JUNE MASTERS' AND CLERKS' LUNCHEON: 16 JUNE

My fellow Master Bloggers, Julia Adley of the Tobacco Pipe Makers and Tobacco Blenders and Jim Surguy the Master Marketor, see links below, both posted this lunch first and was most flattering about it.  I can add little but to provide a bit more background and mention further details of a race that took place at Royal Ascot while we were dining.

The luncheon following the month's Court meeting is one where we invite all the livery companies that have links in a number of ways with the Company most typically because it provides us an opportunity to reciprocate hospitality.

This year a total of forty-eight Companies were able to attend.  Of these five were companies from outside London, including our sister Draper Companies in Shrewsbury and Coventry, with the remainder being fellow London companies.

The luncheon comes at a time of the year when  the majority of the Masters have been on office between eight and ten months.  Acquaintanceships, and in many cases friendships, have been made.  As a consequence any event of this type with over a hundred attending is almost bound to be a success.  I think Thursday did not disappoint.

It was also Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot.  But on balance it was much more comfortable in the Hall as the day was rather sodden.  Towards the close of business at the Court meeting preceding Junior Warden William Charnley announced he was part owner of a horse running that day.  He went on to describe the merits of Pyman's Theory running in the 2.30 Norfolk Stakes and trained by Tom Dascombe.  He further went on to reassure us it was a firm favourite.  The Court collectively decided to support their Junior Warden's excellent judgement by placing bets.  Unfortunately news emerged after 2.30pm that the five furlongs of soggy going had proved too much even for a horse with a penchant for this type of race.  Pyman's Theory had been unplaced.

But it was such a good lunch that the slightly disappointing news was quickly forgotten.

A PERSONAL VIEW: ANDREW WHITTON FOR LAY SHERIFF

This blog, although entitled Master Draper, is, of course, entirely my personal view.   This is one particular post where I am going to be especially partisan. 

Those who have received the addresses for the three candidates for Lay Sheriff  standing for election on 24 June may note that my name appears on Andrew Whitton's address as one of his supporters.  I am not the only Draper to be on this list; Past Master Sir Michael Craig-Cooper and Junior Warden William Charnley also appear.

In a contested election for Lay Sheriff it is always invidious to select one candidate ahead of another.  Both Nicholas Bonham and Wendy Mead CC are excellent candidates.  But I think on balance, and after careful consideration, Andrew just wins by a nose (and a moustache).

His financial background is particularly important at this time in the City's development where the issues we face are complex and require clear understanding in what is going to be an ongoing and difficult debate.  Also his international experience, especially in the Middle East, is most valuable at a time when many parts of the world are in considerable flux and a knowledgeable individual has much to contribute.

Equally importantly Andrew is a very active supporter of the wider livery movement.  I have no doubt he will be a most effective champion on our behalf as well as having just the right personality to help resolve the inevitable internal differences that can arise.

So in summary, although we are fortunate to have three excellent candidates standing, Andrew has, from my viewpoint, just the right combination of experience and personality to be our Lay Sheriff for next year.

I reiterate this is a personal view and equally importantly whether you vote for Andrew or not, and I really hope you will give him your support, do your bit our City democracy by casting your vote at Common Hall on Friday 24 June at twelve noon.

I am required under the rules of the elections to add the following: although the precise wording, particularly the use of the word printing does not seem to have kept up with the advent of the blogosphere.

Promoted, printed and published by Pauline Halliday OBE, 12, Somerset House, Somerset Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 5JA. On behalf of Andrew Whitton, Flat 1, No.1, Hayes Place, London NW1 6UA

DINNER AT PEMBROKE COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE: 16 MAY



On Monday evening Alastair Ross and myself travelled up to Cambridge on a packed commuter train for dinner at Pembroke College.  The two worlds of railways and university could not be more different.  It was a beautiful late spring evening and the onset of dusk amongst the quietness of the Cambridge colleges was in sharp contrast to the elbowing for even the most marginal position of comfort on the Lea Valley line, the constant ringing of mobiles and the hissing of iPods.

This annual event is the formal recognition of the long-standing arrangement where the Company supports Drapers' Fellows at the College.  There are usually three Drapers' Fellows every four years with two fellowships in every four year cycle for science related subjects and the other for humanities.

We were joined at Pembroke College by Junior Warden William Charnley, who is a fellow of the College and a benefactor of the university, and Liveryman Jonathan Trower who is an alumnus.

Sir Richard Dearlove, a past director of SIS - or MI6 to those who do not keep closely abreast of Whitehall reorganisations - and the current Master, made us most welcome and we met a selection of Drapers' Fellows and other members of the College.  The fellowships cover an extraordinarily wide range of subjects: studies of meerkat behaviour in relation to human psychology, reconstructing proto Greek and Latin, consideration of historiography in late second century AD China and considerations of philosophy that I regret to say were well beyond me.  Next year's Fellow is the entirely appropriately named Sky French who is working on particle physics and spending some time at the Large Hadron Collider.

We had a most enjoyable dinner.  It had been decided that Monday's should be a vegetarian day for those dining in College and the only concession to our visit was that there was a fish main course on the top table.  It was a most enjoyable meal and with the prospect of three further dinners that week the lightness of vegetarian cuisine was most welcome.

Sir Richard in welcoming us noted how many Drapers' Fellows had made their mark both within the College and further afield.  Our support over the years had suppored some key first steps for many distinguished scholars of today.  Yet again, as with so many other academic visits this year, it was clear that the Company's consistent contribution over the years had helped individuals grow and develop in exceptional ways. 

HERTFORD COLLEGE JONNN DONNE DINNER: 18 MARCH

One of Oxford's archetypal views, the Bridge of Sighs that links the college buildings together. 

On Friday Willian Charnley, the Junior Warden, and I were guests of Hertford College for their John Donne Dinner.  Past Master Sir Nicholas Jackson Bt who is also an Honorary Fellow of the college was also present.  The dinner commemorates John Donne, the poet and much else, who was a student at Hart Hall, a predecessor of Hertford College between the ages of 11 and 14.

John Donne seemingly depicted in one of his less metaphysical and rather more sensuous moods. 

The dinner was preceded by a talk in the chapel on John Donne's The Good-Morrow.  We were taken through an explanation that was entirely in keeping with the metaphysical nature of the poem and the poet.  Also in the spirit of early seventeenth century enquiry and curiosity we were exposed to a huge number of references and influences contained in the poem.

Our minds having been given a thorough refreshment we went on to an excellent dinner.  It was amongst other things part of the farewell for Dr John Landers who is standing down as Principal.  He was one of our guests at the Education Dinner the previous evening.  In my talk I noted his departure with regret as he has helped sustain our links with the college most effectively.

Our links with Hertford go back over a century and date from the time when Past Master The Reverend Henry Boyd was Principal.  This was a post he held for forty five years from 1877 to 1922.  Today we support a Drapers' Company Research Fellow at the college, although currently because of an early departure of the last incumbent to study elsewhere, the post is vacant.

John Donne led a quite extraordinary life.  He managed to spend a significant amount of money on good living, travelled widely, went to prison and generally pursued a most precarious life.  He was a member of parliament and despite being a Catholic held various positions in the Church of England, eventually rising to be Dean of St Pauls. In addition, of course, he produced some of the most interesting and memorable poetry and prose in the English language.

JUNIOR WARDEN WILLIAM CHARNLEY ON TWITTER

William wearing the robes and badge of Junior Warden.

I have been meaning to mention that the newest member of the Company's Court, Junior Warden William Charnley has a Twitter account. 

I am pretty sure that this is a Company first but if any reader of this blog knows better I would like to hear.

twitter.com/WC7  is quite a specialist Twitter site and deals with William's adventures with fine wine and food.  I am a follower but do not think I can add a great deal to the erudite debate of chateaux and vintages that seems to comprise most of its content.

But Capitalist in City AM  is certainly impressed.  On 19 October he wrote.  'Wine lovers usually pay good money for expert advice on which vintages to pair with different foods, so Mayer Brown corporate lawyer William Charnley deserves a mention for one of the most informative Twitter feeds The Capitalist has seen in a while. Charnley, tweeting as @WC7, is a fount of knowledge on vino, updating the feed regularly with suggestions for fellow wine lovers.'

Speculation is rife on who will be next Court member to go electronic.

ELECTION DAY 20 JULY

A busy day at the Drapers' Hall.

It started with a Court of Wardens at 11.00am. This is a unique meeting in the Company's year where the Wardens of the current and next year meet together. Of the Master and four Wardens three were standing down and the three new Wardens are Christian Williams, who has been Master, as Renter Warden, Lady Victoria Leatham, becoming Second Master Warden and William Charnley, newly elected to the Court as Junior Warden. Tony Walker and myself stay on moving up one notch.

Normally this is a pretty straightforward meeting tidying up a few loose ends. However the continuing soap opera of the Department of Education's review of the Drapers' Academy new-buld and some interesting ideas for new items for Company gifts took a little time. The meeting concluded with Peter Bottomley MP, the outgoing Renter Warden, making a warm tribute to the Mastership of Professor Graham Zellick.

We then assembled in the Court Room to swear in for the next year. It is a simple ceremony where after making some big commitments in seventeenth century English we exchanged ceremonial keys of office.

Then it was off to rehearse the transfer of offices as they are carried out at the Election Dinner that evening. Part of the ceremony involves placing what seems to be Tudor style headgear, flat and completely unyielding in its construction, on the head of your successor. However as Master Elect I was able to claim a hat that aproximately fitted. This took some of the imminent danger out of the inevitable bowing as responsibilties are transferred.

The Livery Hall set out for the Election Dinner.  The top table is at the far end of the room under the portrait of Queen Victoria.
 
Election Dinner starts early at 6.30pm is one of the two really grand and large scale evening events of the Company's year. As always it was very well organised and drilled by John Freestone, who is called the Beadle but in addition to some ceremomial duties is our catering manager.

At around ten o'clock a further part of the process that sees me elected Master took place in that I read out the Master's Oath before the members of the Company and guests and made the following statement.

'I am very conscious having just taken the Master’s Oath that some five hundred and twenty individuals since 1438, when the present structure of the Company with a Master and four Wardens came into being, have made it in more or less this form.

It is beyond doubt looking around this Hall tonight that they were remarkably successful in meeting its requirements. But they went well beyond their promise to merely safeguard and protect our ancient heritage. The collective dynamism, vision and self-confidence of my predecessors has, with the support of the Court, Livery and Freedom, continuously sustained, enriched and energised our Company over the centuries.

It is a very great honour indeed to be elected Master and I am aware that I have exceptionally high standards to meet and sustain over the next year. I am standing on the shoulders of giants and with the support of the Court and the wider Company I am sure I shall not lose my balance.'

On the subject of balance, my hat stayed on.

The day finally ended in the Company Garden at midnight when Graham Zellick passed on the Master's badge to me and Jennifer Zellick passed over her badge to Rosemary.

The year begins.