Master's Newsletter – June/July 2025

 

Dear All,

It’s been quite a month! But before we get into that, let’s look at what is coming up.

August & September

August is a quiet month and our only event is the BBQ at All Hallows by the Tower. It is a very relaxed affair and an opportunity to network with guests and fellow freemen. It replaces the Second Wednesday Drinks so please do not go to Tower Suites!

In September, there is the Jazz Dinner. We are trying some new things out and planning a more intimate evening. It will be at Founders Hall and we will be letting you know the details in a short while. In the meantime, please keep this event tab open and book as soon as tickets are released!

Also, don’t forget Amy’s Inter-Livery Kent Coastal Hike on 13th September, a wonderful stroll along the English Channel. There is also pizza for those who go the night before!

If none of these float your boat, then let us know what you do want in the survey at the end of this letter.

Summer Banquet

The big event, and many of you were there, was the Summer Banquet, or the Election Court Banquet to give it its official name. And this was so big it was at least three.

The Presentation of Letters Patent (here is my speech - well worth a read even if I say so myself). It talks about our founders, our rights and our responsibilities. And what has got us here will be the start of the next ten years. It is the document by which we are recognised by the Court of Aldermen and take our rightful place in the City.

I promised you three events and the next immediately followed, which was the Clothing of new Liverymen and the Admission of new Freemen. Although technically two, they both flowed together. The Clothing was for 19 although one got caught up in traffic and another was ill. We also admitted another 8 new Freemen.

This all made for a very jolly beginning to the third and final event. The very fine banquet in the Egyptian Hall. There were over 250 guests including representatives from The Defence Academy, EASI, Trust beneficiaries, and other prize winners. We were entertained with fine music including the celebrated Post Horn Gallop and, of course, all the trimmings that the Mansion House provides. Thank-you to our sponsors – David & Stone Group, Judith Donovan CBE, and Life’s Kitchen.

The toasts to the King, the Royal Family and the Lord Mayor were made and we were then ‘serenaded’ by the brass section of the London Banqueting Ensemble from the balcony. The speech from the representative Lord Mayor welcomed us from the Corporation. As he was giving the Clerk his Mayoral Spoon, I chipped in with a surprise little speech to celebrate ten years since he joined what was then the Guild in February 2015.

Thank-you Duncan!

Morag, the Master Draper, then gave the response on behalf of the guests, welcoming us into the Livery fold. After the announcement of the Election Court Results, we then had a brief stirrup cup and left for home.

The feedback has been very good and well done to everyone who has posted on LinkedIn, the reception has been exceptional – membership enquiries are flooding in.

Thank-you Jonathan Cherry for your fine photographs. Everyone knows that 112 has arrived!

Passions and Behaviour

It has been an exceptional year and we have been very busy. This is particularly the case with the volunteers that help make this Company so popular and our events so enjoyable. Please do remember that they do this in their own time and because they care. As is often the case in a voluntary organisation such as ours, passions do rise when we have different opinions. Please be patient and polite and listen to other’s views. The Code of Conduct clearly sets out the behaviour expected of Freemen.

Much in the same vein, there are some simple rules for formal dining that make the event go better. Some are dress and others are behaviour based. Not leaving the table until after the toast to the King and keeping quiet during the speeches are examples. Much is written about mobile phones, suffice to say that they do not have a place at a formal dinner. These and other tips are laid out in the Formal Dining Guide. Both this and the Code of Conduct, along with a  number of other useful documents can be found on the Resources page of the website.

Now for something Completely Different!

At the other end of the spectrum was the abseil I did for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal. Thank you to all those who supported me, we raised over £3,000 with gift aid! Here is a photo for those doubters and an opportunity to donate a little more!

The promised survey!

My aim this year has been to get more engagement and to enlarge the Company.  So Chris Simmance has organised this anonymous survey of just three questions:

- What do you like;

- ⁠What would you change;

- ⁠What would you add/include if possible.

Hopefully we will have some feedback for the August newsletter.

Here is to the British Summer and your holidays.

Dare, Create, Succeed

Yours

James

James Talbot

Master 2024-2025