Society of Merchant Venturers' Spring Banquet

12th May 2023

Merchants' Hall Bristol

The fact that Bristol was a strategic and key location for the cigarette manufacturing industry with a bustling port, meant that our Company, long ago, forged a strong link with The Society of Merchant Venturers of Bristol – and the Mistress and I were delighted to accept an invitation to their Spring Banquet (White Tie) – along with 10 other Livery Companies.

We received a warm welcome from their Master Patrick Despard and his Consort Nikki at their most elegant Merchant Venturers’ Hall; and were hosted at the reception by Giles Clarke and his wife Judy – Giles, a serial entrepreneur and awarded a CBE for his services to cricket being a former chairman of the ECB and serving on the ICC – humbly talented.

I was seated next to Sir David Wills a descendent from the famous Wills family of W.D. & H.O. Wills – the first British company to mass produce cigarettes and one of the founding companies of Imperial Tobacco – the family also owned vast tracts of tobacco farmland in Zimbabwe.

Their Hall was packed with 80 guests – including Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, His Majesty’s Lord-Lt for Bristol, and The Lord Bishop of Bristol.

We were served a delicious meal with fine wines before The Master rose and spoke eloquently about the Society and Bristol; Jacob Rees-Mogg replied, congratulating Bristol on its key role for the country and encouraging this to continue and the need to create more strategic centres around the country – it was enjoyable to hear from him.

There was fabulous music mid-session provided by The Royal College of Music and Drama.

The evening rounded off with a joyful Stirrup Cup.

We both enjoyed fine hospitality and retirement to the hotel seemed to come rather quickly!