CityandLivery

There's a new Sheriff in Town (well two actually) 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. Who were the first Sheriffs in London? 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-Saxo...

The City of London is no stranger to quirky customs and ceremonies , 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.  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.  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.  Note: There is another, unrelated, Quit Rents ceremony for the Guildable Manor of Southwark. The King's ...

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: 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. 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. Co...

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. ---- 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. Oh to see ourselves through the eyes of others 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. 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 H...