners.<br />
<br />
The Master Mariners are linked with many other nautical and seafaring organisations in the UK and a quick review of their Twitter activity @HCMM_UK will show just how active the Company is in supporting its profession.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Security Professionals</b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
The security industry spans the public and private sectors in both regulated and unregulated aspects of the profession. Security is a very broad field and includes aspects of policing, defence and commercial security practice.<br />
<br />
Some parts of the private sector security industry are regulated by the Security Industry Authority, while the military and policing professions are statutory professions. Together with the Security Institute, the Company has developed a register of Chartered Security Professionals and now awards the post-nominal CSyP through the Security Institute.<br />
<br />
The Company also funds and organises the annual Sheriffs Award for Bravery which recognises individuals who have acted in a selfless manner to confront danger to another person. The award is open to Police Officers, members of HM Armed Forces and the general public. Recipients of the award are invited to a presentation event and have their names added to a roll of honour in the Old Bailey.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Qjc2Po3NLEwSMxm1VN4_9RLjzkWAHYciYOJDtxEvD6uj4_OZpnkTpgRFq9GN4luhwnFQl-2dHoEYu9YAjuq2IZm5_bhKxJOrltdpEJeEnrR-tpaw_Xb_Ec08bxDVtVnCs8TjLvXxN0jh/s1600/DSC_0210.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Qjc2Po3NLEwSMxm1VN4_9RLjzkWAHYciYOJDtxEvD6uj4_OZpnkTpgRFq9GN4luhwnFQl-2dHoEYu9YAjuq2IZm5_bhKxJOrltdpEJeEnrR-tpaw_Xb_Ec08bxDVtVnCs8TjLvXxN0jh/s640/DSC_0210.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are a surprising number of active wheelwrights in the UK, many of them are Freemen or Liverymen of the Wheelwrights' Company. Photography © Paul D Jagger</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Wheelwrights</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
One of the highlights of visiting the Heritage Skills Festival in 2017 was meeting a Master Wheelwright who followed an apprenticeship and was in turn training up an apprentice to continue his craft. The Company continues to support the craft and maintains an extensive <a href="http://www.wheelwrights.org/workingwheelwright.php" target="_blank">register of practising wheelwrights</a> in the United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
The Company has indentured a number of apprentices who are learning their craft and in 2014 two of them visited Colonial Willamsburg in the United States for a month long residential with a Wheelwright specialising in skills that are no longer common practice in current times.<br />
<br />
The Company maintains links with practising Wheelwrights and recently updated and republished a book on wheel making that was originally published by the defunct Rural Development Council. In 2018 the Company entered into a partnership with the Coachmakers' Company to <a href="https://coachmakers.co.uk/coachmakers-joint-apprenticeship-with-the-wheelwrights/" target="_blank">sponsor another apprentice</a> - possibly the first example of two companies coming together to support an apprenticeship that spans their respective crafts.<br />
<br />
Surprising as it may be, the craft of the Wheelwright continues to be in demand, whether it be for heritage restoration of horse drawn carts and carriages, maintenance of military gun carriages, or repairs and replacement of wheels for the sport of carriage driving. What is often described as the world's first technological innovation continues to be well supported by the Wheelwrights.<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>In conclusion</b><br />
<br />
The majority of Livery Companies maintain links to the Art & Mistery of their respective occupation and as further modern companies are formed from the Guilds they will add to the array of occupational links. This article has explored just a few of the ways in which some of the companies maintain a connection with their industry, many more are to be found among the other Livery Companies. I rather hope this article prompts some of them to be more open and communicative about their trade, craft and professional activities perhaps by posting relevant links in the comments below.<br />
<br />
While the North Star of the Livery remains charity, the educational and fellowship aspects of the Livery find their roots in a membership grounded* in trade, craft and profession.<br />
<br />
* Except the Air Pilots!<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span> </span></span></span></span></div>
cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-60539934930640858932019-03-03T07:37:00.006+00:002022-06-18T06:57:10.831+01:00Charity, the North Star of the Livery Companies<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">T</span>he City's 110 livery companies are a diverse bunch of organisations and it is fair to say that there is not likely to be much in the way of occupational or professional overlap between the Air Pilots and the Wax Chandlers, but there is one aspect of the life of the livery that is shared by every company and that is their ethos of charitable giving.<br />
<br />
Charity is the North Star of the livery and every company is involved in philanthropic activity to a lesser or greater extent as its corporate means, and the means of its membership, permits. A popular intern<span style="font-family: inherit;">et </span>encyclopaedia<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>describes several of the livery companies as having lost their connection with trade and transformed in to charitable bodies. This suggests that the livery companies have belatedly become involved with charity, whereas the charitable aspect of their activities has been evident since the earliest times. Moreover most livery companies are still intimately connected with their trade.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">While this article focusses on the measurable outputs of the livery's charitable activities, the true test of value is in the lasting impact that the livery makes on countless lives in all walks of life, from its support to the Church, the Armed Forces, founding and governance of schools, almshouses, development of apprentices, affiliation with youth organisations, the pastoral care for members and their partners, the moral support provided to good causes and the boost in morale that the livery provides to men and women serving in the military. None of this can ever be counted, yet it counts far more than the money and time of the livery.</span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Where do the Livery Companies get their money from?</b><br />
<br />
The charitable wealth of the livery companies comes from a number of sources, the combination of which will differ from one company to the next, but are broadly: donations from the membership (especially through Continuous Charitable Giving); bequests from deceased members; income from property; income from investments and savings. In 2020 the Livery Companies reported a total sum of £83.9 which was available for philanthropic causes, £46.5m of that came from historic assets (eg. bequests).<br />
<br />
Some companies are entirely reliant on donations from the membership (Freemen and Liverymen), whereas others can call on centuries of careful and wise investment. However it may be that the company finds its charitable funds you'll never see a livery company asking members of the public to subscribe or donate, and it is partly for that reason the philanthropic work of the livery goes unnoticed by the public at large, perhaps giving the impression that the livery is opaque and (if you read the more excitable corners of the press) that it is just a drinking club for old gentlemen.<br />
<br />
Unlike the major national charities involved in fighting cancer, heart disease, or myriad other good causes, the livery doesn't advertise and it doesn't ask for donations outside of its own membership.<br />
<br />
<b>Who are the membership of the livery companies?</b><br />
<br />
While it is certainly true to say that the livery has a high proportion of members over the age of 60, the balance between retirees and those in work differs greatly from one company to the next. The occupational requirements of membership of the 33 modern livery companies mean that their members are predominantly still working.<br />
<br />
Recent figures show that the membership of the livery is getting younger, and perhaps surprisingly the younger the membership, the higher proportion of women, in several companies they form a majority of the under 40s. The livery is diversifying and pushing down its age profile quite significantly, and the livery is working hard to increase diversity among its membership.<br />
<br />
The livery does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or religion. The livery is a surprisingly meritocratic body and has for centuries welcomed apprentices, graduates, mid-career professionals and retirees in all walks of life.<br />
<br />
<b>Is it just about donating money to good causes?</b><br />
<br />
The definition of the livery's charitable activities reaches far beyond the disbursement of funds to good causes, as liverymen also give their time and professional talent in support of the charitable aims of their livery company, often in combination with funds, and in other ways such as use of the company's hall or by shining a light on the charity by sharing a float in the Lord Mayor's Show. The livery companies are adept at brokering introductions between charitable causes and corporate partners, and they also have an enormous depth of experience in charity governance which can be used to support smaller charities that may need a helping hand.<br />
<br />
In many cases the livery companies have chosen strategic charity partners who they commit to support financially, through the talent of the liverymen, often for a number of years. It is a strength of the livery companies that they are able to take a very long term view, aided as they are by the knowledge that the company is designed to last for centuries, and the generosity of the membership can be relied upon in this life, and the next!<br />
<br />
<b>Who benefits from the charitable work of the livery companies?</b><br />
<br />
Each company determines its own charitable objectives, and while some charitable funds may be tied to specific causes (e.g., as specified in a bequest), others may be unrestricted. Unlike the big household name charities that are involved in a single field (e.g., cancer, heart disease, poverty relief, animal welfare) each livery companies will usually support multiple causes, some short term, some longer term, some one-off, others for centuries.<br />
<br />
One example is the support that the Mercers' Company and the Corporation of London jointly provide to the funding of Gresham College. The bequest of Sir Thomas Gresham has permitted Gresham College to run free public lectures for over 500 years.<br />
<br />
Modernity is not something one readily associates with the livery companies, or with charitable causes in general, but as ever the livery defies the assumptions many make about its relevance in the 21st century, for example:<br />
<br />
In 2018 the charity of the <a href="https://www.wcitcharity.org.uk/" target="_blank">Information Technologists' Company's charity</a> split a £750,000 prize between two charities, <a href="https://www.thecalmzone.net/" target="_blank">Campaign against Living Miserably</a> and <a href="https://www.missingpeople.org.uk/" target="_blank">Missing People</a>, who are both engaged in the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) led solution to the volume of calls they receive from vulnerable people in need of their services. The Information Technologists are combining that financial support with the expertise of the membership, and capturing the lessons learned to enable other charities to benefit from the experience gained in developing this AI solution.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtU8OiaXxhfL5y4eBb-7y48RqgV7y7BhKDWE6Ii4lmTKrJFFm6WJjfRzCYcB8lULcBIq28fOikpv5_k1t7nRqTw9TEi-yQzr7R6roSF4aCRcdwsrBEHBYyjpHc7pweoxoGoheWMLTCo9H/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-03-03+at+07.26.24.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtU8OiaXxhfL5y4eBb-7y48RqgV7y7BhKDWE6Ii4lmTKrJFFm6WJjfRzCYcB8lULcBIq28fOikpv5_k1t7nRqTw9TEi-yQzr7R6roSF4aCRcdwsrBEHBYyjpHc7pweoxoGoheWMLTCo9H/s400/Screen+Shot+2019-03-03+at+07.26.24.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Campaign against living miserably is one of two charities to benefit from the WCIT Charity Award</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The Goldsmiths' Company and its associated charity have <a href="https://www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/company/today/news/2017/07/03/goldsmiths-company-becomes-founding-partner-new-mu/" target="_blank">pledged £10m to support the redevelopment of the Museum of London</a> on its new site in West Smithfield, just one of the many charitable causes supported by that company. In other cases the disbursements of a single livery company may be of substantial total value, but split across many causes, some of which are perhaps not likely to grab the public imagination. In 2018 the L<a href="https://leathersellers.co.uk/grants-for-charities/" target="_blank">eathersellers' Company's charity</a> donated £2.56m to various causes including £124,000 to criminal justice and rehabilitation. The Armourers & Brasiers Gauntlet Trust is involved in making small grants that support education in the field of materials science, and the author has seen the evidence of this in person during a visit to Cambridge University.<br />
<br />
This is another strength of the livery companies, they can support causes that might otherwise struggle to attract charitable funding or are of niche and specialist interest. The <a href="https://www.salters.co.uk/the-charities/the-salters-charitable-foundation/" target="_blank">Salters' Company's charitable foundation</a> is no exception, and among its beneficiaries in 2017/18 was <a href="https://www.roomtoheal.org/" target="_blank">Room to Heal</a>, a community for refugees and asylum seekers who have experienced torture or organised violence of one sort or another.<br />
<br />
The most recent information available to categorise the livery's charitable disbursements dates from 2020 and showed that £29.9m went to Education; £9.6m to Young People; £9.2m to Housing and £23m to other causes including reoffending, homelessness, arts & culture, employability, vulnerable patients, armed services, mental heard and domestic abuse.<br />
<br />
However, the charitable work of the livery companies is not limited to just supporting those charities chosen by each company. The livery also supports the Lord Mayor's appeal through a wide range of popular activities including the annual <a href="https://sheepdrive.london/" target="_blank">Great Sheep Drive</a>, the Inter Livery Pancake Races on Shrove Tuesday and many liverymen participate in the Lord Mayor's <a href="https://cityandlivery.blogspot.com/2019/03/charity-north-star-of-livery-companies.html" target="_blank">Big Curry Lunch</a> in support of ABF The Soldiers' Charity.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">Note: The scale and diversity of charitable causes supported by the livery is greater than can be put across in a short blog article so I apologise to the many companies and good causes that don't get a mention in this article... perhaps your company could do something to better promote its charitable work to a wider audience?</span><br />
<br />
<b>Do the membership of the livery companies benefit from the charitable disbursements?</b><br />
<br />
The charitable activities of the livery companies are not engaged in benefitting the membership. Livery company charitable funds are held in charitable trusts that exist to benefit good causes. The modern way of managing charitable trusts is through a registered charity, and to that end most livery companies have separated the company from the charity, the latter being subject to the regulation of the Charity Commissioners and charity law.<br />
<br />
While it is conceivable that a liveryman might, for example, end up in an almshouse that is supported by his or her own livery company, such a situation would be coincidental.<br />
<br />
<b>Why don't the Livery Companies promote their charitable work?</b><br />
<br />
A livery company is not like any other charitable organisation because it has a constant source of renewal in its membership, and some of the ancient companies have Freemen and Liverymen who are descendants of families that have been involved with the company for generations. This gives the livery companies a strength that no other charitable organisation can call upon. No livery company has to mount a TV campaign or employ charity muggers to boost its coffers.<br />
<br />
The ability of the livery companies to think, plan and act for the very long-term means that their charitable activities are often carried out quietly, discreetly, and without fanfare. While some companies publish an annual charity review, or highlight charitable activities in a quarterly magazine, the livery's communications are principally aimed inward to the membership.<br />
<br />
<b>So how much do the Livery Companies disperse to charity each year?</b><br />
<br />Consistently reliable figures are difficult to come by because there is no central coordinating body for the livery companies. In 2010 a survey of the 108 companies that existed at that time revealed a figure of approximately £42m per annum, although the data was incomplete. A more recent survey conducted by the Pan Livery Initiative in the autumn of 2018 revealed a figure of £67m, but again the data was incomplete because 18 of the 110 companies existing at that time did not respond to the survey. The most recent data gathered in 2020 showed a higher figure of £72m and further attempts to value the pro bono and in-kind support provided by the companies and guilds, but once again the data is incomplete. A key finding of the most recent report produced by the Pan Livery Initiative is that the Livery is among the top six grant making bodies in the UK.<div><br /></div><div>What none of the available reports show is the value of the free usage of their hall given by some Livery Companies to good causes. This is an aspect of Livery Company in-kind support that seems to go unrecorded yet many charities and good causes gain access to Livery Company facilities at no cost.<br /><br />
Keep in mind that the livery is able to deliver this level of charitable support year on year, and plans to do so for centuries to come.<br />
<br />
<b>What about the time and talent of the liverymen?</b><br />
<br />
The value of the time given by the livery is impossible to calculate, nevertheless it is valuable, and should not be overlooked. As with the collation of charitable disbursements it is difficult to pin down accurate or complete data across all the livery companies. A survey conducted in the autumn of 2018 revealed that 75,000 hours were volunteered by liverymen from among the 92 companies who responded to the survey. As with the charitable disbursement figure, the true number of hours donated by the livery is undoubtedly higher. More recently data gathered in 2010 shows a figure of 134,900 hours donated by the Livery, but the Pan Livery's report published in 2021 points out that many companies simply do not record the number of pro bono hours donated.<br />
<br />
It would be invidious to put an hourly rate to these volunteer hours, as the livery comprises a membership in such diverse occupations as airline pilot, baker, police officer, taxi driver and surgeon.<br />
<br />
<b>Is every company dispersing as much as it should?</b><br />
<br />
No two companies are the same, the size of their charitable trusts will vary, as will the size of their membership and the means of the members. It would be impossible and unfair to compare older companies, some of which have existed for 800 years, with others that have existed for less than a decade. Even among the older companies some will have significant property portfolios, whereas others may have lost property in the blitz, or the great fire. It is just not possible to compare any two companies from the perspective of charitable disbursements, there are too many fundamental differences.<br />
<br />
Of course every company could disperse more, it could squeeze more out of its membership, it could raise rents, it could run down its reserves, it could auction of its treasures, sell of its hall (if it has one) but livery companies are in it for the very long term (centuries) and therefore have to manage their charitable trusts in a prudent manner that delivers benefits now and in the future. This long-term view means that the bequest of Lord Mayor Richard (Dick) Whittington is still being managed by the Mercers' Company today and good causes are still benefitting from monies gifted in the 15th century.<br />
<br />
What every livery company certainly could do is up its game in communicating outwardly about its role, relevance and positive impact in the 21st century.<br />
<br />
<br /><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
</div>cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-58499997356998513042018-11-29T09:18:00.001+00:002022-06-18T06:57:22.397+01:00Please pass the PortAnyone who has attended a City of London civic or Livery Company banquet will be familiar with the numerous toasts that follow after the meal and before the speeches. These toasts are usually taken with Port wine, or occasionally Madeira.<br />
<br />
Quite when port became the wine of choice for toasts is unclear, but the custom is as well entrenched in the City as it is in the ward rooms and messes of HM Armed Forces, at Oxbridge Colleges, Masonic dinners and elsewhere. Port wine was originally, and very specifically, <a href="https://quillandpad.com/2017/05/29/5-things-know-port-wine-probably-dont-including-dont-want-know-bishop-norwich/" target="_blank">developed for the English palette</a> and nowhere is it more popular than in Britain.<br />
<br />
<b>First a little history</b><br />
<br />
The history of Port wine is inextricably linked with Britain's connection to Portugal and the numerous British families who developed the Douro wine region inland from Porto. The first British wine merchant to import Port was Job Bearsley in 1692. He was the owner of the Ram Tavern in Smithfield. His son Peter was the first to actually visit Porto, and in 1744 his grandson Bartholomew purchased property in Porto. This became the foundation of one of the oldest British trading company in the Douro Valley: Taylor's.<br />
<br />
Today names such as Croft, Churchill, Dow, Graham, Taylor, Sandeman, Symington and Warre are well known brands of port. While much consolidation has occurred in the wine trade, the British representation in the City of Porto and along the Douro Valley is still strong.<br />
<br />
The British Association, a trade body of British Port producing companies, has its own hall in the centre of Porto, very close to the river. In Portuguese the hall is known as the English Factory, where the 'factors' of the British port producing companies meet (a factor is an agent of a company).<br />
<br />
Without doubt the most influential character in the development of Port was Baron Joseph James Forrester, and English wine merchant who mapped the Douro Valley and worked to remove many of the restrictive practices that hampered the development of the wine trade. He was ennobled by the King of Portugal for his work and is remembered as the 'protector of the Douro'. Forrester's anonymously published 'A word or two about Port wine' was also influential in developing the trade, and despite its title it ran to eight editions.<br />
<br />
Baron Forrester drowned in an accident on the Douro when the boat he was travelling in hit some rocks and capsized. Records of the incident tell that ladies on the boat were saved by the buoyancy of their crinoline dresses but Forrester went to the bottom weighed down by a money belt. It's now the custom to drink a toast of Port Wine to Baron Forrester when travelling on the Douro.<br />
<br />
<b>The modern links with the City</b><br />
<br />
Inevitably the Port Wine trade has links to London, and one of the recent Treasurers of the British Association in Porto recently became a member of the Vintners' Company, which considers itself the spiritual home of the wine trade. The <a href="https://www.symington.com/who-we-are" target="_blank">Symington family</a> still owns and manages the largest premium quality port producing estate in Portugal, and is responsible for one-third of the production of premium port.<br />
<br />
In fact the Vintners' Company can lay claim to restoring the status of Port in Britain when the Company paid a visit to Porto and the Douro Valley in 1928, the first such overseas trip organised by a Livery Company. A new Port tradition was established during that trip when the Master Vintner 'baptised' a cask of Graham's Port with a glass of the wine. <a href="https://blog.symington.com/master-of-the-vintners-company-baptizes-cask-at-grahams/" target="_blank">The tradition continues today</a>, and the cask of wine concerned is called The Master.<br />
<br />
The more discerning among the Livery may have stayed overnight in one of the bedrooms in Vintners' Hall, among them is the aptly named Douro room, further evidence of the connections between the trade and this famous region of Portugal.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3vTCgHSz5sR30MGh35A1y56SPgIJxsOKHzwG3nLY8VkiHZ1lqznJI3mMZHbVeWB7AfrHgpDVpZVA11AglDqy14gNi0cvuOjmSHTBbUCl2P3yjU3_59YhzhMGA4MdXfdYy18cvWpbWLrB/s1600/P1010047.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3vTCgHSz5sR30MGh35A1y56SPgIJxsOKHzwG3nLY8VkiHZ1lqznJI3mMZHbVeWB7AfrHgpDVpZVA11AglDqy14gNi0cvuOjmSHTBbUCl2P3yjU3_59YhzhMGA4MdXfdYy18cvWpbWLrB/s640/P1010047.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage Port Wine, bottles often sell for hundreds of pounds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HLW-5-8AxbqcXZOyLDLgmikHyUFQm_9lhfHCOranIoCgcpcyrmikarMOnYu50hZMetFOhwD9A7Y5U51Gcb5IAeI52c7bFXydzY9CpnZtw1FOrZxd_Y9j6pUqqHJtZl57cJajzZVD97JC/s1600/P1000657.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HLW-5-8AxbqcXZOyLDLgmikHyUFQm_9lhfHCOranIoCgcpcyrmikarMOnYu50hZMetFOhwD9A7Y5U51Gcb5IAeI52c7bFXydzY9CpnZtw1FOrZxd_Y9j6pUqqHJtZl57cJajzZVD97JC/s640/P1000657.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An information sign outside the Feitoria Inglesa (English Factory) in Porto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDnbwrz62MVajKtO607mmi6XSGJtbX_TH8CNKHtKVQwb8bORQbpwo-ifIdG1DskGCf7PmdHWm942L8D8JmQShnaeuh84O1IjyT6BpcyciJhrC6xwbNwDyB4YUeJznzb_FC05TT6i5hLLK/s1600/P1000663.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDnbwrz62MVajKtO607mmi6XSGJtbX_TH8CNKHtKVQwb8bORQbpwo-ifIdG1DskGCf7PmdHWm942L8D8JmQShnaeuh84O1IjyT6BpcyciJhrC6xwbNwDyB4YUeJznzb_FC05TT6i5hLLK/s640/P1000663.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The English Factory (home of the British Association) in Porto.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<b>The traditions of Port Wine</b><br />
<br />
No other wine has so many curious traditions associated with it, and the simply acts of passing the Port and toasting with Port have developed into something of a minefield of unspoken rules of etiquette.<br />
<br />
Depending on the scale of the banquet, Port may be served by the catering staff, or placed on the table for the diners to circulate among themselves, invariably in a decanter. Here is a simple guide to the etiquette of passing the port:<br />
<br />
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Always pass the port to the diner to your left, or as they say in the Royal Navy ‘Port to port’. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The port decanter will be placed at the end of your table or ‘sprig’, to the right of your host or </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">whom-so-ever is sat at the top table end of a sprig. In the event of particularly long sprigs, a port </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">decanter may be placed at either end, each proceeding down one side of the sprig.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">No matter where the decanter(s) are initially placed they always pass to the left (clockwise on a </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">round table) and continue to circulate until empty. If a diner does not wish to partake of the port he </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">or she simply passes the port onward to their left.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Encouraging your fellow diners to pass the port.</b></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the unthinkable event that a fellow diner allows the port decanter to settle upon the table at their </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">position, a polite way to invite them to continue passing the port is to ask the errant diner <i>‘Do you </i></span><i style="font-family: inherit;">know the Bishop of Norwich?’</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The response to this question will usually be ‘<i>No I don’t, do tell me more?</i>’ (or words to that effect), </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">in which case you can replay ‘</span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, he was an awfully nice fellow, but he rarely passed the port </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">’.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is said to derive from a past Bishop of Norwich who used to fall asleep at dinners, perhaps in </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">part because of his prestigious consumption of port, whereupon the decanter(s) would all come to </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">rest in front of him to the annoyance of his fellow diners. The particular incident from which the saying is derived is known to have occurred at Christ's College, Cambridge in 1785. Following one particular good banquet at which he did not pass the port, a note was placed on his sermon in the College Chapel the following day:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The Bishop of Norwich is fond of his Port. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i>Too fond, for the Villain won't pass when he ought</i></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">from Memorabilia Cantabrigiae </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">or, An account of the different colleges in Cambridge : biographical sketches of the founders and eminent men ; with many original anecdotes ; views of the colleges, and portraits of the founders </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">by Joseph Wilson of the Inner Temple (1803)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The other possibility is that your guest does know the incumbent Bishop of Norwich, in which case </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">you had better have an amusing story to tell about The Rt Revd.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another option is to ask your guest a more direct question such as ‘<i>Have you got an up-to-date </i><i>pass….port</i><i>?’</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoonhQ_5Q9MnY4sSpPHXXOaKVJRBHB_VnyrIqIjcvCqVekWwTVduqSIs8rxJ8VUdokmXbNf1MfCeWzX_C8i0Hp3HE7_tXwxA-m8LCxu3PYcUtpYrm2WHMKqAiA35f2TYoiXYhdDtzXSTYA/s1600/image1.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoonhQ_5Q9MnY4sSpPHXXOaKVJRBHB_VnyrIqIjcvCqVekWwTVduqSIs8rxJ8VUdokmXbNf1MfCeWzX_C8i0Hp3HE7_tXwxA-m8LCxu3PYcUtpYrm2WHMKqAiA35f2TYoiXYhdDtzXSTYA/s640/image1.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One unfortunate Liveryman was seated next to the Bishop of Norwich. Image copyright Shravan Joshi Esq</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Note: A recent <a href="https://blog.symington.com/the-bishop-of-norwich/" target="_blank">Bishop of Norwich</a> has </span>redeemed<span style="font-family: inherit;"> the character of that office.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Not allowing to decanter to touch the table</b></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Some Livery Companies and Regiments of the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces observe the custom that the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">port decanter should never touch the table, further ensuring that the decanter does not settle with a diner (unless they </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">wish to hold it aloft for the evening). Whether this custom is practiced by your Company should be confirmed with the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Clerk.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To facilitate this custom, the Hoggit decanter was invented. It features a rounded base that can only be seated in a </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">specially made wooden foot that resides with the host. The decanter would tip over if placed on the table, thus ensuring </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">that it continues to circulate.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Waiting until the Loyal Toast</b></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The port is served prior to the Loyal Toast, and in sufficient time to allow it to circulate fully among all the diners before the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Loyal Toast is called. It is exceptionally bad form to drink the port prior to the Loyal Toast. Diners who do not wish to drink </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">port may participate in the Loyal Toast (and subsequent toasts) with wine or water.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">City ceremonial becomes particularly complex where toasts are concerned, and those who are otherwise well versed in toasts, perhaps through their experience in the military, are often wrong footed by the custom in the City. Let's explore a little further into this topic...</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Loyal Toast may be just to the sovereign or coupled with the Church. Unlike Masonic or military loyal toasts, the toast is called by the Master in two stages, the first to call the diners to rise but not to drink, once standing the diners sing the first verse of the National Anthem, in the second stage the Master again calls the toast which invites diners to raise their glasses and respond.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">The Royal Toast follows immediately after but not before the diners have returned to the seated position. Again the toast in two stages, the first to The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and the other members of the Royal Family. This time the diners rise and remain silent while the first six bars of the national anthem is played. Once the music stops, the Master will call ‘The Royal Family’, and the diners raise their glasses and respond likewise, there is no need to repeat all the names of the members of the Royal </span></span>Family<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">The complexity continues with the third toast to The Lord Mayor, the City of London Corporation and the Sheriffs. In this case the word Sheriffs may sometimes be omitted, especially if no Sheriff is present. In this instance the Master proposes the toast, all the diners rise, no music is played and the response is simply ‘The Lord Mayor’.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Equipped with these few simple rules of etiquette, I hope you and your fellow diners will enjoy your port at future Livery </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Company dinners as much as I do.</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Further exploration of the history, customs and enjoyment of port may be found in The Port Companion by Godfrey </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spence (2002), ISBN 1-84092-374-1</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another excellent source of reference for the aficionado is...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rich, Rare and Red: A Guide to Port by Citizen and Vintner Ben Howkins (2015). ISBN<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">978-1846892011</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
or<br />
<br />
<h1 class="a-spacing-none a-text-normal" id="title" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(17, 17, 17); color: #111111; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span class="a-size-extra-large" id="productTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.2; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">Real Men Drink Port...and Ladies do too! also by Citizen and Vintner Ben Howkins (2010). ISBN </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">978-1846891120</span></span></h1>
<div>
<span class="a-size-extra-large" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.2; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"><br /></span></div>
<div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-62650737302088844532018-10-07T10:27:00.001+01:002022-06-18T06:57:36.422+01:00Social Media Engagement: The case for Livery Companies to embrace root and branch change in communicationThe topic of improved communications within and about the Livery has recently been one of much discussion among the Livery Companies, especially through the Pan-Livery initiative. The Lord Mayor raised the issue in his <a href="https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-the-city/the-lord-mayor/Documents/address-to-the-livery-2017.pdf" target="_blank">Address to the Masters and Clerks</a> at Mansion House on 22nd November 2017.<br />
<br />
In his speech the Lord Mayor said that the view of the Livery is: '<i>at best unknown, at worse unfair'.</i> In my view the Livery does far too little to communicate its purpose, values and impact. What is does is defuse, lacking coordination and often inward looking.<br />
<br />
This desire for better, or as the Lord Mayor put it in his address <i>'radical'</i> communication, of the work of the Livery Companies is nothing new, but radical? Let's see...<br />
<br />
Where My Lord Mayor was the live Periscope broadcast of the Address, or the Tweet stream, or the Facebook posting? Can I watch it on YouTube or follow up the discussion in a blog?<br />
<br />
To be fair, radical is not a word that sits naturally or comfortably with many Livery Companies, however my handy thesaurus provides an alternative phrase more readily acceptable to and widely known among the Livery, to wit: root and branch!<br />
<br />
Many past Lord Mayors have bemoaned the lack of inter-Livery communication and especially
communications between Guildhall and the Livery during speeches to Masters and
Clerks since the 1980s. It's a recurring topic and one that usually results in resolute calls of 'something must be done', yet what is this something and who will do it? Certainly it's not forming a committee and retreating to an oak panelled room to enjoy lunch with a glass of wine; not that there's anything remotely wrong with that but it is the natural inclination of the Livery to socialise over a meal rather than the web.<br />
<br />
Recent efforts to commission surveys and conduct studies serve to confuse well-meaning activity that gathers data and generates reports with tangible progress that has targeted and measurable impact on the Livery's stakeholders. Where communications is concerned, the Livery must engage and mobilise its greatest communications asset - the membership.<br />
<div class="Body">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
The Livery Companies might argue that they already communicate widely. Company
journals and magazines, annual reviews, parish notices, newsletters and internal company emails all
have their place, but they lack the scale, speed and collaborative power of
Social Media. Moreover the audience for Livery Company communications is often insular to the Company concerned, rarely to the wider Livery*, and only occasionally to stakeholders in the civic City and beyond. Even communications aimed explicitly at the Livery in general, such as the regular Livery Briefing, are likely to have little visibility outside the office of Clerk and more active members of Court.</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<b>What about the external view of the Livery?</b><br />
<br />
What appears in the press about the Livery Companies usually opens with some <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/31/corporation-london-city-medieval" target="_blank">allusion to their ancient or medieval origins</a> and quickly moves on to their status as either posh dining clubs or secretive societies. Looking beyond the mainstream media one can quickly come across <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/susie-steed/a-few-things-you-should-k_b_18541250.html" target="_blank">less benign opinions about the City and its Livery Companies</a>, what they lack for factual accuracy they make up for in faux outrage and thinly veiled malice.<br />
<br />
The Livery does little, if anything, to counter these perceptions and tends toward diligent and discreet philanthropic activity that cloaks the true nature of the companies in a cosy obscurity. Since the Livery doesn't ask for donations from the general public or seek corporate sponsorship there's little need to advertise. However there is a need to foster good public relations and cultivate trusted partnerships with journalists and opinion formers. An article in the FT Magazine succinctly described the challenge:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="page" title="Page 5">
<div class="section" style="background-color: #fed397;">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 17pt; font-style: italic;">Say what you like about the British, but no nation
seems to be quite so skilful at mixing charity and social
life. Certainly, no other nation is as skilful at letting the
past merge into the present, and nowhere more so
than the City of London. The livery companies may be
seen as the embodiment of both these characteristics.
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 17pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">They could allow themselves to be less shamefaced about it</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 17pt; font-style: italic;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 17pt; font-style: italic;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 17pt; font-style: italic;">- </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 17pt;">Matthew Engel, FT Magazine (2012)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 17pt; font-style: italic;"> </span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
* I suspect I am one of only a handful of Liverymen who occasionally browse the journals of the other Livery Companies, so kindly sent to IT Hall by each Company on the off chance someone might take an interest.</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<b>The case for engaging via Social Media</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
The Livery has a very positive message to share, one that is replete with stories of lasting beneficial impact to society, those stories are diverse in scale, duration and theme. There is no shortage of good news to share, there is copious evidence, many testimonials and many innovative ways that an audience can be engaged, so in this article I focus on changing the means rather than the message, which is of course up to each Company to determine.<br />
<br />
It is my belief the Livery needs to embrace root and branch change in its approach to communication, and while I make no claim to having all the answers, I humbly suggest that part of the solution is engagement on Social Media. In particular I encourage Livery Companies to engage in a conversation with their membership and their families, affiliations (military, cadets, church), prospective members and the beneficiaries of their charitable, occupational and educational activities by starting with one particularly effective Social Media channel: Twitter.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0UWzcMrKe8BAZocKBKY8woao_I_UYEfJjxA5ZUTJkGoxffxsrgEPHcadHxFPo9UBLsh14uw0mkO4LC01oexM94BkjIaDVUdWxyGFsiD1NRzgH9t8NXs3q8NcxDY-e4QxOx6qa-zWW6hd/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-10-07+at+09.06.29.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0UWzcMrKe8BAZocKBKY8woao_I_UYEfJjxA5ZUTJkGoxffxsrgEPHcadHxFPo9UBLsh14uw0mkO4LC01oexM94BkjIaDVUdWxyGFsiD1NRzgH9t8NXs3q8NcxDY-e4QxOx6qa-zWW6hd/s640/Screen+Shot+2018-10-07+at+09.06.29.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Follow City and Livery for regular facts, news and reports on the City of London and its Livery Companies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Why Twitter?</b></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
Twitter provides a quick and easy means to reach beyond the internal audience, to engage with stakeholders in the City and perhaps more importantly with wider society where knowledge and understanding of the quiet but vital work of the Livery is largely unseen and unknown.</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
Unlike newsletters, magazines, parish notices or email, Twitter is a many-to-many collaborative communications medium that allows followers to respond, to share and to indicate their approval in the moment. Twitter is limited to 280 characters, so messages have to be punchy - it's not a replacement for an in-depth article. Twitter is well suited to attention grabbing headlines that have most impact when sent with a relevant photo and a link to a website where the read can learn more.</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
In a nutshell: Twitter is a digital newsfeed akin to a ticker-tape of short announcements, photos, video clips and links to websites. An individual posting on Twitter is known as a Tweet. Twitter can be accessed on desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile devices and is free to use (the users time excepted). By the April 2019 Twitter had over 330 million active users (not including dormant or robotic accounts).</div>
<div class="Body">
</div>
<div class="Body">
<b>What about Facebook, Instagram and other Social Media tools?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
Other Social Media platforms are better suited to different forms of communication, for example LinkedIn is ideal for creating closed group discussion forums for members to engage in a deeper conversation on topics that warrant more considered and long-term discussion (e.g., 'How should we shape our philanthropic activities to better align with the Company's occupational interests?'). Instagram and Pinterest are great for curating digital photography around themes (e.g., City ceremonies) and Facebook has better integration with tools for planning and advertising events, Periscope is the tool for broadcasting live video of events that are underway. Each has their pro's and con's, there is no one Social Media tool for all purposes.</div>
<div class="Body">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<b>What's my experience of engaging using Twitter?</b><br />
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
Since I
joined Twitter in December 2012 the number of Livery Companies and Liverymen
who are active on Twitter has grown steadily such that by December 2019 eighty-four of the Livery Companies now have <a href="http://cityandlivery.co.uk/the-city-explained/livery-company-twitter.pdf" target="_blank">Twitter profiles</a>, as do circa 3,000 Liverymen. At the time of writing I have over 5,100 followers. These are all improvements over 2018 and 2017 when first I published this article.<br />
<br />
In a typical month my own City centric Twitter account (@CityandLivery) will achieve circa 300,000 Tweet impressions from people who receive my Tweets either directly or as a result of being sent on (retweeted) by my followers on Twitter. Some 87% of my followers are in the UK, and 53% are in London. The largest audience outside the UK are followers in the US who represent 4%.</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
My experience is that Twitter provides and effective means of rapidly sharing news of events, achievements and facts about the City and its Livery Companies, while allowing others to comment, share and ask questions from any digital device. It's particularly effective during commuting hours, lunchtime and when linked to a live event such as the Lord Mayor's Show.</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
In a nutshell: My own Twitter activity achieves almost three million potential Twitter views in a year mostly focused on London based followers. The potential to rapidly scale to hundreds of millions of views across all the Livery Company accounts is clear and entirely achievable. All that’s needed is for others to engage by joining Twitter, following, tweeting and retweeting. This is cheap, fast, scalable, and the size of the audience, and engagement with them can be easily tracked measured.</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<b>Who else in the civic City is active on Twitter?</b></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
Most of
the City’s civic institutions, Churches, and some of the Guilds and Ward clubs also have active
Twitter profiles. The City of London Corporation has a plethora of active
Twitter accounts for themes including Highways, Libraries, Open Spaces and much
more. The City of London Police has almost 100,000 followers on Twitter. A
recent addition to the family of City Twitter accounts is one for City
consorts, a marvellous initiative to build a community among the better halves
of the Masters, Prime Wardens and Upper Bailiff.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<b>What does good practice look like?</b></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
An example
of good practice may be observed in the way that Freemasonry has really grasped
Twitter and is immensely effective at getting its message out there, attracting
new members, showcasing its philanthropic and fellowship activities, and
raising the profile of Freemasonry in a positive manner. I should mention that
I am not and never have been a Freemason but I admire what they have done with
Twitter, and their membership profile (gender aside) and activities have many
parallels with the Livery.</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
Another positive example is that of the Church of England, which among many other innovations has a Tweeter of the month, perhaps a priest or member of the laity who drives engagement and brings their own personality to Twitter while representative the diversity and inclusivity of the Church.</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
A set of <a href="http://www.liverycompanies.info/fellowship-of-clerks/finance--business/social-media-engagement.pdf" target="_blank">Social Media Engagement Guidelines</a>, originally developed for use by the Information Technologists’ Company may be found on the <a href="http://liverycompanies.info/">liverycompanies.info</a> website. The Guidelines provide examples of good practice for Livery Companies wishing to engage on Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc).<br />
<br />
Several Livery Companies have been particularly successful in showing their activities on Twitter beyond the trope of more chaps in black tie enjoying the loving cup. A good example is the Salters' Company that has regularly tweeted about its community engagement activities. Another is the Solicitors' Company which has (among many other themes) focussed on women in the profession.</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<b>What are the downsides?</b></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
For some the virtual world of Social Media may seem a fad followed by youngsters who prefer to send a Facebook message to their friend sitting in the same room than speak directly. Did teenagers communicate any more freely before Social Media? I think not!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
There’s no doubt that Social Media provides many benefits, but as with any form of communication one has to be cognisant of the audience, the message, the timing, the tone and the manner in which it is shared. Social Media is at its heart a shared experience, it’s not a broadcast medium for ‘Now hear this’ messages from the Bridge, rather it’s a medium for conversation.</div>
<div class="Body">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
As with any facet of human society there are plenty of hucksters, mountebanks, mugwumps, trolls and other malevolent anti-social characters on Twitter. What they would not dare voice in person they feel empowered to say hiding behind the anonymity that a Twitter account affords. To deal with these characters, and mercifully I have experienced only a handful in six years, Twitter provides the gift of being able to electronically block them permanently, thus cutting off the oxygen of publicity they seek. There are also no shortage of conspiracy theorists, but they are a class of their own more misguided than malevolent and I have written about their musings on the Livery Companies in a <a href="http://cityandlivery.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/the-city-of-londons-livery-companies.html" target="_blank">previous article</a>. Again, block or ignore - don't engage.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<b>In
conclusion</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
Twitter
has proven its value to me as a means of communicating with a like-minded
audience on topics related to the City and its Livery Companies. It
has helped me learn, share and enjoy my involvement in the City far more than I
could ever have imagined. It has become an extension of my thirst for
knowledge, enthusiasm for sharing and passion for the City and its Livery
Companies. I commend it to you all as an excellent means of rapidly improving
communications within and among the Livery and at no cost other than your time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<o:p>Note: This article is based upon a shorter piece appearing in the City of London White Book (2017)</o:p><br />
<o:p><br /></o:p>
<b style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></b><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
</div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-58387402509552461272018-10-03T19:25:00.003+01:002022-06-18T06:57:47.747+01:00The City of London and Livery Company links with EducationThe City of London and its Livery Companies have been involved in education and occupational training for many centuries, certainly long before the government took on the responsibility of providing free universal education in the United Kingdom with the advent of the first government funded schools in 1870.<br />
<br />
Outwith the City, the Livery Companies, and other privately funded schools, only the Church of England has a longer history of involvement in education from elementary schooling through to university. Indeed where longevity is concerned it would be difficult to better the Church of England's record of involvement with education, the King's School in Canterbury is held to be England's oldest founded in 597AD and still going strong.<br />
<br />
The Livery Companies and the City of London Corporation continue to support education in the broadest sense, from schooling to apprenticeships, from professional development to academic bursaries and postgraduate research. The array of ways in which the City and its Livery Companies continue to sponsor education and training is so diverse that a full exploration would warrant a PhD research project, far beyond the scope of this short article!<br />
<br />
A brief exploration of some of the many links the City of London and its Livery Companies maintain with education follows.<br />
<br />
<b>Apprenticeships</b><br />
<br />
Apprenticeships are where it all began for the Livery's involvement with education. The earliest records of City apprentices being indentured to a Master date from the 12th century, around the same time as the oldest extant records of trade guilds operating in the City of London. However these guilds were already substantial institutions, for example the Weavers' Company was a Royal Charter Corporation by 1155AD and was dealing directly with the King in 1130AD. It therefore seems certain the guilds existed prior to the 12th century and were training apprentices prior to the date of the earliest surviving records. In truth nobody knows how old the apprenticeship system is, but it certainly continues to operate in the 21st century.<br />
<br />
To this very day one of the routes by which someone may be admitted into the Freedom of a Livery Company and thence to the Freedom of the City of London is by servitude, i.e., completion of a formal apprenticeship. Guildhall still allows apprentices to be indentured and the Chamberlain's Court is competent to settle disputes between Masters and their Apprentices.<br />
<br />
Several of the Livery Companies continue to operate their own apprenticeship schemes, including among others; The <a href="https://www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/craft/trade/apprenticeships/" target="_blank">Goldsmiths' Company</a>, the Masons' Company (website inoperative at the time of writing) and the <a href="http://hcmm.org.uk/about-hcmm/education-training/" target="_blank">Master Mariners' Company</a>. The City of London also admits apprentices in various roles across the work of the Corporation in addition to operating an <a href="https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/education-learning/apprenticeships/Pages/Vacancies.aspx" target="_blank">apprenticeship placement scheme</a> that has led to employment in many of the City's leading financial and professional services businesses.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8ZNbx4LjdIoURGODRwEIOmDpvt2qvxNj0leB5ZW50tUl-rP2v3fHhYd7N6-8fD6zBXKJCPLiRrHEESYBSxw_lfjsuNHfIaw3zyAknZqL_nl0qstOUUqPMm-H_IKICGInlrbNqqETMLEm/s1600/DSC_0166.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8ZNbx4LjdIoURGODRwEIOmDpvt2qvxNj0leB5ZW50tUl-rP2v3fHhYd7N6-8fD6zBXKJCPLiRrHEESYBSxw_lfjsuNHfIaw3zyAknZqL_nl0qstOUUqPMm-H_IKICGInlrbNqqETMLEm/s400/DSC_0166.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apprentice of the Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers' Company</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Beyond the role of the Corporation and individual business in the City, the Livery Companies operate an <a href="http://lcas.co.uk/" target="_blank">Apprenticeship Scheme</a> which provides advice and guidance to the Livery Companies in setting up and running their own apprenticeships. Nineteen companies are members of the scheme, which has the following objectives:<br />
<br />
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(117, 117, 117); font-family: Roboto; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 24px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Promoting Excellence in Skills</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Maintain Dialogue with Policymakers</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Engage with Government bodies in setting standards</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Secure adequate funding for apprenticeships and vocational training</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;">Strengthen historic links with City & Guilds</li>
</ul>
Many of the apprenticeships enabled by the Livery Companies Apprenticeship Scheme are in areas of employment that are not covered by leading employers or Government backed programs. An example is the Beekeeping apprenticeship run by the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers. Other apprenticeships are available in fields as diverse as watch and clock maintenance to flying instruction.<br />
<br />
It is testimony to the flexibility of the apprenticeship model that 900 years since it was first recorded the City of London is still a centre for innovation in this form of occupational training. When the role of the leading awarding body City & Guilds is taken into account, the City of London is without doubt the single greatest centre for occupational training in the UK in all its forms.<br />
<br />
<b>Compulsory Education</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The City of London Corporation is the only local government body that funds private education, in addition to having setup a string of academies. The reasons for the City's involvement in private education are historical, principally because of bequests left to the City or to Livery Companies that were to be used for the founding of schools.<br />
<b><br /></b>
Arguably the oldest school with City of London links is St Paul's Cathedral School, founded in 1123, although the school is not funded by the City of London Corporation or the Livery Companies it is very much a City institution and finds its home on New Change at the eastern end of St Paul's Cathedral. The school is a choral foundation and provides choristers for St Paul's Cathedral, each of whom is sponsored by one of the City's Livery Companies.<br />
<br />
It wasn't until 1442 that the City of London School (for boys) was founded from the will of John Carpenter (Town Clerk during Whittington's era). The school is now located on Queen Victoria Street and is adjacent to the Millennium Bridge.<br />
<br />
The oldest school to be founded by a Livery Company is St Paul's School (not to be confused with St Paul's Cathedral School) which was open in 1509 and supported by the bequest of John Colet who was both a Mercer and Dean of St Paul's Cathedral.<br />
<br />
The oldest school founded by a City merchant is the College of Richard Collyer in Horsham, West Sussex. Richard Collyer was a former Liveryman of the Mercers' Company who left money in his will for the founding of a school which opened in 1540. Several other schools have been founded by wealthy members of Livery Companies, such as Monmouth School, founded in 1614 from the bequest of William Jones, a wealthy member of the Haberdashers' Company.<br />
<br />
Today the City of London and its Livery Companies have substantive links with a bewildering array of schools, too numerous to list here. For example the Haberdashers' Company is involved with the governance of 18 schools, and the Mercers' Company is involved with 16. Among the schools governed by the Mercers' Company is Hammersmith Academy, co-founded with the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists in 2011.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.liveryschoolslink.org.uk/" target="_blank">Livery Schools Link</a> is an organisation that brings together many of the Livery Companies to provide support to the various schools founded, governed, sponsored or otherwise substantially supported by the Livery. Among other services it provides motivational talks, employability days and an annual Livery Schools Showcase event in Guildhall.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKli6UXx1J1m8vZ5Z_qUJtX0VTgFoKJLNFOZvLmhQ1B7Jx3T2__d3MIl9I8pviglfOnN1Nh12_DrirwVs1ef6YmpMGWIBmAuYpqhjsgLC0tfDoV-ajjTr7Ranwm-ivkmGoZ_KJ4DCFdSld/s1600/DSC_0009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKli6UXx1J1m8vZ5Z_qUJtX0VTgFoKJLNFOZvLmhQ1B7Jx3T2__d3MIl9I8pviglfOnN1Nh12_DrirwVs1ef6YmpMGWIBmAuYpqhjsgLC0tfDoV-ajjTr7Ranwm-ivkmGoZ_KJ4DCFdSld/s400/DSC_0009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stand of the Basketmakers' Company at the Livery Schools Showcase in 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In June of 2018 a summary of the Livery's involvement with compulsory education was produced by Livery Schools Link, simply entitled '<a href="https://members.liveryschoolslink.org.uk/wassets/education-conference-brochure-2018.pdf" target="_blank">The Livery in Education</a>'. It catalogues the numerous ways in which the Livery Companies support education, and the institutions with which each Company is connected, albeit the focus in only on compulsory education.<br />
<br />
One of the less glamourous, but certainly no less important, ways in which the Livery provide support to schooling is through the provision of school governors. Typically each school that has a link with a Livery Company will have two or more governors provided by that Company. A centre for excellence in school governorship is the charity <a href="http://www.governorsforschools.org.uk/" target="_blank">Governors for Schools</a> which exists to improve educational standards in schools.<br />
<br />
While Governors for Schools isn't a City or Livery charity, it counts among its partners several of the big businesses in the City and the City of London Corporation was a founding trustee and has supported the charity for many years. Governors for Schools also partners with the Worshipful Company of Educators, the Livery Company representing the education profession (see below).<br />
<br />
<b>Higher Education</b><br />
<br />
The Livery Companies have in excess of 150 connections with higher education, mostly in the form of bursaries, but also through various research collaborations. As with the various links to schools, the diversity of ways in which the Livery is connected with education is beyond the scope of this article; selected highlights include:<br />
<br />
The oldest Livery Company connection with higher education is that of the Mercers' Company's with Gresham College, an institution that has offered free public lectures since 1580. Gresham College is co-funded and governed by the Mercers and the City of London Corporation, from the bequest of Sir Thomas Gresham. Gresham College is recognised as the third oldest university in England after Oxford and Cambridge, although it admits no students and awards no degrees.<br />
<br />
Gresham College continues to flourish over 500 years after its foundation, and continues to open its doors to the public for regular lectures either at Barnard's Inn or the Museum of London. In 2015 the College appointed its first IT Livery Company Professor of Information Technology, the 10th professorial seat to be created by the College since its foundation.<br />
<br />
Another example of a Livery Company being involved in the foundation of a university is that of the Drapers' Company and its links with Queen Mary University of London. The Company provided the site and some of the buildings for university and continues to fund prizes for both undergraduate and postgraduate study.<br />
<br />
The Drapers' Company also has links with Pembroke College, Cambridge; Hertford College, Oxford; St Anne's College, Oxford; Bangor University and the College of William and Mary in Virginia (USA).<br />
<br />
The Cordwainers' Company supports scholarships in footwear and leather goods design at the University of Northampton, De Montfort University (Leicester) and the University of the Arts of London (London College of Fashion).<br />
<br />
The Girdlers' Company has a particularly special connection with New Zealand and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. The Girdlers' Company sponsor an outstanding student from New Zealand to study at Cambridge University for a 3 or 4 year degree. Applicants must be New Zealand subjects and have at least one parent who was a New Zealand subject at the time of the applicant's birth. The Girdlers donate a substantial sum for college fees and some living expenses, and further support the student during his or her tuition at Cambridge.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most diverse array of Livery Company links with any one university are with City University London, which boasts as its Rector no lesser City official than My Lord Mayor. The university's origins may be found in the Northampton Institute, jointly setup with the Skinners' and Saddlers' Companies. More recently the university has received support from the Clockmakers, Constructors, Cutlers, Engineers, Needlemakers, and the Scientific Instrument Makers.<br />
<br />
Many individual Liverymen have made contributions to higher education, and among them a particularly notable example is that of the late Aldermen Sir Paul Judge. Sir Paul was President of the Association of MBAs and the major benefactor in the creation of the Judge Business School, Cambridge University. The Judge Business School's MBA is now ranked the no. 1 program by all the leading MBA ranking indexes; including those of Bloomberg, the Financial Times, Forbes Magazine and Business Insider.<br />
<br />
<b>And finally... A Livery Company for Education</b><br />
<br />
Oxford University, Britain's oldest university, was founded sometime in the 12th century by a Guild of Scholars; in City terminology a guild is a precursor status to that of a Livery Company. In 2013 the Guild of Educators finally became the <a href="https://educatorscompany.org/" target="_blank">Worshipful Company of Educators</a> when it achieved full Livery Company status and joined the order of precedence as the 109th Company.<br />
<br />
It has therefore taken over 800 years for the education profession in Britain to progress from a medieval guild to the status of a full Livery Company. Some might say that is rapid progress for academia!<br />
<br />
I shall leave others to debate that point.<br />
<br />
<br /><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-69921048750943461912018-08-13T18:31:00.001+01:002022-06-18T06:57:59.703+01:00A triptych of radio interviews on the City of London for QuayFMOne of the consequences of public speaking on City of London and Livery Company topics is that once you've started the requests keep coming in, often from new and unexpected angles. The first talk I gave on the government of the City of London was at Cambridge University in 2012, since then I've spoken at long series of events in the City and elsewhere.<br />
<br />
In June of this year I received an out of the blue request to be co-interviewed with David Barrett, Clerk to the <a href="http://www.makersofplayingcards.co.uk/" target="_blank">Makers of Playing Cards</a>, by <a href="http://www.quayfm.gg/" target="_blank">QuayFM</a> which broadcasts from the island of Alderney in the Channel Islands. QuayFm run a regular series of specialist subject interviews that are broadcast across the Channel Islands and later made available online. The audience for QuayFM spans the Channels Islands and their online recordings are available world-wide.<br />
<br />
In the end David Barrett and I recorded separate interviews, exploring the City and its Livery Companies from different angles. It was only after my interview was completed that I discovered Alderman Professor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Mainelli" target="_blank">Michael Mainelli</a> had also recorded an interview with QuayFM earlier in the year, again his subject was the City.<br />
<br />
While none of us made any particular effort to coordinate the subject matter of our respective interviews, the end result is a rather unique exploration of the City of London's history, government, the Livery Companies and the Freedom from different but entirely complementary perspectives. For residents of the Channel Islands much of our respective interviews will have struck a familiar note given the reliance of those islands on financial and professional services, and their rather unusual system of government which includes democratic and semi-feudal elements, replete with medieval titles and status as peculiars of the Crown.<br />
<br />
The Channel Islands have produced at least two Lord Mayors of London, and at least one Honorary Freeman, not forgetting the immediate past head of the Common Council's Policy & Resources Committee. In recent times the Lord Mayor has visited the islands as part of his annual program of over-seas visits such as the visit by <a href="https://www.gov.je/News/2013/Pages/Lord-Mayor-of-London-to-visit-Jersey.aspx" target="_blank">Lord Mayor Sir Roger Gifford to Jersey in 2013</a>.<br />
<br />
The most recent Mayoral trip was to Guernsey in 2017 when the late <a href="https://www.gov.gg/article/159981/Lord-Mayor-of-the-City-of-London-visits-Guernsey" target="_blank">Lord Mayor Sir Andrew Parmley paid a visit</a> to discuss BREXIT related issues and further strengthen the bonds between the City and the Channel Islands.<br />
<br />
The Channel Islands are also home to many Freemen and Liverymen, one notable example is Nigel Mansell CBE (Freeman of the City of London) who opened the <a href="https://sheepdrive.london/2016/10/05/nigel-mansell-joins-the-2016-sheep-drive/" target="_blank">Sheep Drive across London Bridge in 2016</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtc9TFr_vbhJP0m1EjoewfeU2WQBd4icVjGsmmM_ns7GphmESEId5oXk62mIePgPIeduNYiqFInz_JRALPKuJjNw_kuFhutR-9l2OPO7WmeGVL02iQe2jaWEaeOjw6gBe4HZgkhos-for/s1600/IMG_1364.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtc9TFr_vbhJP0m1EjoewfeU2WQBd4icVjGsmmM_ns7GphmESEId5oXk62mIePgPIeduNYiqFInz_JRALPKuJjNw_kuFhutR-9l2OPO7WmeGVL02iQe2jaWEaeOjw6gBe4HZgkhos-for/s400/IMG_1364.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilt of the ceremonial sword presented to Admiral James Saumarez, later Baron Saumarez on his admission as a Freeman of the City of London for his leadership during the Algeciras Campaign (Gut of Gibraltar)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Perhaps the deepest link between the Channel Islands and the City of London is that neither were conquered by William I. The Channel Islands were part of Normandy prior to the Norman Conquest, and there is a saying on Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark that 'England is our oldest possession', whereas the City of London cut a deal with William I and hence is never described with the epithet 'Conqueror' within the Square Mile.<br />
<br />
Particular thanks must go to the radio interviewer, Tony LeBlanc, who did a marvellous job in guiding the three of us through a recondite subject without repetition or overlap. The good burgesses of Alderney must now surely be the most knowledgeable of Her Majesty's subjects in the Channel Islands on the topic of the City of London, probably better informed that most of the residents in the Square Mile!<br />
<br />
I hope you enjoy listening to the series of interviews as much as I enjoyed recording mine, you may access each of them through these links:<br />
<br />
Part 1: <a href="http://cityandlivery.co.uk/professor-mainelli---corpor.html" target="_blank">Professor Michael Mainelli - Corporation of the City of London</a><br />
Part 2: <a href="http://cityandlivery.co.uk/paul-jagger--history-of-the.html" target="_blank">Paul D Jagger - The Guilds and Livery Companies</a><br />
Part 3: <a href="http://cityandlivery.co.uk/david-barrett--clerk-of-a.html" target="_blank">David Barrett - The role of a Livery Company Clerk</a><br />
<br />
Note: The copyright of these interviews belongs to QuayFM and I am much indebted to them for sharing the recordings online.<br />
<br />
<br /><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-84792890900385275572018-04-27T20:06:00.001+01:002022-06-18T06:58:11.783+01:00The traditions of the City of London and its Livery CompaniesThe traditions of the City of London and its Livery Companies rival those of the Royal Household for their displays of pageantry and public spectacle, blending of the past with the present and sense of majesty that no other city can rival. The fact that more troops of the Crown participate in the annual Lord Mayor's Show than parade in the Sovereign's annual birthday parade (Trooping the Colour) illustrates the scale of the City's ability to put on a show. In fact the very word show when taken to mean a public spectacle derives from the requirement that the City's elected chief magistrate 'show himself' to the Monarch or his justices and swear allegiance, hence the Lord Mayor's Show.<br />
<br />
The early 20th century antiquarian and author Dr George Williamson captured the panoply of City ceremonial in Curious Survivals, a book presented to Queen Mary and now in the Royal Collection. The opening chapter of his comprehensive work on British customs and traditions reads thus:<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>"There is no place in England in which old customs have been more carefully preserved than the square mile known as the City of London, and within its boundaries there are probably enshrined more of these ancient habits and survivals than in any other place in the world"</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Dr Williamson was not exaggerating when he wrote those words in 1921 and almost one hundred years later the number and range of City traditions has increased, some resurrected from the past, others invented anew. Some City traditions are, by their nature, rare events such as the ceremonial entry of a King of Arms at Temple Bar on the occasion of proclaiming a new sovereign (last enacted in 1952) and new annual traditions have also been forged such as the United Guilds' Service which is conducted in St Paul's Cathedral and was first held as an act of defiance during the Blitz of World War two.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The growth in modern Livery Companies since the second World War has seen a resurgence in traditions, and no Company is too modern to embrace the past. This is evidenced most clearly by the Royal Charter ceremony of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists. The service of blessing was held at St Paul's Cathedral and celebrated at a spectacular civic luncheon in Mansion House during the summer of 2010 at which HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, formally handed over the charter to the Master of the Company.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOBoJuaEm065FT8eUVnLxhGNcUqXAN0j-XY2CWAgbSYaw2c70drrkZAGy2Vj87JoCRFrmaOTmqTi84TesY0xoWiA2k5KesUT9WROGhWAvVrwFAUc2s4TDlyngGlS6MJkwv7pe2zwHwx6P/s1600/IMG_5888.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOBoJuaEm065FT8eUVnLxhGNcUqXAN0j-XY2CWAgbSYaw2c70drrkZAGy2Vj87JoCRFrmaOTmqTi84TesY0xoWiA2k5KesUT9WROGhWAvVrwFAUc2s4TDlyngGlS6MJkwv7pe2zwHwx6P/s640/IMG_5888.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A ceremonial procession in the City of London, lead by the Beadle, the Clerk to the Information Technologists carries the Company's newly presented Royal Charter guarded by two pikemen of the Honourable Artillery Company's Pikemen and Musketeers. Photo copyright Christopher Histed (2010)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Even when the original purpose of a tradition may have been lost to history they all find their origins in some practical necessity such as the sweeping of the streets ahead of the Vintners' Company procession when the Master, Wardens and other members of the Company proceed to church. Thankfully the City streets are no longer an open sewer, but the tradition remains.<br />
<br />
A good example of a tradition which still performs a practical necessity is that of the receiving line which precedes formal banquets in the City.<br />
<br />
The receiving line is an opportunity for the diners to meet and identify the host and his or her partner, and in the case of Livery Companies and City Guilds it also allows the membership to become acquainted with the senior officers of the Company who are soon to take their turn as Master. Some Companies and Guilds ensure that a member of the Company is nominated to welcome guests who are otherwise unaccompanied and may not be familiar with the <a href="http://cityandlivery.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/the-etiquette-of-livery-company-dinners.html" target="_blank">etiquette and formality of City banquets</a>.<br />
<br />
The traditions of a City of London or Livery Company banquet begin before the formalities of the evening, and the custom of sending a pour memoire card remains strong in the City. In an era of smartphones and digital diaries the printing and postage of a pour memoire card may seem unnecessary, but they form a nice keepsake and help with security. They can also be used to convey important details such as whether the wearing of medals and decorations is required, and what time diners can expect the evening to finish, details that might otherwise go unnoticed.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAPliPhRsmClPPUSLWTBTZkCk4rS-XQkfLXNlt4Np3oQvlpdwEglwfNU7gcY8_ULW0DxsW-EbhCouBUN49Fs8iBhyphenhyphenvsZ82TMBnynJkC98p7Cp-tUClLGUsZ1JgoK24krvwDTqQ8DFWF8h/s1600/IMG_6271.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAPliPhRsmClPPUSLWTBTZkCk4rS-XQkfLXNlt4Np3oQvlpdwEglwfNU7gcY8_ULW0DxsW-EbhCouBUN49Fs8iBhyphenhyphenvsZ82TMBnynJkC98p7Cp-tUClLGUsZ1JgoK24krvwDTqQ8DFWF8h/s640/IMG_6271.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pour memoire card sent to a guest invited to the Honorary Freedom admission ceremony of Professor Stephen Hawking. The pour memoire card is something to 'have and to hold' and conveys all the vital information in a form that's unlikely to be forgotten.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
To the uninitiated some of the City ceremonial may appear to have a Masonic look and feel to it, and it is certainly true that <a href="http://cityandlivery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/the-livery-companies-and-freemasonry.html" target="_blank">Freemasonry has borrowed heavily from City and Livery</a> customs, yet the rituals of Freemasonry are centred around a series of allegorical plays which are based upon people, events and lessons recorded in the Old Testament. The Livery Companies used to participate in allegorical religious mystery plays that were performed in public; the term mystery in this context derived from <i>ministerium</i> the latin for occupation or craft. King Henry VIII's break with the Church of Rome put an end to the mystery plays in London although they continue in Chester, Lincoln and York.<br />
<br />
City and Livery Company ceremony is, for the most part, civic in nature and not based upon allegory, neither is it moralistic or quasi-religious in tone. In fact any religious aspect to City and Livery Company ceremony is conducted in the context of the Church of England, such as the United Guilds' Service.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ls59HLajaAkW3aznhdelzj82dapcL4062PUEvBbWFbt1EvhWF2obPPPmioXEypwvUVJLeYNx74aCr5krvAul2zqXdD01Eavk-J2PK1YsxkWmZM2n67sfP70Be_31oJFshrjfP1yUFCz3/s1600/DSCN0737.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ls59HLajaAkW3aznhdelzj82dapcL4062PUEvBbWFbt1EvhWF2obPPPmioXEypwvUVJLeYNx74aCr5krvAul2zqXdD01Eavk-J2PK1YsxkWmZM2n67sfP70Be_31oJFshrjfP1yUFCz3/s640/DSCN0737.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master and Wardens of the Fan Makers' Company in their robes and insignia of office on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral following the annual United Guilds' Service. Photo copyright Paul D Jagger (2014).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A full explanation of all the City and Livery Company ceremonies is beyond the scope of this blog article, and the following list provides a sample of just a few of the ceremonies performed on an annual cycle:<br />
<ul>
<li>The United Guilds' Service - St Paul's Cathedral</li>
<li>Common Hall - election of the Sheriffs and certain other ancient officers</li>
<li>Common Hall - election of the Lord Mayor</li>
<li>Ceremony of the Quit Rents - Royal Courts of Justice</li>
<li>Beating the Bounds - various parishes in the City of London</li>
<li><a href="http://cityandlivery.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/the-citys-annual-cart-marking-ceremony.html" target="_blank">The Cart Marking Ceremony</a> - conducted by the Carmen's Company</li>
<li>Gibraltar Day Parade</li>
<li>Swan Upping - by the Vintners' and Dyers' Companies</li>
<li>St Matthew's Day Parade - Christ's Hospital School parades in the City</li>
<li>The Silent Ceremony - installation of the Lord Mayor elect</li>
<li>Doggett's Coat and Badge - a sculling wager held on the Thames</li>
<li>The Lord Mayor's Show</li>
<li>Lord Mayor's speech to the Livery Companies - inviting Masters and Clerks to Mansion House</li>
<li>Various gun salutes on Royal birthdays - performed by the Honourable Artillery Company</li>
<li>The Boar's Head Ceremony - performed by the Butchers' Company</li>
</ul>
Without doubt the most frequently performed, and yet one of the most ancient ceremonies performed in the City of London is that of admitting persons into the Freedom. This ceremony is usually conducted in the Chamberlain's Court in Guildhall and takes the form of a solemn declaration, signing of the Freemen's roll and offering the right hand of friendship.<br />
<br />
It is the tradition of London that all newly admitted Freeman are described as 'Our youngest Freeman' irrespective of their age at the time of admission, and of course the word Freeman imports both genders.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDPdWSmP7uxM-yPsPWsArMiiBt897-UVHJ7Ru-Ypi5Ke8QryBdfYXwhcFruR1Mv8ipxDc0VUh_-1gyccHF9qYwsMgBz3SPL7JIhn0JK2RcnBPE9se1OaB7NhnmdAb997oAXSnH41SNw5C/s1600/DSC_0001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDPdWSmP7uxM-yPsPWsArMiiBt897-UVHJ7Ru-Ypi5Ke8QryBdfYXwhcFruR1Mv8ipxDc0VUh_-1gyccHF9qYwsMgBz3SPL7JIhn0JK2RcnBPE9se1OaB7NhnmdAb997oAXSnH41SNw5C/s640/DSC_0001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The declaration made by persons admitted into the Freedom of the City of London. The wording of the declaration remains essentially unchanged since records began. Photo copyright Paul D Jagger (2014).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Of all the City's many customs the one that all Livery Companies share in common is that of the Loving Cup ceremony, although the precise details of how the ceremony is performed may differ from one Company to the next. It is also a ceremony that Freemasonry has borrowed from the Livery Companies.<br />
<br />
The complexities of the Loving Cup ceremony are such that many Livery Companies feel compelled to explain the ceremony in the dining card provided to each diner, and some further demonstrate the ceremony before inviting diners and guests to participate. This invariably complicates matters and the ceremony is best entered into with a spirit of daring do, and a good measure of self-effacing humour.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjul02Rr8JSU2JG-T9Mta2cUgIuQXWUQs8WI-KBeRXiWcwJtHaP-fTwiRjchjYZf-roruJYMMjZkcyNtLfwhA0A4EUidZEf-vWLUrcJz1MSpx18WUXyg_quPDBkpva_V4F5ISOgimlfuLOU/s1600/IMG_6431.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjul02Rr8JSU2JG-T9Mta2cUgIuQXWUQs8WI-KBeRXiWcwJtHaP-fTwiRjchjYZf-roruJYMMjZkcyNtLfwhA0A4EUidZEf-vWLUrcJz1MSpx18WUXyg_quPDBkpva_V4F5ISOgimlfuLOU/s640/IMG_6431.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loving cup belonging to the Clothworkers' Company, accompanied by the obligatory napkin tied to one of the arms. Photo copyright Paul D Jagger (2017).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The traditions of the City of London and its Livery Companies also extend to small courtesies such as that of the Sheriffs sending heraldic Christmas cards to all of the Livery Companies, featuring the armorial bearings of both the City's Sheriffs. The Masters of the Livery Companies are also invited to one of the first speeches given by the newly installed Lord Mayor when he or she sets out their aims for the year soon after the Lord Mayor's Show.<br />
<br />
Another tradition in the City of London is that of Livery Companies flying their heraldic banner on the exterior of their hall when a Court Meeting or other formal event such as the installation of a new Master is taking place. On the day of the United Guilds' Service, when all the Livery Companies participate, every one of the Livery Halls will have a heraldic banner on display.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkmQGbTQqlbFThyphenhyphenvMC-YWI2a1yNTNQEZH0_EP_tMpIALRWubxwUJGHZWf3ua40gEybgIccxdzcEZJmmXKNCi-iuDPtFnvqXfd56H4Eh11RzKsvV_me7ylYKZHfjVm2LcL4c3ATae51itS/s1600/IMG_6669.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkmQGbTQqlbFThyphenhyphenvMC-YWI2a1yNTNQEZH0_EP_tMpIALRWubxwUJGHZWf3ua40gEybgIccxdzcEZJmmXKNCi-iuDPtFnvqXfd56H4Eh11RzKsvV_me7ylYKZHfjVm2LcL4c3ATae51itS/s640/IMG_6669.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even on a cold and damp day the heraldic banner of the Information Technologists' Company brings a bit of colour to Bartholomew Close. Photo copyright Paul D Jagger (2018).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The City is famed for this sort of assiduous attention to detail and maintenance of custom that ensures continuity and fosters a sense of common purpose and goodwill among the Companies and between the Companies and the City. Detail is something the City does well, probably because many of the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2521698926409163600#editor/target=post;postID=8071738057909003501;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=12;src=postname" target="_blank">City's Beadles</a> are former senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers of HM Forces, and they are the guardians of many of the City's traditions and certainly of the Livery Company treasures.<br />
<br />
In recent times the City and the Livery Companies have adopted several new traditions that find their origins in the past, such as the annual Inter-Livery Pancake Races, the annual Sheep Drive over London Bridge and the Jailed and Bailed trial of the Livery Company Masters. Some may view these as a bit frivolous and perhaps even below the dignity of the Livery Companies, yet it is as well to remember that the principal event of the City calendar, the Lord Mayor's Show, has itself always blended pomp and pageantry with a healthy dose of fun and frivolity.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiFtRvOMp8kDzItMU8svj8oLwww89AXOdpm5uryy3hV8GQTuJyi6ARLxx_pycVgPbrqXKZXnZiv3yeyop-v0kgH5O5WiuUzAGiCSSP_EpGoZCHTwplVlJ67Ay5t9alOrnoZhsnQtq1HAl/s1600/IMG_6585.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiFtRvOMp8kDzItMU8svj8oLwww89AXOdpm5uryy3hV8GQTuJyi6ARLxx_pycVgPbrqXKZXnZiv3yeyop-v0kgH5O5WiuUzAGiCSSP_EpGoZCHTwplVlJ67Ay5t9alOrnoZhsnQtq1HAl/s640/IMG_6585.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not every Livery Company event is sombre and serious as the Inter-Livery Pancake Races illustrate. Photo copyright Paul D Jagger (2018).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
Not every City tradition has survived into modern times; for example the custom of the Lord Mayor's Day being held largely (but never exclusively) on the Thames has ceased, and a short-lived revival in the form of an early morning river pageant lasted just seven years from 2011 until 2017. In times past the Livery Companies vied for position in the river pageant resulting in collisions, arguments, fights and loss of life; this was the reason the Livery Companies agreed to adopt a strict order of precedence. While the era of grand river barges has passed, many of the Livery Companies now own and operate cutters which participate in various races on the Thames in their capacity as members of the Thames Traditional Rowing Association.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24_MPLhBc5JNQ1sUn9HdFtW_Bp6OEbozsYV6uj3b1UyC0aiTbD5UtzJfVzItbTF4XhTQ2_2XrrlR97oiUNTRksGB-Fvc7V5_chjfWgyams25AS7OKPJitRgKd3zIc7rq-VIhKcRD8CeNB/s1600/IMG_4662+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24_MPLhBc5JNQ1sUn9HdFtW_Bp6OEbozsYV6uj3b1UyC0aiTbD5UtzJfVzItbTF4XhTQ2_2XrrlR97oiUNTRksGB-Fvc7V5_chjfWgyams25AS7OKPJitRgKd3zIc7rq-VIhKcRD8CeNB/s640/IMG_4662+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Model of a Livery Company barge owned by the Clothworkers' Company. Photo copyright Paul D Jagger (2017).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-53729493664547713982018-03-17T20:55:00.022+00:002021-03-02T06:19:24.669+00:00Why Liverymen should petition for Arms<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_WYpQUxNZtT3iEnz8QPvRIqFPusZMzJ9j7ug8_osUutsdDfqAiVEX4iq6gygZZZ5s_ZiKY-hC999-WyHa0uDWnxsSyDn1dzqG7PSw04r_96ufEEYrxFAjNWiYH_IpyamMP_D7gQmTgtc/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1200" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_WYpQUxNZtT3iEnz8QPvRIqFPusZMzJ9j7ug8_osUutsdDfqAiVEX4iq6gygZZZ5s_ZiKY-hC999-WyHa0uDWnxsSyDn1dzqG7PSw04r_96ufEEYrxFAjNWiYH_IpyamMP_D7gQmTgtc/w640-h301/Paul-Jagger-Standard-2-vellum.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raising the standard of heraldic knowledge among the Livery - aptly by opening with my own heraldic standard!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
Petitioning for a grant of arms is, without a doubt, among the most unusual things I have done and yet it has been one of the most fascinating experiences, triggering a study of the subject that has proven immensely rewarding. The result of the petitioning process will also outlast me because arms are hereditary in English law and have already passed to my children.<br />
<br />
I believe that every Liveryman should, if they have the qualification, means and motivation, petition the Crown for a grant of arms to continue the City's centuries old custom of burgesses acquiring armorial bearings.<br />
<br />
When the Heralds last conducted a systematic survey of armigerous persons in the City of London the late 1700s almost 1 in 3 of the residents of some of the City's wards were armigerous (had a lawful right to armorial bearings). That is a vast concentration of gentry in a tiny area and reflects the nature of the mercantile elite that lived cheek by jowl in the commercial heart of the United Kingdom and its growing trading empire. It is perhaps no surprise that the College of Arms, which is part of the Royal Household, set up shop in the City rather than Westminster, and has occupied the same site close to its core market since 1555.<br />
<br />
A glance around some of the older and grander livery halls will reveal a rich history of Past Masters displaying their arms either on shields, banners or stained glass windows; the halls of the Ironmongers, Armourers & Brasiers, Stationers and Goldsmiths being prime examples that illustrate this noble practice. However the granting of arms is not restricted to those who reach the lofty heights of Master, Prime Warden or Upper Bailiff of a Livery Company even if those are the most prominent examples in the City.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZidplFfdC4eHUqCViwmhVSehGeCWAgZDYVwzgf2DVF8kOHPslVg5KCaS7O7IuQE9HLSlzVOd9dregd8ZN5s5hZfZvOqb7DnMHAMJjdsKdo6r5OMZKC4mal5RdSZN1oJtVPz6ImUoqqzD/s1600/Ironmongers%2527+Hall+Arms.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZidplFfdC4eHUqCViwmhVSehGeCWAgZDYVwzgf2DVF8kOHPslVg5KCaS7O7IuQE9HLSlzVOd9dregd8ZN5s5hZfZvOqb7DnMHAMJjdsKdo6r5OMZKC4mal5RdSZN1oJtVPz6ImUoqqzD/s640/Ironmongers%2527+Hall+Arms.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arms of Past Masters displayed in Ironmongers' Hall. Of course you don't have to be Master to be entitled to arms.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Times have moved on and in the twenty-first century petitioning for a Grant of Arms is not something that crosses the minds of many captains of industry or commerce, let alone leaders in politics, law, academia or the military, all professions that are well represented among the ranks of those who traditionally petitioned for arms in centuries past.<br />
<br />
That said, interest in heraldry and personal arms is at its zenith in the 21st century. Perhaps this is a result of the world-wide web, genealogical research websites, and TV programs such as 'Who do you think you are?'. Whatever the cause, the number of people petitioning for arms is at an all time high. Far from being a vestige of medievalism, heraldry is surprisingly modern.<br />
<br />
Liverymen, this is your call to arms (unless of course you already have them, in which case display them!).<br />
<br />
<b>How many grants are made each year?</b><br />
<br />
Fewer than one hundred and fifty people and organisations petition for arms through the College of Arms in any given year, and not all of them are resident in the UK because the College is also the granting authority for arms to persons living in Australia, New Zealand and all but one of the other commonwealth realms where Her Majesty the Queen is Head of State (Canada has its own heraldic authority). In addition, a smattering of American Citizens are given 'honorary' grants if they can show descent from a direct male ancestor who was a British citizen.<br />
<br />
Considering that heraldry is an omnipresent aspect of life in the UK and that millions of its citizens are likely to be eligible to petition for arms through either the College of Arms in London or the Court of Lord Lyon in Edinburgh, it is surprising that so few apply. Moreover there is no shortage of tourist shops and websites offering to sell the unwary their 'family crest' on everything from key-rings to tea towels, so there is clearly a demand for heraldic paraphernalia. The cognate subject of genealogy remains one of the most popular pastimes and a successful business model on the world wide web, yet heraldry remains an opaque subject to all but a tiny fraction of the population.<br />
<br />
<b>Why don't more people petition for a Grant of Arms?</b><br />
<br />
In my view there are three inter-related reasons:<br />
<ol>
<li>Knowledge of heraldry, and particularly the process by which arms are granted, is next to non-existent outside of a small community of persons who have studied the subject and are often members of one or more of the learned societies that cover the topic in the UK.</li>
<li>The two heraldic authorities in the UK do not advertise, and make little effort (beyond the clear information on their respective websites) to dispel myths and misconceptions about heraldry, in particularly they take no action to tackle the scourge of bucket shop heraldry, an inoffensive term to describe the trade of the heraldic fraudster. With the exception of the occasional intervention in a blatant abuse of the law, the College of Arms and the Court of Lord Lyon display, for the most part, a couchant posture (heraldic joke) where enforcement of the law of arms is concerned. Lord Lyon tends to be more proactive in upholding the law, or as I prefer to put it 'Lord Lyon not only has claws, but is apt to use them'.</li>
<li>Persons who are vaguely aware of heraldry and know that the College of Arms and the Court of Lord Lyon are the granting authorities in the UK and Commonwealth realms assume they are not eligible to petition for arms and hence do not apply.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Note: During a visit to Edinburgh in August 2018 I was stunned to see that images of arms were being sold in a 'Heraldry Shop' in Edinburgh Castle. The shop concerned had purloined the Royal Arms of Scotland to give it a sense of authenticity and the average tourist would reasonably assume this retail outlet was engaged in a legitimate trade given its location in the same building where are kept the Honours of Scotland (Scotland's Crown Jewels). The reality is that this business is as much a bucket shop as any other.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb895r4sVqYBZIbuuMmhztbREp1LLk49i0NTSTkSIsT7XAs7FN9h_NoVc7JoBrxaG28UkBEvPcHrK67SfbsH2EYi8b7B3UOt8pwxsP8MAJtx4Gk9SRpZ0eJYfGRXmNm3Gs4z5Cyhcohnnw/s1600/IMG_7296.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb895r4sVqYBZIbuuMmhztbREp1LLk49i0NTSTkSIsT7XAs7FN9h_NoVc7JoBrxaG28UkBEvPcHrK67SfbsH2EYi8b7B3UOt8pwxsP8MAJtx4Gk9SRpZ0eJYfGRXmNm3Gs4z5Cyhcohnnw/s400/IMG_7296.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No matter how legitimate it may seem, you cannot buy your 'family' coat of arms in a shop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b></div><div><b>Why is this a problem?</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There is no problem to fix regarding the process; the granting authorities have existed for many centuries and will continue to exist long after I'm gone. The structure and working practices of the granting authorities may be rather antiquated, but that's all part of the charm. Heraldry will not be enhanced by a sophisticated marketing campaign, digital design of arms or a self-serve web ordering process whereby your arms can be delivered to your smartphone and paid for with your preferred crypto-currency. When you step inside the College of Arms you gain an instantaneous sense of the antiquity and gravitas of the institution, and so it should be.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Neither the College of Arms or the Court of Lord Lyon need, or would benefit from, a transformative increase in the pipeline of petitioners who come forward seeking a Grant of Arms, and in any case they couldn't cope with thousands of petitioners queuing up at the door.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Improving knowledge and understanding of heraldic practice and the law of arms is another matter, and in my opinion much can and should be done to raise awareness of the law of arms and fundamental principles of heraldry if for no other reason than to steer the unwary away from the dubious practice of bucket shop heraldry.<br />
<br />
<b>Where can you learn the basics of heraldry?</b><br />
<br />
An earlier <a href="http://cityandlivery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/know-your-heraldic-abc-arms-badge-and.html" target="_blank">two part blog article</a> introduced the ABCs of heraldry for beginners, particularly Liverymen who would like to be able to explain the arms of their own Livery Company, but also to inspire further discovery and perhaps set them off on the path to petitioning for arms. Those two blog articles are an excellent place to start, especially if some of the terminology and concepts mentioned in this article are unclear to the reader.<br />
<br />
<b>Who is eligible to petition the Crown for a grant of arms?</b><br />
<br />
There are four criteria that need to be met in order for a person to petition the Crown for a grant of arms; each warrants a brief explanation:<br />
<br />
1) Be a subject of the Crown, that is a citizen of one of the countries, dependencies or territories where Queen Elizabeth II is Head of State<br />
2) Be a fit and proper person of good standing, that is someone who has not been convicted of a serious criminal offence<br />
3) Be of sufficient eminence, that is someone who the Kings of Arms deem of sufficient standing to meet the test of eminence<br />
4) Be of sufficient means to pay the fees of the granting authority. The current scale of fees can always be obtained direct from the relevant granting authority in London, Edinburgh or Ottawa<br />
<br />
<b>Is the right to armorial bearings restricted to Liverymen?</b><br />
<br />
No, there is no requirement for a petitioner to be clothed with the Livery, however such persons as may be Liverymen are likely to meet the criteria listed above. There will be exceptions, for example a person who is a citizen of any country may become a Liveryman, but only subjects of the Crown may petition for arms. There are no hard and fast rules, yet most Liverymen will qualify one way or another.<br />
<br />
<b>What is the test of eminence?</b><br />
<br />
Firstly it's not a test. There's no examination, no interview panel, no essay and no practical exercise to complete. The Kings of Arms have the exclusive right to determine who is sufficiently eminent to qualify and as such they can and do take into account a very wide spectrum of evidence. It is beyond the scope of this article to list all the possible examples and it is also unhelpful to do so as past experience has taught me that readers tend to use it as a tick list, wrongly assuming they must meet some threshold of ticks on the list.<br />
<br />
A better approach is to gather your own evidence, take advice from those who have been through the process, ask lots of questions, and make an approach to one of the granting authorities to test the waters. Eminence is acquired, so if at first you don't succeed...<br />
<br />
<b>What influence do I have in the design of my arms?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The law of arms requires that all arms be unique; in a practical sense that means at least two differences, not including a change of colour, from existing arms. Most petitioners will want their arms to be unique in any case and the heralds will guide you on the rules of heraldic design but otherwise you have a free hand to choose what you will, with some specific exceptions (e.g, don't expect to be able to use symbols that indicate a status that you don't have). Conversely there is no requirement for the petitioner to play a role in designing the arms and in extremis the matter can be left to the heralds; naturally most petitioners will want to discuss the design and have a role in deciding the elements included in the arms.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>How long does the process take?</b><br />
<br />
This depends on a number of factors, not least how motivated the petitioner is to drive the process, how organised he or she is and the workload of the granting authority. My experience was that the process took two years from start to finish; others have completed the process faster; others have taken significantly longer. Some petitioners also register their family pedigree with the College of Arms at the same time as they petition for arms, or engage the services of a Herald to conduct genealogical research, all of which increases the timescale and cost.<br />
<br />
<b>Have other Liverymen been successful?</b><br />
<br />
Yes, emphatically YES! I know of several Liverymen who have go on to successfully petition the Crown for a grant of arms after attending one of the workshops I have run in previous years. Several others proceeded on their own initiative before I started running a series of Grant of Arms workshops in 2016 and it was the success of another Liveryman that motivated me to petition.<br />
<br />
<b>What do I receive once I have been granted arms?</b><br />
<br />
The grant is recorded in a document called a Letters Patent (an 'open' letter) written on vellum and illustrated with the arms of the Monarch, the Earl Marshal and the College of Arms (in the case of petitioning in London). Grants of arms issued in Scotland or Ottawa follow a similar form.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5g_jpXNqMUz36OPvPKPkokE1MNFDoQYv6jCAizYtU29LPw7SRoK3QTixYwbmJh_0m-FsZ0Px3i_CF7BHJGbkAIggzJwrh4f8mUTnlH7MZTcVSukKbD7SToHOAnJx2nDtxeovP6jw0whIt/s1600/DSC_0015.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5g_jpXNqMUz36OPvPKPkokE1MNFDoQYv6jCAizYtU29LPw7SRoK3QTixYwbmJh_0m-FsZ0Px3i_CF7BHJGbkAIggzJwrh4f8mUTnlH7MZTcVSukKbD7SToHOAnJx2nDtxeovP6jw0whIt/s640/DSC_0015.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The opening text of a Letters Patent granting arms and featuring the arms of the Monarch, the Earl Marshal and the College of Arms in London</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<b>What can I do with my arms once granted?</b><br />
<br />
Armorial bearings are the personal property of the person to whom they are granted; they may not be sold, given away or licensed. There are endless ways in which the arms may be displayed and some of the examples I have chosen include:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The digital avatar of this blog and my website</li>
<li>My business cards</li>
<li>Placemats and coasters</li>
<li>Lapel pins</li>
<li>A table banner</li>
<li>A banner of arms (flag suitable for a flagpole)</li>
</ul>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojPdRz3LTrPtLsRqAcsChCxjKBCQ1B1JP6nEHGfWHaxW91xHTe229Y6OfM6NA2nEIQYY2zhaIlgqrsm69JV00LcyES5ifs9z7hR6i-FJ3v6pyZF0HmpLEctShP6cePQxlMn5yJdQFqG_J/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojPdRz3LTrPtLsRqAcsChCxjKBCQ1B1JP6nEHGfWHaxW91xHTe229Y6OfM6NA2nEIQYY2zhaIlgqrsm69JV00LcyES5ifs9z7hR6i-FJ3v6pyZF0HmpLEctShP6cePQxlMn5yJdQFqG_J/w485-h640/Paul-Jagger-CoA-vellum-1.1-screen.jpg" width="485" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Digital depiction of my arms. Artwork by digitalheraldry.com</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />
Elsewhere I have seen armigerous persons commission cushions, wood cuts, stained glass windows and myriad other accoutrements.<br />
<br />
<b>As a Liveryman do I get any special privileges?</b><br />
<br />
The process of petitioning for arms is remarkably meritocratic and inclusive, contrary to what you might perceive; however there are a couple of ways in which a Liveryman might wish to record their status. Firstly it is entirely acceptable to have your status as a Liverymen written into the text of the letters patent granting arms; secondly you may do the same if you register your family pedigree with the granting authority.<br />
<br />
Lastly, if you go on to become Master of your Livery Company then it would be entirely correct and appropriate to impale your personal arms with those of your Company during your term of office and to display those arms on invitations, letter heads, and other Company materials while you serve as Master. Naturally the Company will expect you to pick up the cost of these indulgences, but why not proudly show off your arms once you've reached the pinnacle of your Company?<br />
<br />
<b>Is there any requirement for a Liveryman to have armorial bearings?</b><br />
<br />
Yes, but only in the specific circumstances of being elected to the office of Sheriff in the City of London. If you are thinking of standing for election as Sheriff, whether an Alderman or not, you will need to be, or rapidly become, armigerous if you are successful. Since it is a pre-requisite that the Lord Mayor must have served as Sheriff, it follows that every Lord Mayor is armigerous.<br />
<br />
<b>How can I get the process started?</b><br />
<br />
Anyone may write to the College of Arms to seek the advice of one of the Heralds, although it is a good idea to do a bit of research first, learn a little about heraldry and the law of arms, perhaps consider what you might want to incorporate in the design of your arms, and ensure you have the finances.<br />
<br />
<b>Where can I learn more?</b><br />
<br />
There are plenty of good books about heraldry, a particularly good introduction which is both easy to read, richly illustrated and factually accurate (without being pedantic) is <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0853728704/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_a4xRAbX4TH4HG" target="_blank">Coats of Arms by Pitkin</a> which builds on the material in my <a href="https://cityandlivery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/know-your-heraldic-abc-arms-badge-and.html" target="_blank">earlier blog article</a> introducing heraldry. The Pitkin guide is a little dated but it remains an authoritative if not detailed primer on the topic.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYD00fImLFQyYUSk1iRUpZPzf8oHxZBS2B2LhKrTIhX6Uj_1Zeth-nbwvNHVN6F5SPuY232uA-iXrPj2c8y4I3XUd_ezXG0tQMI0psM4grSGKje-Tor7uTSdjTRDjaxyODiwwZX8i9DVi/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-03-17+at+20.50.17.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYD00fImLFQyYUSk1iRUpZPzf8oHxZBS2B2LhKrTIhX6Uj_1Zeth-nbwvNHVN6F5SPuY232uA-iXrPj2c8y4I3XUd_ezXG0tQMI0psM4grSGKje-Tor7uTSdjTRDjaxyODiwwZX8i9DVi/s400/Screen+Shot+2018-03-17+at+20.50.17.png" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coats of Arms by Pitkin, an accessible primer on the topic of heraldry in the UK</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The websites of the <a href="http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/" target="_blank">College of Arms</a>, the <a href="http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/CCC_FirstPage.jsp" target="_blank">Court of the Lord Lyon</a> and the <a href="https://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=81" target="_blank">Canadian Heraldic Authority</a> also provide much factual information such as the current fees, the contact details of the officers of arms and information about recent grants.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">Lastly you may wish to attend one of the workshops that I host from time to time. Usually I run two workshops a year. </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0); color: red;">The next workshops are on 3 June and 21 October 2021, full details and booking at https://heraldry2021.eventbrite.co.uk</span></div><div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies?</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fourth or Masterpiece edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; color: #757575; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="padding: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_lqOARUZm-zohYjwQrVlji15qO8BJ_JPWihO85XLKRgvmr3MqodDxLkcI4GnfLmDGNoP07ZmQtdmGDf0N8UHvtmRqZJBD3HQcxk93j9tknk6Pg4e1ljvZkXXMmTr_gY7bhB92xdDcHYA/s1600/Freeman%2527s+Guide.png" style="color: #2196f3; display: inline-block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_lqOARUZm-zohYjwQrVlji15qO8BJ_JPWihO85XLKRgvmr3MqodDxLkcI4GnfLmDGNoP07ZmQtdmGDf0N8UHvtmRqZJBD3HQcxk93j9tknk6Pg4e1ljvZkXXMmTr_gY7bhB92xdDcHYA/s640/Freeman%2527s+Guide.png" style="border: 0px; height: inherit; max-width: 100%;" width="416" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The City of London</span> Freeman's Guide is available in all major City retail outlets and online</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot an error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense. </span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-48917437138251426552018-01-15T12:41:00.024+00:002022-10-16T10:50:53.480+01:00The City's relationship with the Monarch and the Royal Family<div>Of all the myth and lore that envelopes the Square Mile perhaps none is more persistent than the idea that the Monarch has to ask to enter the City of London and may not do so without the permission of the Lord Mayor. </div><div><br /></div><div>While it is true to say that the City's relationship with the Crown is complex and exceptionally ancient, the myth that the Monarch is in some way subordinate to the Lord Mayor is simply nonsense. The very fact that the Lord Mayor has to be approved by the Monarch at a ceremony that takes place in the House of Lords, and later makes an oath of allegiance to the Monarch at the Royal Courts of Justice during the annual Lord Mayor's Show should put paid to this myth, yet it continues to spread.<br />
<br />
The genesis of this myth is likely to be the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5qXV3vDnIs" target="_blank">Ceremony of the Pearl Sword</a> which has, from time to time, been held at the former site of Temple Bar on Fleet Street. During the ceremony the Monarch's carriage procession draws up, the City Police pull a red cord across the street where Temple Bar once stood, the royal procession stops, the Lord Mayor approaches the carriage and presents the hilt of the City's Pearl Sword to the Monarch who touches it and symbolically returns the sword to the Lord Mayor. This is act of feudal fealty in which the Lord Mayor surrenders his principal symbol of authority to the Monarch, who in turn (assuming the Monarch finds the Lord Mayor suitably qualified to continue in office) returns the sword.<br />
<br />
The essence of the ceremony is captured in the painting by Alexander Talbot Rice which hangs in Ironmongers' Hall and recalls the moment when Lord Mayor Sir Michael Oliver (Citizen & Ironmonger) offered up the Pearl Sword during the Queen's Golden Jubilee.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJmlVse5pp38DMwoDU4oRlzsmGVaKpytN_pIP8wCtyOjF6My96KKf6YhkDnj3rretS-eEM-VrodhNMRFzYUZyfW9-a3SU37YMIztHdTSaTWCjOgT8MgD-9F5CB5OzAEv-uUzia6JhuW6n/s1600/Sir+Michael+Oliver+and+HM+The+Queen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJmlVse5pp38DMwoDU4oRlzsmGVaKpytN_pIP8wCtyOjF6My96KKf6YhkDnj3rretS-eEM-VrodhNMRFzYUZyfW9-a3SU37YMIztHdTSaTWCjOgT8MgD-9F5CB5OzAEv-uUzia6JhuW6n/s640/Sir+Michael+Oliver+and+HM+The+Queen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lord Mayor of London, Sir Michael Oliver, presenting the Pearl Sword to Her Majesty at Temple Bar. Photograph © Paul D Jagger.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Pearl Sword is believed to be a gift from Queen Elizabeth I to the City of London, and it is one of several ceremonial swords owned and used by the City. With the City's ceremonial mace they are symbols of the authority that the Monarch delegates to the Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor takes position, place and precedence before all persons in the City other than the Monarch and is the Monarch's representative in the City. The office, title and dignity of Lord Mayor flows from the Monarch, not from parliament - an institution that did not exist at the time office of Lord Mayor was created. The office of Lord Mayor is therefore a creature of the Monarch's creation, not of the government's.<br />
<br />
The last point is particularly well illustrated by the fact that the City, despite being a ceremonial county, has no Lord Lieutenant, rather the lieutenancy is held in 'commission' (i.e., by a committee rather than an individual) and the Lord Mayor is the head of the Commission of Lieutenancy for the City of London and the Monarch's representative in the City of London. The Monarch issues a new <a href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2945494" target="_blank">Commission of Lieutenancy each December</a> notice of which is placed in the London Gazette. A uniform has been designed for the head of the commission, and the Deputy Lieutenants of the City of London but has never been created or worn.<br />
<br />That said, some officers of the Crown do have to ask permission to enter the City...<br /><br />
His Majesty's Lord Lieutenant for Greater London (not the City), presently Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE (Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists), certainly does have to ask permission to enter the Square Mile when in uniform and the author has been witness to an incident when that occurred. </div><div><br /></div><div>Likewise officers commanding His Majesty's armed forces may not march them into the City without permission first having been sought and obtained from the Lord Mayor, whereupon they are met at the City boundary by the City Marshal and escorted through the Square Mile - although this now only happens on ceremonial occasions. The same is true for officers of arms from His Majesty's College of Arms such as when the accession of a new monarch is announced. Again, this only happens on great occasions of state - it would be ridiculous for officers of arms to have to ask permission to enter the City every working day as the College of Arms is located in the Square Mile.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_BEsLM91CUUcZpaGRLyEGHI9kQ_vqeTGjMMgYbjYl1WvXEq1KrBJSB940JVnjNE1z2flCggiZqe7u2Om8eAjmxx8ds11WUqtGqhxxTQH7oS3SDrwwdZO4hrod4s8SWpUboRe8F5_beSZ/s1600/DSC_0019.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_BEsLM91CUUcZpaGRLyEGHI9kQ_vqeTGjMMgYbjYl1WvXEq1KrBJSB940JVnjNE1z2flCggiZqe7u2Om8eAjmxx8ds11WUqtGqhxxTQH7oS3SDrwwdZO4hrod4s8SWpUboRe8F5_beSZ/s640/DSC_0019.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lord Mayor's Crystal Sceptre, a gift from Henry V. Photograph © Paul D Jagger.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The City's several swords and the mace are not the only symbols of royal authority displayed by the Lord Mayor of London. Following Henry V's successful campaign in France, which was funded and equipped by the City's merchants, the Lord Mayor was presented with a Crystal Sceptre in 1415. The Sceptre features the arms of Henry V and appears during the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-london-20275738/lord-mayor-of-london-roger-gifford-sworn-in" target="_blank">Silent Ceremony in Guildhall</a> when the Lord Mayor Elect is installed.<br />
<br />
The Crystal Sceptre is also held by the Lord Mayor during the coronation ceremony. The Lord Mayor is the only elected government officer who plays a role in the ceremony, and stands with the bishops, peers, kings of arms and heralds on the dais in Westminster Abbey. The Lord Mayor is also afforded the privilege of a unique coronation robe, trimmed with four rows of ermine and gold. He stands out very clearly in this image from the BBC film of the coronation, no mystery about 'Where's Wally?' in this image.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6QUTWkvzwzIvZ1VZnrCYTv2BWn96ZKPUyGI6GUf228SMKJ4CFXpvmuhyphenhyphen-6AvhCBMg2lG_AjCRUBaZWr5qt84LOkU3Eh3hRVzHcGtjMU4IwkwhLQ1uvzvtU9CK3AFZ_y6hf5zUFTpnJaP/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-01-15+at+10.46.52.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6QUTWkvzwzIvZ1VZnrCYTv2BWn96ZKPUyGI6GUf228SMKJ4CFXpvmuhyphenhyphen-6AvhCBMg2lG_AjCRUBaZWr5qt84LOkU3Eh3hRVzHcGtjMU4IwkwhLQ1uvzvtU9CK3AFZ_y6hf5zUFTpnJaP/s640/Screen+Shot+2018-01-15+at+10.46.52.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lord Mayor stands out during the Coronation on account of his striped scarlet, ermine and gold robe.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Lord Mayor is involved long before the coronation ceremony since he, with the other Aldermen of the City of London, is one of the members of the Accession Council that meets to proclaim the Monarch's right to accession on the demise of the Crown (i.e., the immediate passing of the Crown down the line of succession). The Lord Mayor, Aldermen and the Freemen of the City of London are mentioned in the proclamation of accession used in the United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
The Livery Companies also played a role in the coronation, the Glovers provided the gloves worn by the Monarch, the Girdlers provided a <a href="https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/search#/1/collection/75063/coronation-girdle" target="_blank">girdle</a> (belt) and stole, and there were various other gifts presented by the other Companies. Some of the artefacts provided by the Livery Companies were perishable such as the Wax Chandlers' provision of beeswax candles, a custom they continue for royal weddings and funerals, as do the Gardeners' Company by providing flowers. </div><div><br /></div><div>A comprehensive list of gifts presented to the Monarch by the Livery Companies and held in the Royal Collection may be <a href="https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection" target="_blank">viewed online</a>. Recently the author had the opportunity to handle the remains of a beeswax candle used in the Royal Wedding of HRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and provided by the Wax Chandlers' Company and see the Coronation (or Queen's) Cup presented by the Goldsmiths' Company.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrlY1vTmTlfcj7nHu94-X8X_3SMBtopn6vlv-ju8U9y5KacsdZGNBK3j79EFpQoBcjmlzEB0ZzxODmYl4PXK3JQnzqNDnoNcqze79WFqhsg9IHDBmrHvI2mVa4P3XdujUFQtpAfILfi2PsAwcMXF-Z-iTokacbNpw9DsiTD-Y_WVnUeJrlo6z5OHoa4Q" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrlY1vTmTlfcj7nHu94-X8X_3SMBtopn6vlv-ju8U9y5KacsdZGNBK3j79EFpQoBcjmlzEB0ZzxODmYl4PXK3JQnzqNDnoNcqze79WFqhsg9IHDBmrHvI2mVa4P3XdujUFQtpAfILfi2PsAwcMXF-Z-iTokacbNpw9DsiTD-Y_WVnUeJrlo6z5OHoa4Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II holding the Coronation Cup presented by the Goldsmiths' Company. Painting by Terence Cuneo. Photograph © Paul D Jagger.</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIXZ_kgsUutQJZpf-ZBAS1aSzqmugzy8TFjG8PaWK9oGo3CxtFOWe0ZC3jX1wsGeOMutNfXgCKFbxtegcP5lPbh1pcF15sZmC36k-QblbpV_waalQm7rg48OR5pL6kCJoN0B8oc0Sh8Rn/s1600/IMG_5600.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIXZ_kgsUutQJZpf-ZBAS1aSzqmugzy8TFjG8PaWK9oGo3CxtFOWe0ZC3jX1wsGeOMutNfXgCKFbxtegcP5lPbh1pcF15sZmC36k-QblbpV_waalQm7rg48OR5pL6kCJoN0B8oc0Sh8Rn/s640/IMG_5600.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers provide magnificent beeswax candles for Royal weddings, funerals and other church services. Photograph © Paul D Jagger.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The relationship between the Crown and the Livery Companies does not just take the form of giving gifts or providing vestments for the Coronation, as most Livery Companies have secured one or more Royal Charters from Monarchs over many centuries. The topic of Royal Charters is explored in an <a href="http://cityandlivery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/get-chartered-or-how-to-reach-gold.html" target="_blank">earlier article</a>, suffice to say that more than one in ten of all Royal Charters issued since William the Conqueror has been to a City of London Livery Company.<br /><br />
Individual members of the Royal Family are also very active Freemen or Liverymen of one or more of the City's Livery Companies and the connections go back as far at least as far as Elizabeth I.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our late Queen was a 'Citizen & Draper of London' on account of her admission as a Freeman of the Drapers' Company in 1947, and then as a Freeman of the City of London later the same year. In 2017 Her Majesty was elected to the Court of the Company and <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/31/queen-marks-70th-anniversary-majestys-admission-freedom-company/" target="_blank">visited Drapers' Hall</a> to celebrate 70 years of membership. Clearly the Drapers' Company take the business of who may progress to Court very seriously indeed!</div><div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg406WlZA7qjpv6oeavZlz-g9SeIwrOxFQDgEFB9bhxsbAhcI_QnazBaKKpyf3tOYD0V_g7uw1mizSh68KxTMXo0nQIxWCHFuA31OcqpVx6YbMastePCt8yfFurQVdadzxF4PJfID5oi3MU/s1600/P1020058.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg406WlZA7qjpv6oeavZlz-g9SeIwrOxFQDgEFB9bhxsbAhcI_QnazBaKKpyf3tOYD0V_g7uw1mizSh68KxTMXo0nQIxWCHFuA31OcqpVx6YbMastePCt8yfFurQVdadzxF4PJfID5oi3MU/s640/P1020058.jpeg" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Legally binding, HM The Queen took precedence AFTER the Master and Wardens of the Drapers' Company. Photograph © Paul D Jagger.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>His Majesty the King is a member of no fewer than fourteen Livery Companies, he is a Citizen & Fishmonger by right of patrimony, Patron of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots, Past Master of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners and either a Freeman or Liveryman of the Brewers, Carpenters, Drapers, Farmers, Fruiterers, Gardeners, Goldsmiths, Musicians, Pewterers, Shipwrights and Stationers.</div><div><br /></div>
The links with the Livery Companies continue to grow, and will no doubt flourish among the younger generations of the Royal family. Notwithstanding his age at the time, HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh added to his Livery Company memberships as recently as November 2013. </div><div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI65RGEU157W6Zw-EYdPujd_LpiNWrdvpvRDT4zQa-RsauylPNtLiuDmAVny7xAREbLB70ru-1lzD5nI4X36wr_CNdqrt8Bxlkn2wm_JYYEKRQW2GL8LmzDFZwJ627LK9nt8mzR8h3AGW3/s1600/DSC_0109.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI65RGEU157W6Zw-EYdPujd_LpiNWrdvpvRDT4zQa-RsauylPNtLiuDmAVny7xAREbLB70ru-1lzD5nI4X36wr_CNdqrt8Bxlkn2wm_JYYEKRQW2GL8LmzDFZwJ627LK9nt8mzR8h3AGW3/s640/DSC_0109.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted into the Freedom of the Ironmongers' Company in 2013. Photograph © Paul D Jagger.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>HRH The Princess Royal has served as Master of no fewer than eight Livery Companies - a post that is far from a sinecure, and is also Perpetual Master of the Saddlers' Company (the annually elected head of the Company is styled Prime Warden). In 2020 HRH The Princess Royal received the City Livery Club's Root & Branch Award for her outstanding commitment to the Livery.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRGeH9VAc-CdUzkeNeOUW9qS6e47QIycsYyeziXLoiRQ2NFeEhWc6cjXq77g8UoZfCnxE7RFfCrOf2kuwKZijB8NeF6smWn7e5xRtdTQc5e4E29J-p1KZBht7k0HYkYr3hbnmFCM6AMUtUH_BK9rFV-V_WZxnSEcgmkR5q-LQGPkaHU2i-UJI9BcqZg/s2560/Princess%20Royal%20-%20Root%20&%20Branch%20Award.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="2560" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRGeH9VAc-CdUzkeNeOUW9qS6e47QIycsYyeziXLoiRQ2NFeEhWc6cjXq77g8UoZfCnxE7RFfCrOf2kuwKZijB8NeF6smWn7e5xRtdTQc5e4E29J-p1KZBht7k0HYkYr3hbnmFCM6AMUtUH_BK9rFV-V_WZxnSEcgmkR5q-LQGPkaHU2i-UJI9BcqZg/w640-h426/Princess%20Royal%20-%20Root%20&%20Branch%20Award.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HRH The Princess Royal on the occasion of her receiving the City Livery Club's Root & Branch Award, seen here speaking to the author. Photograph © Paul D Jagger.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The manner in which our late Queen viewed her relationship with the City was best evidenced by her Annus Horribilis speech of 24 November 1992 - given in Guildhall to celebrate the 40th anniversary of her accession. To quote:<div><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4252px;"><i>"1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an 'Annus Horribilis'. I suspect that I am not alone in thinking it so. Indeed, I suspect that there are very few people or institutions unaffected by these last months of worldwide turmoil and uncertainty. This generosity and whole-hearted kindness of the Corporation of the City to Prince Philip and me would be welcome at any time, but at this particular moment, in the aftermath of Friday's tragic fire at Windsor, it is especially so."</i></span></span><div><br /></div><div>
The warmth of the relationship between the Livery Companies and the Monarchy is captured in the <a href="http://www.mercers.co.uk/master-mercers-speech-diamond-jubilee-lunch" target="_blank">speech given by the Master Mercer</a> during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee luncheon, hosted by the Livery Companies, at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eBYUOKQOnE" target="_blank">Westminster Hall on 5 June 2012</a>.<div><br /></div><div><br /><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
<br />
<br /></div></div></div></div>cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-73804680839437422552018-01-07T20:00:00.001+00:002022-06-18T06:58:34.725+01:00The City Livery Club's Root and Branch Award<span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2014 the </span><a href="http://cityliveryclub.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">City Livery Club</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> celebrated its centenary and marked the occasion in several ways including the publication of the Club's history (One hundred not out) and by instituting an award to recognise 'exceptional service within and across the Livery'. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRWdFQZAdLBqx_H4cQaHiFujX_yCbvr95JKpnzq8nzPwPtKvyYpnRdXebtIE6VUEjIgj-WPux76BjTLaPBF85OCvq4K2G5YGe8koanfUOqnMfELhU6noHn5W0i-py2ZYTVw40trdoDaJv/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-01-07+at+19.56.17.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRWdFQZAdLBqx_H4cQaHiFujX_yCbvr95JKpnzq8nzPwPtKvyYpnRdXebtIE6VUEjIgj-WPux76BjTLaPBF85OCvq4K2G5YGe8koanfUOqnMfELhU6noHn5W0i-py2ZYTVw40trdoDaJv/s400/Screen+Shot+2018-01-07+at+19.56.17.png" width="282" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The City Livery Club's <a href="http://cityliveryclub.com/award.html" target="_blank">Root and Branch Award</a> is unique in that it is the only pan Livery award and in just four years it has become a hallmark of excellence for Liverymen who have supported the wider aims of the Livery in a truly exceptional manner. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because the City Livery Club unites all the Companies and promotes fellowship it is ideally placed to judge and moderate nominations for the award.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;">Livery Companies are encouraged to nominate Liverymen who they believe are worthy of recognition by the City Livery Club and the deadline for nominations for 2019 is 17 April.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">How does the award benefit the Livery?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The City Livery Club's Root and Branch Award has rapidly gained visibility among the Livery Companies as a means of shining a light on the work of stand-out Liverymen.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In addition to the spotlight that falls upon the winner, the award also promotes the good work of the Livery as a whole; it also provides positive stories about the Livery's impact upon wider society and promotes the social and philanthropic purpose of the Livery at large.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-family: inherit;">How does the Award benefit the winner?</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Naturally the winner will receive publicity within their own Company and by the City Livery Club. The winner receives the Root and Branch Award Medal which is usually presented by the Lord Mayor at the City Livery Club's annual civic luncheon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The winner also receives a certificate and twelve months of membership of the City Livery Club. The winner is further invited to nominate a charity to which the City Livery Club will make a donation of £1,000 (usually charity with a close link to the Livery).</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="clear: right; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQoQtP9gdvq3pO015yfoAQoq0jzp9OBkUiBCpHLAplZthRD78hMwhdSvo4_NDnwBN4vu_lEjbbtxLxEIzuFh4TligR67Wqhuo_rYk3kZpXw81LnYe0WFJBA5u21HwzWdwDniwV3OXwVea/s1600/wpe2d7d7aa_06.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQoQtP9gdvq3pO015yfoAQoq0jzp9OBkUiBCpHLAplZthRD78hMwhdSvo4_NDnwBN4vu_lEjbbtxLxEIzuFh4TligR67Wqhuo_rYk3kZpXw81LnYe0WFJBA5u21HwzWdwDniwV3OXwVea/s400/wpe2d7d7aa_06.png" width="143" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Root and Branch </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Medal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">How are candidates nominated?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">The City Livery Club calls for nominations each year by Livery Companies (nominations must be signed by the Master) of a Liveryman or group of Liverymen who have given exceptional service to the Livery. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A simple <a href="http://cityliveryclub.com/award.html" target="_blank">application form</a> is provided by the Club and evidence (e.g., testimonials, reports) about the nominee's achievements should be attached with the form. Nominations are reviewed by the City Livery Club's Root and Branch Award committee and a separate judging panel selects the final winner. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">How many awards are made each year?</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is only one award winner each year, however the Club has on occasion awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award to candidates whose exceptional contribution has spanned a substantial number of years. Additionally the Club may award a Highly Commended where a nominees work is particularly good and worthy of recognition.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What characterises a winning nomination?</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The achievements of the nominee may be driven from within their own Livery Company or via some wider Livery initiative embracing more than one Company, but the impact must be external (e.g. donating time, talent or funds for one's own Company without external impact is unlikely to qualify). The best way to illustrate is with examples:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">The inaugural winner was Tom Ilube, a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists. Tom helped transform a
failing school into one rated “outstanding” by OFSTED in 2013, and was the
prime mover in working with the Mercers’ Company to found and fund another school, the
Hammersmith Academy. The Judges were particularly impressed by his dedication to the project. He was the first Chair of the Governors and encouraged work across the two Livery Companies that combined to achieve a far greater impact than would have been the case had the Companies worked in isolation. Hammersmith Academy was the first new school founded by the Livery Companies in the 21st century and has since gone on to thrive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCx0m1y0x0c1AkKrHsQsM-R-4GvRRHyRGVQOAzp2NhwJZggcqBWTFt62wGaaOftjN0J9HFNJHs1ASwNHMHGLHZIPV5UWh96KidmzbeZGHjuQoooO5JzIr5BnfEdA1fpsuWQbQjum36ISS/s1600/wp92c84476_05_06.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCx0m1y0x0c1AkKrHsQsM-R-4GvRRHyRGVQOAzp2NhwJZggcqBWTFt62wGaaOftjN0J9HFNJHs1ASwNHMHGLHZIPV5UWh96KidmzbeZGHjuQoooO5JzIr5BnfEdA1fpsuWQbQjum36ISS/s400/wp92c84476_05_06.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom Ilube receiving his Root and Branch Medal from HRH The Princess Royal in 2014. <br />
Image copyright The City Livery Club.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">A Lifetime Achievement Award was also presented in 2014 to Geoffrey Bond OBE, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers for wide ranging service to the Livery over many years.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The following year the Award went to
Phil Davis of the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phil has served as Chairman
of the Children’s Magical Taxi Tour organising committee since 1994, and has been the
driving force for 21 years behind the annual trip which takes seriously ill
children and their families to Disneyland Paris. Many Livery Companies sponsor
a cab on this trip so that it both showcases the work of the Hackney Carriage trade and the Livery Companies working in partnership to benefit so many children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2016 the Award went to the author of this blog for his work in writing The City of London Freeman's Guide and in promoting the good work of the Livery through Social Media.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQUMn-FryPgagdCQlu41tnilNNn2c_GLP7J67CrwRKbqUs5ZVAoGPQxaLqI0UjrQl4wMxSZQSHOQY4gA56q2QP10fraNnHtyONvgIDRCmU9J3i6EdpZrVZLd9DFZK3a8FYVtthDHXBrNn_/s1600/IMG_6521.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQUMn-FryPgagdCQlu41tnilNNn2c_GLP7J67CrwRKbqUs5ZVAoGPQxaLqI0UjrQl4wMxSZQSHOQY4gA56q2QP10fraNnHtyONvgIDRCmU9J3i6EdpZrVZLd9DFZK3a8FYVtthDHXBrNn_/s400/IMG_6521.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Root and Branch Award medal belonging to the author</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rob Heathfield of the Worshipful Company of Constructors received a Highly Commended in 2016 for his work developing and running a programme of scholarships for young professionals working in the construction industry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The 2017 Award was Keith Lawrey </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries
and Administrators. Keith was, however, nominated</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">by the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage
Drivers. Keith has successful piloted over 25 other Livery Companies in
petitioning for their respective Royal Charters. In addition he was the prime
mover in founding the Worshipful Company of Educators.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7JSD7bu6XcXgxPWf6RfHsOsHILy9gnmcFv9ACnZCBltFHkybX8LQD48lZUgivSJrOJS5P_2Zk8Rs7I6scBnyR8y6q_kedHwneWI0Prr4_cpiGJ5BHYZLymY68XJGpOQntjA5jIwZ8a2g/s1600/Untitled1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7JSD7bu6XcXgxPWf6RfHsOsHILy9gnmcFv9ACnZCBltFHkybX8LQD48lZUgivSJrOJS5P_2Zk8Rs7I6scBnyR8y6q_kedHwneWI0Prr4_cpiGJ5BHYZLymY68XJGpOQntjA5jIwZ8a2g/s400/Untitled1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keith Lawrey (Centre) winner of the City Livery Club Root and Branch Award 2017 with the Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Dr Andrew Parmley (Left) and President of the City Livery Club Alderman John Garbutt (Right). Image copyright The City Livery Club.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">A Highly Commended was given to </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.699999809265137px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">John Taylor of the Worshipful Company of Carpenters for ten years’ of service as Chairman of the Livery Companies Skills Council, and in particular, the impetus he gave to the development of the Livery Companies’ Apprenticeship Scheme.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">A Lifetime Achievement Award was also presented in 2017 to Penrose Halton of the Worshipful Company of Turners for her creation of and commitment to the Wizardry in Wood exhibitions over many years.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The most recent winner was Reginald (Reg) Brown of the Worshipful Company of Insurers for </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020;">exceptional leadership in supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds to work in professional careers in the City. He received his award from Past Lord Mayor Sir Andrew </span></span><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);">Parmley at the City Livery Club's annual civic luncheon.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsm59Nk-I6oN7mIojoUKVDVO4mgofOhSP-g3Qy9FvQCMvedKIYIjgM5f83B1ekGxGC-Ygbqgl4VS9E6uUhgbjEI9FG7Hrv49SHKjdzPexVswjw9Vwp90bj3rzRb2zxQlMXqiAmbTzuaBd/s1600/L2045_104-768x576.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsm59Nk-I6oN7mIojoUKVDVO4mgofOhSP-g3Qy9FvQCMvedKIYIjgM5f83B1ekGxGC-Ygbqgl4VS9E6uUhgbjEI9FG7Hrv49SHKjdzPexVswjw9Vwp90bj3rzRb2zxQlMXqiAmbTzuaBd/s400/L2045_104-768x576.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Past Lord Mayor Sir Andrew Parmley presenting Reg Brown with his Root and Branch Medal in 2018.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b>
Also recognised in 2018 was Lt Col (Retd) Bill Clark, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Woolmen for his role in putting the Sheep Drive on an annual footing to raise funds for the Lord Mayor's Appeal and Woolmen's charities.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>When is the winner announced?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The judging panel meets in April and the winner is informed soon afterwards, a formal announcement and press release is made some weeks later, prior to the City Livery Club's annual civic luncheon.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Are re-submitted nominations considered?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two Award winners have been re-submissions from previous years, so it pays to re-submit if a nominee is not successful the first time around. A nomination that builds further evidence, grows in impact and accrues testimonials will only be strengthened. If at first your nominated candidate does not succeed... </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Note: This article is in part adapted from materials kindly provided by the City Livery Club's Root and Branch Award committee.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
</div>
<br />cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-25397050502290756642017-12-19T13:44:00.003+00:002022-06-18T06:58:47.923+01:00Get Chartered, or how to reach the Gold Standard of incorporated body with a Royal CharterThis blog article is based on an interview I conducted with Keith Lawrey, winner of the City Livery Club's Root and Branch Award (2017). The <a href="http://cityliveryclub.com/award.html" target="_blank">Root and Branch Award</a> recognises the Liveryman who has made an outstanding contribution to the wider aims of the Livery, and is usually presented by the Lord Mayor of London at the City Livery Club's annual civic luncheon in the City.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://cityliveryclub.com/pastwinners.html" target="_blank">Keith achieved his award</a> for decades of pro bono work for the Livery Companies specifically guiding them through the process of obtaining a first Royal Charter, supplemental Royal Charters or making amendments to an existing Royal Charter.<br />
<br />In 2020 I conducted a further <a href="https://cityandlivery.podbean.com/e/charles-hughes-past-master-of-the-worshipful-company-of-information-technologists/" target="_blank">podcast interview</a> with Charles Hughes, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists. It was during Charles' year as Master that the Company's Royal Charter was presented.<br /><br />This article explores the reasons why a Livery Company would want to petition the Crown for a Royal Charter and the process as it stands today. In time past Royal Charters were granted by the Monarch, and sometimes withdrawn, usually as a tax raising measure, or granted as means to grant monopolistic powers to a corporation. Times have moved on, yet the prestige of attaining Royal Charter status remains and in many ways it is now more difficult to obtain a Royal Charter than the days when a company could simply buy the indulgence of a greedy monarch.<br />
<br />
Note: A Royal Charter should not be confused with a Royal Warrant as issued to business that supply senior members of the Royal Family with goods or services. A Royal Warrant is essentially a recognition of preferred supplier status that is granted for a period to five years and may be extended.<br />
<br />
A Royal Charter is a governance document that forms a new corporate body and provides for its regulation. A Royal Charter is permanent and may only be withdrawn by the Crown through due legal process.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_ThRltcPsru0_B303SqFI1b65zcf2XCkg1q4AZfolYSvhgDVaafEjptDlBcwlerUg-89YlonPzOYghyphenhyphendIJ6X52PCh2OAOJ_MuPzVtcnubluqBTV7PSc5ZLURzMO9tR7MC7znx6PHt_Wi/s1600/Page+10+Jon+Histed+4717940939_c82811d51a_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A photo of a member of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists holding a framed facsimile of the Royal Charter granted to that Company in June 2010." border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_ThRltcPsru0_B303SqFI1b65zcf2XCkg1q4AZfolYSvhgDVaafEjptDlBcwlerUg-89YlonPzOYghyphenhyphendIJ6X52PCh2OAOJ_MuPzVtcnubluqBTV7PSc5ZLURzMO9tR7MC7znx6PHt_Wi/s400/Page+10+Jon+Histed+4717940939_c82811d51a_o.jpg" title="The Royal Charter of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Facsimile of the Royal Charter presented to the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists in June 2010. The presentation was made by HRH The Earl of Wessex on behalf of HM The Queen at a dinner in Mansion House. The original is on display in IT Hall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b><div><b>Why become a Royal Charter corporation?</b><br />
<br />
A Royal Charter is the gold standard of official recognition of an incorporated body by the Crown. Royal Charters are rarely granted (circa 1,000 since the Norman Conquest) and in modern times they are generally reserved for universities, learned societies, professional bodies and Livery Companies. As such the principal benefit of a Royal Charter is that of the prestige that comes with the imprimatur of the state expressed through the authority of the Sovereign. A Royal Charter is not quickly or easily granted, and neither should it be so.<br />
<br />
Note: Incorporation by Royal Charter predates the concept of a limited company by eight centuries.<br />
<br />
There are a few practical benefits including the fact that the members of a Royal Charter corporation are not individually and severally liable for the companies debts, i.e., the company is not one in which the members have limited liability, rather they have no liability. Furthermore a Royal Charter company is not required to lodge accounts with Companies House.<br />
<br />
Since Livery Companies are not trading bodies and rarely go bankrupt (compared to other forms of incorporated body) these practical benefits don't provide a compelling business case for obtain Royal Charter status to most Livery Companies. However, formation of a Royal Charter company creates a legal entity which is separate from the members and hence may sue and be sued, own and sell property, without the members being liable in any way.<br />
<br />
A Royal Charter corporation may also be granted special rights and privileges by the Crown, such as the right to operate a monopoly (lawfully). Some Livery Companies still retain monopolistic rights over their trade, although few are actively enforced. An example is that of the Gardeners' Company's right to regulate the trade within the City and out to a radius of 5 miles from the City limits.<br />
<br />
The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals are a modern example of a Livery Company that has used its Royal Charter powers to setup and maintain a register of Chartered Security Professionals and is the regulatory body for that professional status, the Honourable Company of Master Mariners is another - only Royal Charter bodies may create 'Chartered' status (eg., Chartered Accountant; Engineer; IT Professional; etc).<br />
<br />
A Royal Charter is the gold standard of regulation for a company, charity, learned society or professional body and it is only granted to those that exhibit the highest standards of corporate governance. The Privy Council must be satisfied that the government can turn to the Royal Charter company for advice and guidance in its particular field if necessary, hence a high degree of trust is placed in the company. Royal Charters are only granted to companies that act firmly in the public interest, not in the interests of members or shareholders.<br />
<br />
In October 2009 the Ministry of Justice published a Review of the Executive Royal Prerogative Powers in which all aspects of the Royal Prerogative were considered. On the subject of Royal Charters the report made the following recommendation:<br />
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"The demand for Royal Charters for bodies working in the public interest that can demonstrate excellence in their particular fields persists, despite the introduction of other accolades such as the Government’s Charter Mark and the Queen’s Award for Enterprise. The distinction is granted only sparingly, on Ministerial advice and after thorough consideration. The Government is not persuaded that the power needs to be abolished or replaced" (Page 22, clause 83)</i></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Note: Royal Charter companies are often empowered with regulatory, examination or awarding powers for their profession.<br />
<br />
<b>When can a Livery Company petition for a Royal Charter?</b><br />
<br />
A Livery Company that seeks Royal Charter status will usually do so once it has achieved a certain standing in the City and within its occupation. When that state of affairs is reached will differ from one company to the next, there is no rush and should be no rush. There's no requirement to have a hall or centuries of history, and the requirements of becoming a Livery Company will have already been met in full by the time the company petitions the Crown.<br />
<br />
Some companies have obtained multiple Royal Charters, and example is the Wax Chandlers who have one of only three Royal Charters granted by Richard III, and several more recent ones including a Royal Charter granted by HM The Queen.<br />
<br />
<b>How does a Livery Company petition for a Royal Charter?</b><br />
<br />
The process begins with an informal enquiry to the Privy Council, and whilst it is not necessary to obtain legal advice, the services of a lawyer with experience in navigating the path to a Royal Charter is often sought. An interview with the Privy Council is often the first formal step during which the company will be advised as to the likelihood of success.<br />
<br />
The next stage is a Letter of Intent, which is in the form of an expanded petition, whereupon the Privy Council undertakes preliminary investigations through its advisors. Assuming that positive indications are received by the Privy Council the company must then submit a Petition, a draft Charter (memorandum of association), a set of Bylaws (articles of association) and a list of 'non-objectors'. The non-objectors are supporters in all but name, and generally should include, among others, one or more government departments, learned societies, professional bodies and leading universities operating in the same field as the petitioning company. In short, any organisation that has corporate gravitas and eminence that will enhance the petition.<br />
<br />
Once these documents are submitted to the Privy Council, a small panel is formed of appropriate government department officers and government ministers, who determine whether to submit the petition to the non-objectors and other advisers in the industry or profession concerned.<br />
<br />
If there are no objections from either the non-objectors or the advisers a notice is then placed in the London Gazette for eight weeks. This offers the opportunity for others to comment, the London Gazette is a public record and freely available. Here for example is a notice for a <a href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2929904" target="_blank">Supplemental Charter </a>presented by the Worshipful Company of Broderers.<br />
<br />
The final step is for the Privy Council to recommend to Her Majesty that the Great Seal be attached to the Royal Charter. The final decision lies with Her Majesty, who of course only acts on the advice of her ministers. The point in time at which the Royal Charter becomes law is when the seal is attached.<br />
<br />
Nowadays a template Royal Charter is often used for Livery Companies wishing to petition the Privy Council. The template covers most of the provisions that are common to all modern Livery Companies and simplifies the process considerably although provisions may need to be carried over from previous Royal Charters.<br />
<br />
Note: The template was developed by Keith Lawrey in partnership with Alexander Galloway former Clerk to the Privy Council (1998 - 2006) and Clerk to the Glaziers' Company (2006 - 2012).<br />
<br />
Since the standards required of a Royal Charter company are exceptionally high, the process involves significant due diligence and enquiries by the Privy Council into the bona fides of the company. Fortunately those tests are largely a formality for a Livery Company which will already have been subject to a <a href="http://cityandlivery.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/how-to-form-livery-company-beginners.html" target="_blank">long series of qualifications and checks</a> during its progression from Guild to Livery Company status.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUV5whzZ0dEP31Q33-Z5gqTF6muZ1U_HKaHCqoSLExeQ3xkRKKlQZImWifPGiCdIR52AKmRtRyNdgzuRpDB6s5LHjEIRpdMnx2OPVJ8Q3Wi0gOg774_GSO7HmiJvQuct4WULSII1YYJBQ1/s1600/IMG_3126.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A photo of the Royal Charter of the Worshipful Company of Saddlers hanging in Saddlers' Hall in the City of London" border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUV5whzZ0dEP31Q33-Z5gqTF6muZ1U_HKaHCqoSLExeQ3xkRKKlQZImWifPGiCdIR52AKmRtRyNdgzuRpDB6s5LHjEIRpdMnx2OPVJ8Q3Wi0gOg774_GSO7HmiJvQuct4WULSII1YYJBQ1/s400/IMG_3126.jpg" title="Royal Charter of the Worshipful Company of Saddlers" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The format of a Royal Charter can differ from one company to the next. Some are richly illuminated such as this Royal Charter granted to the Worshipful Company of Saddlers which features the arms of Monarch with those of the Company and of the City of London </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b></div><div><b>What are the criteria for organisations that wish to petition for a Royal Charter?</b><br />
<br />
The <a href="https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/royal-charters/applying-for-a-royal-charter/" target="_blank">Privy Council website</a> sets out the pre-conditions for any organisation that wishes to petition for a Royal Charter, and on first glance it would seem that a Livery Company would not qualify since a membership of circa 5,000 and links with government departments are not characteristics of most Livery Companies. That said, the first Royal Charter issued to a company was that of the Worshipful Company of Weavers in 1155 AD and the Livery Companies have a 900 year history of successfully petitioning for Royal Charters so they fall into a category of their own.<br />
<br />
Note: If the petitioning organisation already has a Grant of Arms (armorial bearings) there must be a clause in the Charter that transfers the arms from the unincorporated body to the Royal Charter company.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVuoSxL9JfC9mCDYw_c9UPvnGuUGDLD__JXOYHPCBCH0sLcEuLh0lJ5bcjiB6bypmpGZf5t7iPKoEJ5usx0AefZUfSy0NOSQAQFaqCH7pkDhInFCTimxXK5JBBpSocjkyCNsxxRb_rvoB/s1600/DSCN2745.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the Royal Charter of the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers with the Company's Letters Patent granting arms and Letters Patent forming the Company" border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVuoSxL9JfC9mCDYw_c9UPvnGuUGDLD__JXOYHPCBCH0sLcEuLh0lJ5bcjiB6bypmpGZf5t7iPKoEJ5usx0AefZUfSy0NOSQAQFaqCH7pkDhInFCTimxXK5JBBpSocjkyCNsxxRb_rvoB/s640/DSCN2745.jpg" title="The Royal Charter of the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Royal Charter (centre) of the Worshipful Company of Hackey Carriage Drivers with the Letters Patent granting arms (left) and the Letters Patent forming the Livery Company (right) on display in St Bartholomew the Great</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>What are the costs involved?</b><br />
<br />
The only direct cost associated with petitioning for a Royal Charter is the drafting and printing cost for the Royal Charter document. The cost of producing the Charter may run to several thousand pounds including framing and production of facsimile copies (if desired). If a law firm is engaged, additional costs will be incurred. The Charter will typically be engrossed on vellum, thereby ensuring it will last for many centuries, indeed forever if kept dry. The qualities of vellum and parchment are explored in <a href="https://cityandlivery.blogspot.com/2019/11/vote-for-vellum-role-of-parchment-and.html" target="_blank">another of my blog articles</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>How long does the process take?</b><br />
<br />
Generally the process will take somewhere between 18 months and two years, although the process can take longer if non-objectors are unresponsive. A Royal Charter isn't granted until the seal is attached, which will usually be on a different date from the meeting of the Privy Council at which the Queen gives her assent to the Charter being granted. The presentation date of the Royal Charter will follow later still, but the legal status is conferred from the moment the seal is attached to the charter document.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXKA8AQY7WPfCymbNEZ2AuTdpPoE_wbl2p6iRVsPgYnALytSA4lh80pFnjqQtoCYyOFUpcex3CPHtRDb6RJGeeKRyB1lbXry11Mlev03aAC9UKLLrwx5560MznjLGheSZzvE7sWpvgLTc/s1600/Royal+Charter+Wax+Seal.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The wax seal which is attached to the Royal Charter of the Worshipful Company of Engineers" border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXKA8AQY7WPfCymbNEZ2AuTdpPoE_wbl2p6iRVsPgYnALytSA4lh80pFnjqQtoCYyOFUpcex3CPHtRDb6RJGeeKRyB1lbXry11Mlev03aAC9UKLLrwx5560MznjLGheSZzvE7sWpvgLTc/s320/Royal+Charter+Wax+Seal.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wax seal attached to the Royal Charter of the Worshipful Company of Engineers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<b>What role does the Court of Aldermen have in the process?</b><br />
<br />
One way in which the process differs for Livery Companies is that the City of London's government plays a role in guiding Livery Companies that wish to petition the Crown for a Royal Charter.<br />
<br />
The Aldermen and Magistracy Sub-Committee of the Court of Aldermen has a vital, and necessary role in advising Livery Companies on the process of petitioning for a Royal Charter and its support must be obtained before the Company approaches the Privy Council for a first or Supplemental Charter. Generally no petition to the Privy Council by a Livery Company will be successful without the support and involvement of the Court of Aldermen. This is as an additional step which other prospective Royal Charter corporations do not have to undertake.<br />
<br />
<b>Which Livery Companies have a Royal Charter?</b><br />
<br />
Most, but not all of the City's Livery Companies have a Royal Charter, and the Privy Council's website provides an incomplete (and not entirely accurate) <a href="http://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2017-11-24-Record-of-Charters-Granted.xls.xlsx" target="_blank">list of all the organisations that have been granted a Royal Charter</a> since the Norman Conquest. The first among that list is the University of Cambridge (1231 AD) whereas the Weavers' Company still have their original Royal Charter dated 1155AD, perhaps the Privy Council would benefit from a chat with the Upper Bailiff of the Weavers' Company!<br />
<br />
<br /><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2521698926409163600.post-3181502715401842272017-09-12T19:10:00.048+01:002022-06-18T06:59:01.495+01:00The Livery Companies and Freemasonry<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVZNywSy5dKExBaNeYk3yhNN_fhbLQHSlSwjK1gy2chGf-JfX4SZcu8lM4d8EmGzUpCllGHyQLQdOTPVbAM_AGda3TtsbasbeB86fNI4T1zS3wmD99VmhwELrMaD3Ri5sC6L5uvd43HmD/s1600/Masonic+Temple.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVZNywSy5dKExBaNeYk3yhNN_fhbLQHSlSwjK1gy2chGf-JfX4SZcu8lM4d8EmGzUpCllGHyQLQdOTPVbAM_AGda3TtsbasbeB86fNI4T1zS3wmD99VmhwELrMaD3Ri5sC6L5uvd43HmD/s640/Masonic+Temple.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Masonic Temple set up in a Livery Hall in the City of London</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This blog article is based upon an earlier comparison of the similarities and differences that exist between the Livery Companies and Freemasonry which previously appeared on my website (www.cityandlivery.co.uk) in 2016. This article has been updated several times following further discoveries and a deeper understanding of the role of Freemasonry and how its relationship with the Livery came about.<br />
<br />
<b>Two organisations separated by a common ethos?</b><br />
<br />
To the casual observer it may appear that the City of London <a href="http://cityandlivery.co.uk/the-city-explained/the-livery-companies.html" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Livery Companies</a> are a branch or offshoot of Freemasonry as they have a passion for dressing up in unusual outfits, for participating in arcane ceremonies and they use similar titles for many of their officers, to wit: Master, Past Master, Warden, Steward, Almoner, Chaplain, etc. However some of these titles are also used by many other organisations including the ancient universities. They are reflective of the social structures and officials who were commonplace at the time when early medieval Guilds formed.<div><br /></div><div>Much of the allegory and scripted plays that form the basis of Masonic ritual may be drawn from the medieval mystery plays that were a feature of Guilds throughout England prior to the Reformation and the subsequent establishment of the Church of England. While the City of London Livery Companies no longer perform mystery plays they have been restored in the ancient Cities of York, Lincoln and Chester. Masonic symbolism may find its origins in <a href="https://youtu.be/QLRsEhbgeFs?t=66">props</a> that were commonly employed in those plays.<br />
<br />
Despite the superficial similarities the subject of Freemasonry is something of a 'marmite' topic among Liverymen; there are those who love it, and those who would rather not partake. By and large knowledge of Freemasonry's links to the Livery are not widely known and remain poorly understood by Freemasons and Liverymen alike.<br />
<br />
In particular Freemasonry has many stories of its origins that are built on foundations of historical quicksand, providing no firm facts and every opportunity for the unwary to get trapped in myths and legends. The Worshipful Company of Masons emphasise the importance of <a href="http://www.masonslivery.org/company/our-history/freemasonry/" target="_blank">untangling Freemasonry from the various Guilds of Masons</a> that existed throughout the UK.<br />
<br />
My own interest, and I am not a Freemason, was sparked during a tour of Freemasons' Hall in Great Queen Street in London. During the tour I spotted many visual links with the Livery Companies and learned of the purpose, structure and officers of Freemasonry and much of that has close parallels with the Livery. Sadly the guide on my tour was unable to answer any questions I raised about these apparent similarities and hence I left with many questions unanswered. That's no reflection on the guide, but rather a manifestation of the lack of knowledge both organisations have regarding the other.<br />
<br />
<b>In the beginning...</b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The origins for Freemasonry are lost in the mists of time; never the less some learned historians have put forward the plausible theory that <a href="http://grandlodgescotland.com/masonic-subjects/masonic-articles/381-operative-and-speculative-masonry-the-guilds-and-livery-companies" target="_blank">Freemasonry grew out of the Livery</a> probably in the late <a href="https://archive.org/stream/The_Worshipful_Company_Of_Masons_1872/The_Worshipful_Company_Of_Masons_1872_djvu.txt" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">17th century in the City of London</a> following a <a href="http://www.grandlodgescotland.com/masonic-subjects/masonic-articles/381-operative-and-speculative-masonry-the-guilds-and-livery-companies" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">split between operative and speculative </a><a href="http://www.grandlodgescotland.com/masonic-subjects/masonic-articles/381-operative-and-speculative-masonry-the-guilds-and-livery-companies" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">members</a> of the Masons’ Company. Certainly the conditions for a split between operative and speculative Masons were ripe at the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>How did the split come about?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Records exist of operative and speculative Masons meeting at Masons' Hall in Masons' Lane in the City of London during the 17th century. Masons' Lane (now Masons' Avenue) still exists and is directly opposite the eastern entrance to Guildhall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As with many Livery Companies whose power to regulate their trade was passing from their grasp at the time, the Masons were probably keen to invite wealthy <i>gentlemen</i> to join their ranks and swell coffers; this was particularly so after the Great Fire of London when there were insufficient stone masons in London to rebuild the City and the Company could not enforce that all stone masons be Freemen of the Company. The process of admitting persons to the Livery who had not come through the apprenticeship route was already well established in the City by this time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The gentlemen admitted to the Masons' Company were not craftsmen and certainly not skilled in the mysteries of the stonemason and therein lies the root of potential conflict with those members of the Livery Company who had done their time as an apprentice, journeyman and become master craftsman.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When, how and if this split between operative and speculative Masons </span>occurred<span style="font-family: inherit;"> is </span><a href="https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/shattering-myths-about-freemasonry" target="_blank">open</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/shattering-myths-about-freemasonry" target="_blank"> to conjecture</a>, but there remain a bewildering array of similarities between the Livery and Freemasonry despite being entirely separate and organisationally unconnected groupings.</span><br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Let's examine some of the similarities</b><br />
<br />
One should not assume that just because the Livery Companies and Freemasonry look, behave and sound similar, that they are therefore in some way connected. On the other hand, the similarities are too numerous to simply dismiss the idea of common origins. Here are some of the many observable and verifiable facts that draw comparisons between the two:<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVeGwklsAoTMm6U13ESlxbUlTvYdsSp3ZZGveQpsyGecVy8ynuvSGIOCMec2xYQkY_-3fBuc8-orBxyJPzd40jul3DlYMgkBZ8sBWXj3De-rHsDlWAe2XRF3acKNakpG-SDd5iyB09Gqj/s1600/IMG_8179.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVeGwklsAoTMm6U13ESlxbUlTvYdsSp3ZZGveQpsyGecVy8ynuvSGIOCMec2xYQkY_-3fBuc8-orBxyJPzd40jul3DlYMgkBZ8sBWXj3De-rHsDlWAe2XRF3acKNakpG-SDd5iyB09Gqj/s400/IMG_8179.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Worshipful Company of Masons should never be confused with Freemasonry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Livery Companies and Freemasonry are both principally involved with charity. The latest figures from the Livery (2021) suggest that around £72m per annum is dispersed by the charitable trusts of the several companies and guilds; approximately 36,000 pro bono hours are donated to governing schools, a further 36,000 to administering trusts and 39,000 hours to other front-line support (however data is incomplete); for Freemasonry the figure is <a href="https://www.freemasonrytoday.com/ugle-sgc/ugle/enough-is-enough" target="_blank">nearer to £33m</a> (2017). Prior to a </span><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/10661581/Freemasons-millions-arent-true-charity-rules-judge.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">High Court ruling of 2014</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Freemasonry quoted a higher figure of over £80m in charitable </span>disbursements<span style="font-family: inherit;"> but the High Court found and ruled that at only 25-30% of that amount was 'wholly philanthropic', the remainder went to causes that principally benefitted Freemasons. The charitable disbursements of the Livery do not benefit the membership, and the wealth of the Livery Companies is separate from that of their charitable trusts. Never the less, both the Livery and Freemasonry are deeply committed to philanthropy and the value of the time and pro bono talent of the membership given to charitable causes is impossible to measure with any useful accuracy.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some </span>but<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>certainly<span style="font-family: inherit;"> not all of the City of London Livery Companies have a ‘closed’ (i.e. restricted membership) Masonic Lodge of their own, all formed between 1897* and 2013. At last count (December 2018) there were 24 such <i>City Sister Livery Circuit Lodges</i>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">There is a Masonic Lodge that restricts membership to Freemen of the City of London (Note: Freedom of the City of London is a legal status not connected in any way with Freemasonry).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">There is a Masonic Lodge for installed Masters of Lodges who are either Freemen or Liverymen of City of London Livery Companies or employees/officers of the City of London Corporation.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Several Masonic Lodges meet in Livery Company Halls in the City, one even meets in the crypt of Guildhall (home of the City of London's government). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are numerous Freemasons among the members of the Livery Companies and vice versa but there are also many Liverymen who are members of the National Trust, their local golf club, the Rotarians, who are school governors, magistrates and so on. Liverymen are volunteers and joiners with a social conscience! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The structure of a Lodge is similar to that of a Livery Company although Livery Companies vary widely in the precise details of their structure and governance from one to another. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">All Lodges and all but one of the Livery Companies elect their Master for a one year term of o</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ffice.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The United Grand Lodge of England and its provincial Grand Lodges use a Coat of Arms in part based upon those of The Worshipful Company of Masons. It should be noted that the law of arms requires that every coat of arms be unique with a least two differences, not including a simple change of colour. The arms of The Worshipful Company of Masons feature a sable (black) field on the shield with a white chevron, three castles and a pair of compasses on the chevron, whereas the variant used in the Masonic arms uses a gules (red) field. This does not constitute a difference that would satisfy the law of arms in England and Wales. In theory the Masons’ Company could have taken the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) to the Court of Chivalry for libel - but that’s not likely to happen as the UGLE arms have been since been registered at the College of Arms in 1919, from whence the Masons also received their grant of arms just a little earlier in 1472.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some Masonic Orders have a strong history of members receiving a grant of arms, as is often the case for Past Masters of Livery Companies, but any suitably eminent subject of Her </span>Majesty may petition for arms, so it's not a privilege or right linked to Freemasonry or the Livery.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are certain customs and aspects of ceremonial that both organisations share, such as The Loving Cup and the Sung Grace (usually sung to the tune of Laudi Spirituali) and toasts to the Monarch. Again, these customs are not insular to the </span>Livery and Freemasonry as one may experience similar at Oxbridge colleges and in regimental messes.</li>
<li>There is a strong ethos of fellowship within the Livery and Freemasonry, and the custom of communal formal dining is strong within both.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">There is similarity among some (but not all) of the regalia employed by Livery Companies and Freemasonry such as the Masters Jewel and Livery Badges / Medals - often suspended from a collar.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are similarities in the various grades or degrees of progression within the Livery and the Freemasons. The similarities vary depending on which Company one compares with Freemasonry, as some Livery Companies have grades for Apprentices, Journeymen, Yeomen, Freemen, Upper Freemen and Liverymen.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Freemasons employ certain marks (symbols) in their custom and ritual. Those Freemasons who go on to take the Degree of Master Mark Mason will create their own unique Mason's Mark. The Worshipful Company of Masons maintains a list of Mason's Marks for Operative Masons who still carve their Mark in their work. More on this topic may be <a href="http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/history/marks/freemasonsmarks.html" target="_blank">read in this article</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Lodge where a Freemason is first made a Mason is known as his ‘mother lodge’, in the same way the first Livery Company in which a Freeman is admitted is known as their ‘mother company’ although it is possible to <i>translate</i> to a new mother company in the Livery.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Worshipful Company of Masons having been originally titled the Company of Freemasons from as recently as 1530. In 1619 the Masons’ Company is known to have incorporated or was otherwise very closely connected with an organisation known as the ‘Acception' which met in Masons Hall in the City of London and comprised members who were not operative masons (i.e., they were <i>speculative</i>). The Masons' Company has not had a hall since 1865.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Both Freemasonry and the Livery Companies have a strong charitable (relief) and fraternal (brotherly love) ethos, and some closed Masonic Lodges donate time, talent and money to Livery Company charities or collaborate on joint projects.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The role of the Beadle in a Livery Company that has a hall is very similar in scope and responsibilities to that of a Lodge Tyler or Outer Guard. However, the Beadle is paid employee of a Livery Company and not a member of the same.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some Masonic Lodges find their foundation in particular trades, crafts or occupations.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Freemasons participate in the annual </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVN76pmX0iE" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">L</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVN76pmX0iE" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ord Mayor’s Show</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> in the City of London, one of the very few occasions that Freemasons will be seen parading in all their finery. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Goose and Gridiron Tavern (originally the Mitre) that once existed in the City of London is where the earliest recorded Masonic meetings where held in 1717, this pub’s sign was actually that of </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Apollos-Swan-Lyre-Hundred-Musicians/dp/0851157661" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apollo’s Swan and Lyre</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (which are also the modern arms and crest of </span><a href="http://www.wcom.org.uk/" style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;">The Worshipful Company of Musicians</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">). The pub was also well known as a meeting place for minstrels at a time when all musicians operating in the City would have been members of the Musicians’ Company (formerly the Ancient Company of Minstrels). At least one Masonic Lodge has taken Apollo's Lyre for its own symbol and curiously the Baldock Lodge of Harmony has taken another element of the Musicians' Company as its title since the motto of the Musicians is 'Preserve Harmony'.</span></li>
</ol>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNq3-P1hk46svpn0NfBdtpXQYNhG-W2GgB3fqHJ3s0yzOlw690Pj5gkTk9I4JxykgTW-SUo5tG4mj-ZY3YijUYb2ubajHhNili18ReRiixsq_oYlteVzOAW0N_2ydojj2JEo7oVu6SxJR1/s1600/Baldock+Lodge+of+Harmony+Banner.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNq3-P1hk46svpn0NfBdtpXQYNhG-W2GgB3fqHJ3s0yzOlw690Pj5gkTk9I4JxykgTW-SUo5tG4mj-ZY3YijUYb2ubajHhNili18ReRiixsq_oYlteVzOAW0N_2ydojj2JEo7oVu6SxJR1/s400/Baldock+Lodge+of+Harmony+Banner.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apollo's Lyre, a heraldic charge shared in common by Baldock Lodge of Harmony and the Worshipful Company of Musicians whose motto is 'Preserve Harmony'. Could this reflect the fact that the first Masonic Grand Lodge was formed in the Goose and Gridiron (Apollo's Swan and Lyre) which was a frequent haunt of the Ancient Company of Minstrels (a.k.a. The Musician's Company)?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">* This is 767 years after the oldest documentary evidence of the existence of a Livery Company</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So far, so good and it appears the Livery and Freemasonry have a lot in common, but so do the Scouts and the Boys Brigade, yet they are also entirely separate organisations.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Let's examine some of the differences</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are also numerous ways in which Freemasonry and the Livery Companies differ, some of the more pertinent differences that disprove any suggestion the two organisations are </span>connected include<span style="font-family: inherit;">:</span></span><br />
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Livery Companies predate any documented existence of Freemasonry (myths, legions and folklore aside) by at least 600 years, and the oldest City of London guilds are undoubtedly of Anglo-Saxon (pre-Norman conquest) origins. By contrast the first Masonic Grand Lodge was formed in London in 1717 - a fact Freemasons will confirm and is carved into the wall of Freemasons' Hall in London.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Livery Companies are all legal corporations, most formed by Royal Charter, some by prescription. They are subject to the laws governing corporations and in the case of Royal Charter companies they are ultimately governed by the Privy Council. Masonic Lodges don't get anywhere near this level of official recognition by the Crown. The right to confer or withdraw a Royal Charter is a reserved power of the Monarch.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">All Livery Companies (110), all the Companies without Livery (4) and all the Guilds (3) are open to women as equal and full members who may progress to become Master; it is unlawful for any Royal Charter corporation (such as a Livery Company) to disqualify a person for membership on the basis of gender (see Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919). Unlike Freemasonry* (see footnote) no Livery Company forbids its members, irrespective of gender, to communicate with, visit or participate in the activities of another company because the company admits women</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. Women have been admitted to the Livery and to the Freedom of the City of London for centuries. Through the Livery women achieved the franchise in elections in the City long before universal suffrage. There is absolutely no sex or gender distinction between men and women in the Livery and the City of London's Court of Alderman requires that any body seeking Livery Company status be inclusive and reflect wider society among its membership.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Only about 1/6th of the Livery Companies have a closely related Masonic Lodge and the degree of relationship between the Lodge and the Company varies widely from one to the next. Generally even those Livery Companies that have a Lodge will keep strict separation between the governance, finances and activities of the two entities.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">There is no overarching regulatory authority governing Livery Companies whereas there most definitely is for Freemasonry. Neither is there a provincial organisational structure for Livery Companies as they are creatures of the City of London.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Livery Companies are part of the body politic of the City of London (in that their members still have a civic role as an electorate) whereas Freemasonry operate in many countries and have no civic or political role. By custom all Aldermen, Sheriffs and Lord Mayors of the City of London are Liverymen.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Many Livery Companies require their members to be professionally qualified and practising in their respective trade, craft or profession. The Worshipful Company of Engineers for example will only admit Chartered Engineers who are also Fellows of a professional body recognised by the Engineering Council; similar requirements exist for the Air Pilots, Chartered Accountants, Chartered Architects, Chartered Surveyors, Investment Managers, and so on. Freemasons have no such explicit professional membership criteria.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Membership of a Livery Company passes by right of Patrimony to sons and daughters so long as their parent was a Freeman before his/her children were born.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Livery Companies all have a clear trade, craft or professional foundation, and most are still very active in their respective field in ways as diverse as education, training, professional development, examination, awarding, research, inspection, enforcement, standards and other ways.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are no appendant orders within the Livery in the way that exists in Freemasonry.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Each Livery Company is a legal entity unto its own, and not part of a greater whole. There is no such thing as the ‘Livery movement’ rather there is friendly but deeply entrenched rivalry among the companies and a strict pecking order. The Livery is not a fraternal body comprised of chapters, branches or lodges, it is 110 separate companies who are sovereign.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Livery Companies have a love of ceremony, but it’s all done in public (such as participation in the Lord Mayor’s Show) and the ceremonies are essentially civic in nature rather than allegorical. Most Livery Company ceremonies are derived from practical or legal procedures, such as the presentation of the Boar's Head by the Butchers' Company to the Lord Mayor in lieu of payment of a fee.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are no common set of insignia and accoutrements worn by all Freemen and Liverymen, for example the only time you will see a Liveryman wearing gloves and gauntlets as a part of the uniform of his or her office is the Master Glover. Not even the Masons' Company has a ceremonial apron as part of its Livery. Livery Company robes are based upon the intertwined heritage of civic, legal and academic gowns.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">There is no requirement to hold a religious faith in order to join a Livery Company, whereas certain degrees and orders of Freemasonry do require members to be of Trinitarian Christian faith and all Freemasons must declare a belief in a supreme being. That said Livery Companies have an association with the Anglican Church and members often do worship together (e.g., at the United Guilds Service) in public. Livery Companies also welcome those of no faith.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Progression within the Livery is a matter for each Company, and there is but one common pre-requisite that applies to all Liverymen - that they be admitted as Freemen of the City of London, a status which is a matter of public record and nothing what-so-ever to do with Freemasons and Freemasonry.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Livery Companies could not reasonably be described as ‘a society with secrets’ (a term sometime erroneously applied to Freemasonry), neither does any Livery Company describe itself as such, although Livery Companies are private entities with as much right in law to privacy as any individual in the United Kingdom.</span></li>
</ol>
<div>Footnote</div><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 3px; padding-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">* Freemasonry as regulated by UGLE does not discriminate on grounds of race, colour, religion, political views or social standing but it is an exclusively male preserve. This is perhaps the most pertinent and striking difference between Freemasonry and the Livery.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 3px; padding-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are both female and mixed gender Masonic Lodges in the UK but they are explicitly not recognised or </span>governed<span style="font-family: inherit;"> by UGLE which in </span>clause<span style="font-family: inherit;"> 4 of its Basic Principles for Grand Lodge Recognition forbids <i>'Masonic intercourse of any kind with mixed lodges or bodies which admit women to membership' - </i>I emphasise these are UGLE's words, not mine. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In this respect Freemasonry, as regulated by UGLE, does exclude prospective members based upon the random allocation of chromosomes and also forbids collaboration and communication with lodges that admit women</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">, although as a private association it must be emphasised that <b>it is </b></span><b>entirely</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> lawful for Freemasonry to hold this position</b>. The same is true for Freemasonry following the Scottish and Irish traditions and governed by their respective Grand Lodges. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 3px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">UGLE is doing nothing illegal by excluding women as they are not bound by the Equality Act (2010) which addresses employment not membership of a private club.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 3px; padding-bottom: 10px;">
Freemasons tend to be well versed in excusing the discrimination codified in clause 4 by pointing out that there are lodges for women, which is true, but those lodges are explicitly not recognised or regulated by UGLE, and clause 4 is crystal clear about the way in which those lodges, or indeed any other body which admits women, are to be treated. Another excuse employed by some Freemasons is that of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man">straw man fallacy</a> or commonly known as 'whataboutary'... What about <insert name of other organisation>... they also exclude based on gender, and therefore that excuses us.<br />
<br />
Freemasonry, as regulated by UGLE, proffers various argument as to why it does not admit women. There is one reason that Freemasonry, as regulated by UGLE, excludes women: It chooses to.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whether that is a morally defensible position to maintain in the 21st century, especially for an organisation in which <i><a href="https://www.ugle.org.uk/10-faq/31-faq-what-is-freemasonry">"</a></i></span><span face="warnock-pro-display" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><i><a href="https://www.ugle.org.uk/10-faq/31-faq-what-is-freemasonry">Members are expected to be of high moral standing and are encouraged to speak openly about Freemasonry."</a> </i>(UGLE website, 2020)<i> </i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">is a question I leave for others to ponder. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 3px; padding-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>In conclusion </b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 3px; padding-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The <a href="http://www.masonslivery.org/company/our-history/freemasonry/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Livery Companies and Freemasonry are entirely separate</a>, distinct and independent bodies, albeit they have some similarities and some members in common. Neither is an offshoot of the other, and it is most definitely not a requirement for progression to the highest levels within a Livery Company that one be a Freemason (i.e., no advantage or privilege is afforded to Freemasons in the Livery or vice versa). </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 3px; padding-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The same is also true for those Liverymen who go on to elected office as Common Councilmen, Aldermen, Sheriffs or to the estate and dignity of The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of the City of London. In fact there is no legal requirement for anyone to be a Liveryman to stand for election to these and other offices in the City, even if most candidates are Liverymen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Freemasonry has next to no influence upon the Livery Companies, as most Freemasons keep their Masonic and Livery affiliations as separate, distinct and unentangled as is the true nature of the two organisations. That said, no amount of observable, verifiable facts will deter the occasional conspiracy theorist in their determination to link the Livery and Freemasonry as this <a href="http://cityandlivery.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/the-city-of-londons-livery-companies.html" target="_blank">article explores</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Want to learn more about the Livery Companies and the City of London?</b><br /><span><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The City of London Freeman's Guide is the definitive concise guide to the City of London and its ancient and modern Livery Companies, their customs, traditions, officers, events and landmarks. Available in full colour hardback and eBook formats and now in its fifth or Platinum Jubilee edition. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;">The guide is available online from </span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-city-of-london-freemans-guide/id820198885?mt=11" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (as an eBook), </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N33D5YL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500192207&sr=8-2&keywords=the+city+of+london+freeman%27s+guide" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or eBook) <a href="https://payhip.com/b/562V" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Payhip</a> (in ePub format) or </span><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CityandLivery" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Etsy</a><span style="background-color: white;"> (in hardback or hardback with the author's seal attached). Also available from all major City of London tourist outlets and bookstores. Bulk purchase enquiries are welcome from Livery Companies, Guilds, Ward Clubs and other City institutions and businesses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/s2277/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo of the cover image of The City of London Freeman's Guide Platinum Jubilee edition featuring iconic images from the City of London and Her Majesty the Queen entering Drapers' Hall with the Master and Beadle" border="0" data-original-height="2277" data-original-width="1400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP252HUNNVpWLwrDczi9oXRozbVqPFCH9fzILIAFCOdXK3rTDVtMauZhRNgD8QOJ2y27O5QwMXhij4jWoFHSHeiSvmvPrsh47Plo5BZi-D2FYjgsfttDiorSaZJ7QTwdBN4Hrab5MEIbIHkzwvfatz0A7T4ewPiBiw1CYv8KDQHQ7GY0eDW-su-R3Swg/w394-h640/City%20of%20London%20Freeman's%20Guide%20-%20Platinum%20Jubilee%20Edition.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City of London Freeman's Guide - Platinum Jubilee edition</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I welcome polite feedback and constructive comment on all my blog articles. If you spot and error or omission, please do let me know (please illustrate with verifiable facts linked to an authoritative source where appropriate).</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #757575;" /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ask that all persons who wish to comment take the time to register as I receive copious spam and postings from crackpot conspiracy nuts which would otherwise overwhelm my blog with rubbish and nonsense.</span></span></span></span></div></div>
</div>
</div>cityandliveryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03805611791149624370noreply@blogger.com0