Livery Weekend
23rd June 2024After much anticipation, the Livery Weekend finally arrived to find us all in London, with Carolyn and I allocated rooms in the City of London Club in Old Broad St!
Not only were London Livery companies represented but also Liveries and Guilds from all over the UK, which made it all the more interesting.
After a welcome reception/barbeque at Haberdashers' Hall, on Saturday we were split up into groups for morning and afternoon activities. Carolyn and I first went up the new development at 22 Bishopsgate, which is now London's 2nd highest building after the shard. This gives a spectacular view of the city, and feels taller than the Shard!
This was followed by a walk to Mansion House to see the gold and silver plate held in their strong room, which contained a fascinating array of old and new artefacts suitable for dining and other occasions.
After a fine lunch at the Tower of London, we then had a bus ride to the London Metripolitan Archive in Clerkenwell. There was a delay whilst the bus attempted to get out of the underground bus station at the Tower, doing a 93 point turn to avoid hitting the pillars, but we got to the Archive eventually!
The Archive has a fascinating range of material in its 100km of storage racks, including a copy of Magna Carta, but on display were many documents related to the Liveries. One in particular dating from June 1808 listed those Livery companies in arrears in their payments to the Apprentices Orphan fund - the Pipe Makers were some 18 years behind in their contributions! Hopefully we are better than that now.....
Reception and dinner were at the Guildhall, with speeches from the Lord Mayor and others.
After breakfast on Sunday, the Masters, Prime Wardens and Upper Bailiff got together to set up the Masters year group (Domini XXIV) before having a presentation and discussion about the Philanthropic work of the Livery and what can be done to improve it. Much food for thought about how we at the Pipe Makers can do more...
The consorts meanwhile went mudlarking and Carolyn managed to find a Charles I coin!
Finally most of us went to a beautiful Matins service at St Lawrence Jewry, with a fabulous choir providing most of the singing.
It was a most enjoyable weekend and we have made some good friends amongst our year group.
Thank you to all the organisers - they did a fabulous job under difficult circumstances.