COMPANY SERVICE: 6 JULY

Each year, at the beginning of July, the Company holds a service at St Michael's Cornhill to celebrate both the continuation of the Company across the centuries and the generosity of our many benefactors.

The service is conducted by the Company's Chaplain who followers of this blog will know this year is the Rt Rev Nigel Stock, Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.  The Rev Peter Mullen, Rector of St Michael's also laid on the service in St Michael's special way with an excellent choir. 

Bishop Nigel gave an excellent sermon on the subject of charity.  He noted the great irony that some of the greatest charitable donations are made by those who may be considered the greatest sinners.  This is a characteristic known to the Drapers' Company.  Although many of our benefactors doubtless lived blameless and worthy lives a number did not. 

My favourite example is that of Francis Bancroft, who in his life had the reputation of being a hard nosed lawyer quite unembarrassed in demanding bribes.  He was held in such low esteem that during his funeral procession in the early 1730s the City mob tried to tip him out of his coffin as it was borne through the streets of London.  Nevertheless he died a bachelor and gave most of his worldly wealth to the Company and today two great institutions can trace their roots to his generosity: Bancroft's School and Queen Mary, University of London which occupies the original site of his benefaction and faces the Bancroft Arms pub across the Mile End Road.

The church was full with members of the Drapers' family.  Court members, the Livery and Freedom as well as residents from the almshouses, representatives from the Company's Schools and Universities.  There was a chance to meet everyone at the buffet lunch at the Hall that followed.

RT REV NIGEL STOCK TO HOUSE OF LORDS: 8 MARCH

The Rt Rev Nigel Stock.  With acknowledgements to the Ipswich Evening Star.

Each year the Master asks a clergyman to be the Company Chaplain for his year.  The duties are varied.  They include saying grace at dinners, giving a sermon at the Company service at St Michael's, Cornhill in the summer and providing general spiritual guidance.

This year I asked the Rt Rev Nigel Stock, Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, to fulfil this role.  I think chaplain is a rather inappropriate title for a senior member of the Church of England to assume so we are probably happier looking upon him as our spiritual adviser for the year.

I have got to know Bishop Nigel as he is married to Carolyne, a cousin of Rosemary's.  Also another consideration was that, being based in Ipswich, he could get to the Hall reasonably easily.

This week he joined the House of Lords as one of the lords spiritual.  Of the forty-four diocesan bishops in England twenty six have seats in the House of Lords.  Five are always held by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishops of Durham, London and Winchester. The remaining twenty-one are the most senior of the remaining thirty-seven.  This month it was Bishop Nigel's turn to take his place.

I think this is a Company first but what is certain is that Bishop Nigel has proved a popular choice as our chaplain/spiritual adviser.