Election Court and Lunch
22nd March 2023Tallow Chandlers' Hall
Tallow Chandlers’ charming 17 Century Court Room was the venue for today’s Court Meeting which saw us install Lt Col Geoffrey Strickland as a new Court Assistant; install 3 new Freemen (Vivian Eiroa, Ambrosian Harold-Shaw and Chris Sokol) and gown 2 Liverymen (Rosamund Beattie and David Smith) – congratulations to all of them!
In addition, we successfully elected our new Master and the Wardens – we’re in very good hands with Elise Rasmussen scheduled to become Master 7 June, supported by Wardens Henry Tuck, Tony Scanlan, Jacqueline Burrows and Mallory Factor – all of whom will be very capably supported by our strong team of elected Company Officers in the Clerk, Treasurer, Beadle and Hon Chaplain. How blessed we are. I have certainly leant heavily on my Wardens and all officers!
Whilst in Court the Mistress organised a tour for partners to Two Temple Place, a dazzling neo-Gothic gem on Victoria Embankment, commissioned by and built for William Waldorf Astor in the 1890s. Two Temple Place originally contained the largest strongroom in Europe as well as two other enormous, fortified safes, and which served as an impregnable bolthole for Astor!
It was a pleasure to have the Master Tallow Chandlers’ (Peter Cazalet) join us for lunch, along with many of our partners and special company guests. The Hon Chaplain blessed our beautiful stained-glass pane in the Oriel Window of the Hall. Assistant Christopher Sawyer and his wife Jane had kindly sponsored the windowpane and panel inscription, with Past Master Roger Brookes leading the project back in 2019.
After a lovely lunch, Sharon made an eloquent speech thanking the Company for the opportunity to be the Mistress and how much she’s enjoying the year, seeing many places, meeting many people, and in support of the Master!
A lovely day – Election Court means the end is closing in for the Master – how quickly it has gone!