Installation Court and dinner

We started the Court meeting by appointing a new Assistant – Susannah Grant, certainly the first Lady Assistant in living memory, and possibly the first of all time. Some research is needed to establish whether any of the substantial number of women who were Liverymen in the mid-18th century made it to the Court. As Berlin notes in his Short History of the Company, no explanation is readily available of why women, so prevalent in mid-18th century, had disappeared from the Company by the end of the 18th century.

But what is clear (as we have available an almost full list with only a few gaps since the 1660s) is that we have had no Lady Master, so we can only hope that Susannah stays the course and the Court sees fit to elect her as Master – sometime in the mid-2020s at a guess.

Susannah took her seat on the Court alongside her Father, Past-Master David Grant. Then at the end of a busy and productive meeting, we appointed two new Stewards honoris causa (Allan Westray of the Wine Committee and Graham Franklin of the Golf Society); we also admitted four new freemen and six new liverymen (in fact only 9 people, as Professor Paul Hughes did both). And then the star event; the Livery was admitted to the Court room to watch the Installation.
My last act as Master was to remove my Badge and gown, and clothe Terry Barr as our new Master. His wife and two daughters with their fiancés were there to watch, Jenny already sporting her Mistress’s badge. Terry then presented me with the Immediate Past-Master’s badge and appointed the new wardens; the new team then retired for photographs, leaving me to adapt to my new role as Mr. Yesterday.

It was a little strange to walk into the reception and mingle with all the old chums just as I had done before I began life on the reception line as Renter Warden, over four years ago. A splendid dinner followed, with all the right noises, toasts and thanks made. The Master’s guest, HH Judge Charles Tilling, hit the spot with a pitch-perfect speech. Terry followed by presenting the Company Golf knock-out runner-up trophy to Cheng Loo, and the winner’s trophy to himself. He then took me by surprise by offering a toast to me and my Mistress, Elaine. She was not there to receive it so I had to drink for two and then offer her a proxy toast when I got home.

So ended a momentous fairy-tale year (and two weeks). All good luck and good health to the new Master; I hope he and Jenny enjoy their year as much as we have enjoyed ours.

Now back to real life.

This is the end of my one and only attempt at a “blog”. Our new Master will take on the mantle of reporting his activity periodically in a separate posting which he will call “Notes from the Barr”. I wish him all good fortune.

Scriveners’ Company lunch

A long-standing engagement for my final event – lunch with the Clerk at his Company. Meanwhile the Past-Mistress is with the Master-elect and the newly-badged Mistress at the trial lunch at Vintners Hall to assist in sampling the Installation dinner menu. How fitting – as her considerable catering knowledge and experience has helped greatly me greatly during my year.

I, meanwhile, go with the Clerk and the Assistant Clerk to HQS Wellington (the floating “Hall” of the Master Mariners’ Company) on a sunny autumn day where the Scriveners join the Master Mariners in an excellent and informal spread – a joint reception where plenty of amusing tales of the merchant navy are retailed over a gin and tonic, followed by a jolly curry with plenty of wine, the Scriveners having their own room, the Mariners being in their main Hall. The tide was very full; the motion was pronounced, making many Mariners feel more at home than on dry land, though the reverse was true for me. It is a canny way of making one feel that one has sampled more of the wine than one should, as one lurches out into the afternoon sun, removing my badge for the penultimate time.

Mistress’s Badge-Passing

Duly enlightened by our Cathedral attendance, the Mistress-elect and her Man (is that the correct inverse of the Master-elect and his Lady? Or am I just being silly?) came with the Mistress and me to lunch at the Cinnamon Club. The Cathedral service had been the Mistress’s last event in post, so the time was ripe for her to pass on her badge to Jenny in readiness for the Terry’s Installation next week. Ladies first; she is installed with less ceremony than the Master but before him.

Unfortunately, none of the Wardens were able to attend so it was just the four of us. But Elaine made the presentation with as much ceremony as can be mustered over an onion bhajee and a cup of lassi. No, that is unfair culinary stereotyping in pursuit of a cheap joke; the cuisine at Cinnamon Club is superb, and came well up to its very high standard, and we had a splendid afternoon. We put both the world and the Worshipful Company to rights over a lengthy session. Sadly no-one took minutes so we cannot remember what the solutions to the ills of the world are. Distress and perplexity, crime and banditry, will just have to continue until we can get at Joanna Southcott’s box.

Festival of St Cecilia – Westminster Cathedral

This is my first repeat event, as I am now past the anniversary of my Installation. Last year’s event was in Westminster Abbey and was a delight (see below 24th November 2010). This year it is the turn of Westminster Cathedral, and none the less delightful for that, though a few hundred yards further from my office.

I am relieved to say my mobility was enough to cope with getting there, and even – not without difficulty and with aid of a walking stick – allowed me to process with the other Masters and Wardens of all the other Companies, including our own Liveryman Master of the Security Professionals.

I had not previously been in this Roman Catholic Cathedral (of the Most Precious Blood, since you ask), and it is a stunning building, despite remaining incomplete. It was consecrated in 1910, but work continued for many decades supplementing the interior with mosaics and brightly-coloured marble, off-setting the massive bare brick arches – as well as Eric Gill’s renowned Stations of the Cross.

As last year, the choirs from the Abbey and St Paul’s were added to the Cathedral’s own (where our Learned Clerk had been a chorister) and, supplemented by a musical congregation, the singing was outstanding. The new work commissioned this year for the service was by Ronald Corp and was an exquisite setting of Psalm 150, the closing phrases hanging in the air quite wonderfully.

The Master-elect and our respective Ladies did not attend the post-service lunch at Banqueting House as we had another function to attend (see above).

Incorporation of Maltmen of Glasgow dinner

Even sadder to miss this occasion which I had been looking forward to greatly– a second Scottish trip to balance the splendid Keepers’ Banquet in the Spring (see April 11th). But while my recovery continues, five hours each way on a train (or an hour or two by plane), as well as the inevitable walking around, made this a impossible for me to attend. Upper Warden-elect Brian Morrison kindly stood in, assisted by the Learned Clerk, so the Company flag was flown, and it is reported that a good time was had by all.

Lord Mayor’s Address; Basketmakers’ Company dinner; IWSC awards Banquet.

The Lord Mayor’s Address to the Livery is given by the newly installed Lord Mayor at Mansion House to set out his plans for the year. As our Masters’ years are largely co-terminous with the Lord Mayor’s, I suggested that our Master-elect should attend this event, as the new Lord Mayor is “his” Lord Mayor.

Then the Basketmakers’ dinner at the Skinners’ Hall was a new invitation accepted as a continuation of our policy to increase our recognition in the City and profile amongst the Livery Companies. So I accepted that, and passed the IWSC Banquet invitation to the Master-elect to fly the Company flag at Guildhall in what was essentially a Wine & Spirit Trade function, for which he is admirably equipped.

In the event, my recovery remained behind the game and I was still in severe mobility difficulty, so had to cry off the Basket-makers anyway. The Learned Clerk attended and can tell you about it.

And the Master-elect can tell you about the IWSC Banquet. Though I was deeply sad to miss our friend from Jerez, Mauricio Gonzalez Gordon, who was there as incoming President of IWSC for 2012. But in my condition, I would have missed him anyway. So it goes.

Wine Committee – Strategy Committee

After a week laid up, I could sit reasonably comfortably, and was about able to walk 15 to 20 yards before collapse. So a cab to the office door delivered me to the meetings, the last of my year prior to my final Court meeting at the Installation Court on December 1st.

Lady Mayoress – At Home

This would have been a pleasant return to the Mansion House for afternoon tea with the Mistress and revisit the scene of our splendid Banquet. But I am sad to say that a sudden and vicious attack from what was diagnosed as a trapped nerve in my lower back left me completely pole-axed. A visit to the Physio left me worse; acupuncture did not help relieve, let alone abate, the symptoms. So it was left to a cocktail of drugs to alleviate the pain while it got better by itself. I hope. But walking – even a few paces – was impossible all week

Broderers’ Company dinner

From the smallest Hall at the Coopers last week, I now return to one of the larger and certainly one of the more magnificent Halls – Drapers Hall. The opulence of the Hall with its lavish painted ceiling and huge full-length royal portraits provide a sense of grandeur few can match. I was seated immediately opposite the portrait of our unfortunate sponsoring monarch who lost his head not long after granting us our original Charter.

The dinner was everything one could wish for, displaying yet again the little idiosyncrasies each Company owns; for the Broderers have a Master Broderer’s song, which he is required to sing after suitable refreshment has loosened the vocal chords, hymning the praises of a plain-talking man, with a rousing chorus for everyone to join in with gusto. The Master’s Voice held up splendidly, and was matched by an unusual but appropriate cabaret comprising a medley of well-loved Flanders & Swann songs, including of course a rousing chorus (of Mud) for everyone to join in with repeated gusto.

Livery and Ladies Banquet

Well, how many highlights can a year have? This was certainly one, and perhaps the most glittering.

It all went beautifully, As I have pointed out in various speeches to the Livery and repeated at the Banquet, this was the 50th anniversary of the Company’s first Ladies’ banquet held at the Mansion House in October 1961. On that occasion we were welcomed by the then Lord Mayor, Sir Bernard Waley-Cohen, with the comment that we were, after 323 years, at last considered sufficiently respectable to dine at Mansion House. And we still are.

It was much appreciated that the Lord Mayor, Alderman Michael Bear, was able to attend on our Golden Anniversary with the Lady Mayoress, both Sheriffs and the Sword-bearer. This must have been the first time in many years that so full a Mayoral team has been able to be with us. It was matched by the best turn out of Liverymen for many years, so all in all a most gratifying event.

I had an anxious reception, with a full Mayoral party to contend with and with my principle guest cutting it very fine (he arrived just before we processed in), but once at table I thought the food and wines went well. Well, I would say that, wouldn’t I, since I chose them – with the help of the Mistress. Some guests expressed doubt about the Viognier with the salmon and scallop starter, but I think I stand by that. But I was somewhat concerned that a professional (after the event) thought the grouse breast was a “brave” choice (that, I infer, is “brave” in the Sir Humphrey sense), but that in the event I got away with it. I thought it was excellent.

One outstanding feature was the Loving Cup. Going first, I get to watch everyone else, so could enjoy the Pipers while observing what turned out to be as good a cabaret as any I have seen at Mansion House. I suppose the difficulty arises because there is a higher than normal proportion of guests unfamiliar with the game. Livery dinner Loving Cups tend to go quite smoothly, but with so many “civilians” involved, a tendency to mayhem develops. And with our unique addition to the game – daggers, including some quite clearly ready for their original function – it is a relief the Health and Safety police have not become involved. Give them time.