Statue of Richard III in Castle Gardens
Number 63
May 2013 1
Gild Banquet Weekend 8th / 9th June 2013 This is to give you notice of the Gild’s Banquet Weekend in June, we would very much appreciate your support. The Banquet will be held on Saturday 8th June (7.00pm) in the Holmes Suite at Devonshire Place, 78 London Road, Leicester, LE2 0RA the city’s renowned banqueting establishment, located half a mile from the city centre near the railway station and close to several hotels. There is a carpark at the rear of the building in Prebend Street. Following a bucks fizz/wine pre-dinner reception, an appetising four-course menu, plus coffee and chocolates, has been selected, with vegetarian alternatives. Tickets cost £39 per head, please use enclosed booking form. A wine table offering reasonably priced wines will, of course, be available for dinner. The Freemen’s Service will be held on the following day, Sunday 9th June (10.30am), at St. Mary de Castro. The banquet is open to all members, their friends and relations. A booking form can be found in the centre pages. If you require any further information or require details of hotels please contact John Tolton on 0116 283 5042
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Number 63
May 2013
Patron: Colonel Robert Martin OBE President: The Lord Mayor of Leicester OFFICERS 2013 - 2014 Master: J.E. Tolton Master Elect: A. Chettle Deputy Master: M.E. Ayres Clerk: L.A. Roffee Chamberlain: M.B. Hill WARDENS L. Kirk, J.D. Lewitt, A. Marriott , B.W. Mudford, 3
GILDHALL NEWS May 2013
Contents Editor’s comments Report by John Tolton, Master of the Gild Report on the F.E.W. by your representitive Michael Ayres Report by Bill Hargrave, Chairman of the Board of Deputies The Leicester Freemen’s website “Save our Spire Appeal” by St. Mary de Castro Activities at Freemen’s Holt Spiraling Costs of the Gildhall News SureStop water stop valves Chamberlain’s report and Accounts from Maurice Hill
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Future programme - dates for your diary Saturday 8th June, Gild Annual Banquet at Devonshire Place Sunday 9th June, Annual Freemen’s Service at St. Mary de Castro Sunday 23rd June, Visit to the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon Sunday 4th August, Visit to Trentham Gardens Wednesday 18th September, Tour of Everards Brewery Friday 8th November, Fish & Chip Supper, with a talk on WW1 memorials Friday 13th December, Visit to The Little Theatre to see Cinderella
Contributions to the Gildhall News The History of the Freemen of Leicester - part 6, by John Tolton
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Have you changed your address?
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Forms included with the Newsletter Booking form for Gild Annual Banquet on 8th June 2013 Booking form for trip to Hendon on 23rd June 2013 Booking form for trip to Trentham Gardens on 4th August 2013 Booking form for Fish & Chip supper on 8th November 2013 Booking form for Pantomime at the Little Theatre on 13th December 2013 Renewal form for annual subscriptions Standing Order form for Annual Subscriptions Application for Membership & Associate Membership of the Gild Gild products order form 4
Editor’s Comments May is here already, it is amazing how the time flies by as you get older. I have just returned from York, having attended the fifty eighth annual banquet arranged by the Gild of Freemen of the City of York. There were eight of us from Leicester, four Freemen, three wives and a guest. It was a very enjoyable weekend where we met fellow Freemen and their wives from Coventry, London, Shrewsbury and York. We look forward to meeting them again at our banquet weekend in June. If you have a story that would be of interest to other members, please put pen to paper, or finger to e-mail. We don’t need a book, only a short article, possibly one or two pages long. It could be longer if it’s enthralling!! Preferably I would like to receive them as an attachment to an e-mail if possible, but pen and ink is acceptable.
Brian Mudford
Report by John Tolton, Master of the Gild Finally we seem to have rid ourselves of the prolonged winter weather and we are now enjoying a little sunshine. What a difference it makes to feel the warmth of the sun on your back instead of shivering in an overcoat with scarf and gloves to keep the cold out. Since my last report in the February issue of the Gildhall News there have been a few social events along with a number of more formal occasions. On Friday 1st March a long alley skittles evening at the Coach & Horses at Markfield was arranged by Brian Mudford and was enjoyed by 48 Gild members with friends and family including a party of Coventry Freemen who joined us for the evening. As usual at these events we all had a good time and the competitive aspect of the skittles was not taken too seriously. Many thanks to Brian for organizing the event. The annual Open Morning was held on Sunday 7th April at the Holt when a number of members came to pay their dues for the year and to buy Gild products. Since the introduction of paying subscriptions by standing order the numbers attending has fallen slightly. Never the less during the course of the morning there were a good number popping in, not just to pay their annual subscription but to have a chat as well. It is worth noting that because of rising costs we will no longer be posting Gild products free of charge but will be charging for the postage. The open morning is an ideal opportunity to view the items for sale and to buy whatever takes your fancy. 5
Finally, a Cheese and Wine evening was held on Saturday 13th April to raise money for the ‘Save our Steeple’ appeal for St Mary de Castro. An excellent presentation was given by Virginia Wright, a local Blue Badge Guide, on the history of the church and that part of Leicester surrounding St Mary de Castro and she generously waived her fee for the benefit of the appeal. Thirty seven members and friends attended the evening and a raffle was held to boost the donation. The raffle raised £74 and the entrance fees for the evening raised £314.50 so after deducting the cost of food and drink the evening raised £261.53p. A further £180.00 has been raised by direct donations from gild members. Congratulations to all those helping to boost the appeal funds. There have been two swearing in ceremonies since my last newsletter report, one on the 19th January (17 new freemen) and again on the 26th March (three new freemen), the latter of which I was unable to attend. Also, there was to have been a Crown Court Opening ceremony on Wednesday 10th April but the trial to be presided over by the Judge was cancelled, the reason for which can only be surmised, so the ceremony was no longer required. On Wednesday 17th April Common Hall was held, the name given to our annual general meeting, which after the election of officers culminated in a lively discussion about attracting new, younger members. There is a definite need to attract those freemen who feel that they are not catered for because of their age, but there is an even greater need for those who feel left out to come forward and actively take part in the organizing of events for their own age group. The average age of the Gild Court is advancing each year and if new, younger blood does not come forward there is a danger of the Gild fading away. Not yet, but at some time in the future. There was little change in the composition of the Court at Common Hall, the newly elected wardens are Michael Ayres, Jeff Lewitt and Lorna Kirk, and the new Master will be Tony Chettle who will take office at the Annual Banquet in June. This will be my last newsletter as Master of the Gild and I would like to thank all the Court members and other Gild members for their support and help during my year of office. I would also like to wish every success for the incoming Master and Court members in the future and, of course, to all the Gild members at large.
John Tolton
Report on the FEW (Freemen of England and Wales) by Michael Ayres On Saturday 16th March Tony Chettle and myself travelled to York to represent the the Leicester Gild at the FEW meeting held in Bedern Hall.
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The meeting began with the Master of the York Gild, Mrs. Hazel Hague, welcoming the delegates present to York.The meeting then continued with the approval of the minutes of the court meeting held on March 17th 2012 at Freemen’s Holt Leicester. The President of the FEW Allan Fallows then gave his report,part of which reminded Freemen of the ongoing problem of registration of Freemen’s Lands and Rights under the land Registration Act are still going on as we approach the deadline of October 13th this year. (Fortunately the land Registration Act does not affect the Leicester Freemen’s Land) Then followed a discussion on the appointment of Apprentice Freemen, FEW can only advise on the admission of Apprentice Freemen to the Gild. It’s the responsibility for each Gild on the admission of Apprentice Freemen. The feedback from most of the Gilds is that they did not want to change from the legislation already in place, a further discussion on the subject will take place at the AGM on 14th September in Oxford.
Michael Ayres
Report by Chairman of the Board - Bill Hargrave My first year as chairman of the board has simply flown by. Since March 2012 I have attended nine freedom ceremonies where a total of 104 people of all ages took up their freedom. Since the last Gildhall News there have been two ceremonies.In February, a ceremony was held at the Town Hall for three new Hereditary Freemen: Geoffrey Measures who inherits his freedom from his grandfather John Measures Lynn Gartside inherits her freedom from her father - Ian Tebbutt, a past Chairman of the Deputies. Claire Sheppard who inherits her freedom from her grandfather – Frank Hargrave, In April, the Lord Mayor, Cllr Abdul Osman conferred the freedom on nineteen people (see photograph on back cover): Khristina and James Chawner Christopher Chettle Alexander Clements, who travelled from Scotland
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Barbara-Ann and Barry Scott who live in Northampton and Katie &Thomas Scott can be connected to Jon Scot who was made Free in 1207. There was a note in the records “Admitted in the year when Sir Simon de Rochefort recovered Leicester (after March)” Gary, Robert & Sophie Atkins together with Cherie & Chloe Hurst inherit from Patricia Atkins, daughter of the late Bob Hargrave Dorothy & Ronald Brown, inherit the freedom from Frank Manship Paula Guerra (from London) & Corinne Sweeney (Nottingham) originate from a weaver William Bramley who received his Freedom in 1488 Julie O’Brien (from Berkshire) is linked to Andrew Langton who was made Free in 1481 Margaret Hames can trace her origins to a Grocer, Henry Bentley who was made Free in 1478
A One-bedroom bungalow will be available shortly There is a refurbishment project currently being undertaken on a vacant bungalow. If you are interested and require more details or would like to visit the Holt please telephone the clerk to make arrangements. The Annual General Meeting was held at the community centre on the Holt. Although quite well attended by residents it was poorly supported by nonresidents. The annual accounts are available to see on the website by Freemen only. To access the accounts etc. please telephone the clerk for a password.
Bill Hargrave
The Leicester Freemen’s Website DISAPPOINTMENT In January we launched the new website for Freemen of Leicester and in the May edition of Gildhall News we asked you to have a good look around the site and let us have your comments. Less than 20 Freemen responded, and although the feedback from the few was generally positive, it leaves us unclear as to whether www.leicesterfreemen.com is the useful communication device we had hoped for. REWARD. Your feedback is important. Every Freeman who responds to the following questions will be entered into A Free Prize Draw Question 1
What do you think to the look and feel of the website? 8
Question 2
Have you found the website easy to navigate around?
Question 3
What do you think of the electronic version of the Gildhall News?
Question 4
Board meeting minutes and the Summary Annual Report for the Charity are available for Freemen their widows/ widowers who wish to access these. To access these please apply for the password via the “Contact Us” page. Is this of interest to you?
Question 5
How could we make the website more interesting for you?
Your answers to the questions should be sent to Lynda Bramley, Clerk to the Board at leicester.freemen@talktalkbusiness.net, entering FEEDBACK in the subject box.
Cheese & Wine Evening, Saturday 13th April Mick Ayres and I attended an event last September at the Church of St. Mary de Castro held to launch the ‘Save Our Spire’ appeal. The spire of St Mary de Castro is in a really poor condition with a crack in the fabric of the spire wide enough for a man’s arm to enter. There is a particular connection with the Gild of Freemen in that the church was founded in the year 1107 by Robert of Meulan, who also granted a charter in the same year to the Merchants of Leicester allowing for the formation of a Gild of Merchants; the predecessors of the Freemen of Leicester. Apart from a number of fund raising events to be organized by the church there is a ‘Sponsor our Stones’ initiative whereby sponsors donate a sum of money for a stone which is dedicated to that sponsor. The nature of the stone depends on the sum of money donated. A sum of £250, or more, would pay for a decorated stone sponsored by and dedicated to the Freemen of Leicester. Virginia Wright, a Leicester Blue Badge Guide, agreed to give a talk at a cheese and wine evening at the Holt and agreed that her fee will be donated to the fund. The Cheese and Wine evening was held on Saturday 13th April attended by 37 freemen and guests along with Virginia Wright and her husband, Peter. Along with individual donations given by freemen beforehand and a raffle held on the evening a sum of £441 was raised for the ‘Save our Spire’ appeal.
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Individual donations were given by those listed below for which I am greatly indebted. Mrs M. E. Bailey Micheal S. Abbott John Hurst David Tolton John Findley John Tolton Peter Shipley Brian Mudford Iris Cave Janet Crawley Michael Ayres Amanda Collinson Lorna Kirk
£10 £10 £10 £10 £10 £10 £10 £20 £10 £10 £10 £30 £30
John Tolton
Programme of Future Events Visit to Hendon, Sunday June 23rd 2013 Leaving the Holt at 9.00a.m. For our first trip this year we are going to the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon and the early indications are that this will prove to be a very popular trip so we would advise securing your seats as soon as possible. The Museum offers a fun, enthralling day out for all the family. With over 100 aircraft on site nowhere else enables you to get so close to so many historic and ground-breaking aircraft. The Historic Hangers in which the exhibition is housed are now listed buildings and were once part of the old Hendon Aerodrome, the cradle of British aviation in the early 20s. The exhibition is broken down into a series of halls e.g. milestones of flight, bomber hall, fighter aircraft, and Battle of Britain etc. There is the opportunity to explore the inside of the mighty Sunderland flying boat and see the cramped conditions of the crew. The Bomber Hall follows the development of the bomber from its first appearance in World War1. The hall is in part a memorial to the 131,000 young men who died
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in the bombing offensive in Europe, the only way the Allies could carry the fight back to Hitler’s Germany. The Battle of Britain Hall tells the story of the World’s first decisive air battle when the Royal Air Force stood alone against the might of the German Luftwaffe in World War2. Listen to Winston Churchill give his ‘Battle of Britain’ speech to a fearful nation from his 10 Downing Street Office. Watch ‘Our Finest Hour’, the museum‘s sound and light show which explains the battle. See aircraft from both sides who took part in the battle. Take a trip in one of the two flight simulators, visit the 4D theatre a small charge is made for these. There is a well stocked shop so make sure that you allow plenty of time to purchase a memento of your visit. To refuel during your visit take your own lunch to eat in one of the picnic areas or visit the Wings Restaurant, which is licensed, for something substantial, or the Wessex Café for a light snack. To secure your seats on this trip do not delay use the booking form enclosed. Adult seats £18.00 each Child seats £13.00 each Non Gild members seats £20.00 each
Maurice Hill
The Gild Annual Banquet Saturday 8th June 2013 Devonshire Place, London Road, Leicester Arrangements for the fourth Annual Banquet are well in an advanced stage and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the banquet to be held on June 8th at Devonshire Place on London Road. The Annual Freemen’s Service is being held at St Mary de Castro on the following day, Sunday 9th June. This year sees a slight variation on previous years in so far as the induction of the incoming Master will take place at the banquet. In the past the incoming Master has taken up his new role at Common Hall, but this year the robe and chain of office will be handed over at the banquet. Devonshire Place is a splendid venue for our banquet, the service is beyond reproach and the food is excellent. This year for the first time there will be a choice of menu consisting of:
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Starter course 1. Old Nick Cheddar & Smoked Bacon Rosti garnished with Caramelised Pear 2. Cream of Tomato & Basil Soup Sorbet course Main course 3. Beef Fillet Mignon served with a Red Pesto & Brandy Cream Sauce 4. Mushroom & Butterbean Stroganoff served on a bed of Tagliatelle Dessert Course 5. Baileys Bread & Butter Pudding served with Whiskey Cream 6. Deconstructed Eton Mess (A traditional English dessert mixing strawberries, meringue & cream) All followed by a Cheeseboard including Biscuits, Celery & Grapes and filtered or decaffeinated coffee. If you would like to reserve your places at the banquet please complete the booking form in the centre of the Gildhall News and return it to Maurice Hill at the address on the form. General inquiries about the banquet, or any other Gild matter, should be directed to John Tolton at johntolton@hotmail.com.
Trip to Trentham Gardens Staffordshire Sunday 4th August 2013 For our second trip this year we will be visiting Trentham Gardens in Staffordshire. With parkland originally designed by Capability Brown and gardens laid out by Sir Charles Barry, this former estate of the Dukes of Sutherland became a playground of the people in the early 20th century. The revival of the Italian Gardens was led by the renowned designer Tom StuartSmith, and the 10acre Victorian garden now includes Piet Oudolf’s Rivers of Grass and Floral Labyrinth, grand Italianate parterres, fountains, trellis walkway, David Austin Rose border and bright vibrant coloured perennials towering above you as you wander through the maze of flowerbeds. The new look gardens have matured into some of the finest in Britain and described by Alan Titchmarsh as ‘the must see gardens’. The gardens were highly
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commended by Visit England Excellence in Tourism awards 2012, in the best large visitor attraction category. Take a woodland walk around the mile long lake and see if you can spot the new enchanting fairies or steam along the lakeside on the miniature train or set sail on the electric catamaran. Most areas of the gardens are accessible to wheelchair users, and there are lots of seats around the lake and gardens. At the end of the lake is the Monkey Forest (admission extra) where you can take a walk on the wild side. It is set in 60 acres of beautiful woodland and meadows where 140 Barbary macaque monkeys from the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco live in total freedom. You are plunged into a fascinating world as you hear rustling in the trees, chattering in a strange language and see the monkeys crashing through the branches. Alongside of the Gardens is the Trentham shopping village with 60 timber lodges housing shops, cafes and restaurants. Enjoy the village atmosphere. Beware, you’ll be tempted by independent retailers and big name brands offering fresh local food ,specialist teas, home, kitchen and ceramic goods, and a hugh selection of gifts, soft furnishings and stylish ladies, gentlemen and children’s clothing. Believe me, there’s even outfits for dogs. Also in the village is the Trentham Garden Centre which is the Blue Diamond’s flagship store, it is simply massive you could spend hours browsing around its vast indoor and outdoor facilities. The centre is so big it even contains three brilliant cafes and restaurants, the Café Bello, Six Arches Restaurant and the Terrazzo del Giardino. This trip should prove to be a very enjoyable day for all ages, so reserve your seats without delay using the enclosed booking form, and come and have a good day out. Prices including admission are Adult seats £23.00 each Child seats £18.00 each Non Gild members £25.00 each
Maurice Hill 13
Visit to Everards Brewery Ltd. Castle Acres Narborough Leics. LE19 1BY Wednesday 18th September 2013 We have arranged a visit to Everards Brewery and the following arrangements apply. You are asked to report to Everards reception at 10.30am where you will be shown to the hospitality suite for an introduction to Everards. A tour of the brewery will then take place taking you through production, packaging and warehouse areas. Please be aware that the tour includes several staircases and is unfortunately not suitable for those with walking difficulties. Please wear suitable footwear and clothing as some areas may be cold and wet underfoot. The tour then returns to the hospitality suite where samples of various ales will be available along with a light buffet lunch, and the visit should conclude by 2.00pm. If you are intending to take advantage of the sample ales offered during the visit you are encouraged not to drive and to make alternative transport arrangements. The minimum number of people for the tour is 8 and the maximum 12. The minimum age of visitors is 18 years. The numbers of places on this visit are limited. If you would like to be included then please contact Maurice Hill 33 Mossdale Road Leicester LE3 2UT Tel No. 0116 2895394 who will deal with Everards confirming the visit, and numbers taking part. The cost f the visit is £7.50 per person and you will pay this yourself by cash or cheque to the brewery on arrival. Maurice Hill
Fish and Chip Supper, Friday, 8th November 2013 Freemen’s Holt, Old Church Street, Aylestone ‘Their Name Liveth For Evermore’ A look at memorials and war graves of WW1 As the 100th anniversary of WW1 nears, this talk will look at some of the memorials to the fallen that left an emptiness in so many lives and graves of particular interest. Our speaker is non other than Brian Johnson, local author, speaker and family historian who has previously given excellent talks at previous events. Tickets are priced at £8.50 each and you are urged to make your booking early using the enclosed booking form. 14
Visit to the Little Theatre Dover Street, Leicester to see Cinderella on 13th December 2013 starting at 7pm. Take one glass slipper, a magic pumpkin, Buttons and a Fairy Godmother, mix them together with a charming Prince, a girl with a kind heart and her two nasty step sisters, add an invitation to the royal Ball and what have you got? – the traditional family pantomime Cinderella of course. Please book early for this seasonal treat the whole family can enjoy - freemen, family and friends. Tickets cost £14 for adults and £12 for children (up to 16). Tickets will be allocated strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. Please remember to complete the application form in capital letters and make sure that your address is clear. We don’t want to send your tickets to the wrong address.
Brian Mudford
Activities at Freemen’s Holt Freemen’s Holt has a variety of activities happening every week. These include invitations for Freemen of Leicester, Freemen’s Widows and Widowers not living at Freemen’s Holt to come and join us. We have lunches at different times throughout the year; these are held in the community centre. During the summer months we have talks on different subjects that everyone is invited to, along with other fun activities like quizzes games and other experiences. Wednesday 29th May there will be a talk about the Shuttleworth Clark Foundation, all talks start at 2pm here at Freemen’s Holt. We also visit Freemen, Freemen’s Widows and Widowers in their own homes. We are always looking to improve the lives of the Freemen of Leicester. If you would like to be included in our list of interested Freemen for any of the activities, visit from us or any other information, please ring the office on 0116 2834017 and speak to either Lynda or Sandra or alternatively Email office@leicesterfreemen.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
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Contributions to the Gildhall News ***************************** History of Freemen – Part 6. The Religious Gilds You may recall in my last contribution to the Gildhall News I wrote about the Town Halls of Leicester up to the end of the 15th century, when the Corporation held their first meeting in the building we now know as the Guildhall. However, the Guildhall was originally the property of one of the numerous religious gilds that sprang to prominence in the middle of the 14th century. All the gilds, both large and small, served the same purpose, and they were a national phenomenon. In Leicestershire, apart from Leicester, there were religious gilds in Melton Mowbray (Gilds of St John and of St Mary), Hinckley (Holy Trinity Gild), and nearby Oakham had four religious gilds. They played a wider role than purely religious gilds, and they would be more correctly called social-religious gilds. There religious objects were to maintain one or more chantry priests to sing mass for the souls of their founder members and other notable people (including royalty) and each gild would be closely allied to a parish church. On the social side the brotherhood provided mutual support in time of sickness and adversity as well as providing sumptuous feasts on feast-days. Membership of the gilds was not exclusively male, it would be open to women, and many husband and wife partnerships enjoyed membership of the various gilds. By far and away the most important gild in Leicester was the Gild of Corpus Christi founded in 1343, and it had great influence in the affairs of the town council. The meetings of the town council (common hall) took place in the Corpus Christi Guildhall from the late fifteenth century onwards and occasionally the same person would be the mayor of Leicester and the master of the gild. Although known as the Gild of Corpus Christ its full title was the ‘Gild of the Precious Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, St Mary, and all saints’, and its annual feast and procession celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. The procession was one of the greatest events in the calendar in Leicester when the mayor, the Corporation, and the officials wore their robes and paraded through the town. It was not only the most important, but the richest gild in Leicester, and was an exclusive club comprising of many husbands and wives from the principal business families in the town. The Gild became the leading property owner in Leicester with revenue exceeding that of the Borough itself. Its chapel was the Lady Chapel in the south side of St Martin’s Cathedral. The founder members of the Gild in 1343, known as the thirteen, were Raulf de Ferrers, John Hayward, Gilbert de Avener, John Porter, Geoffrey Kent, 16
Roger de Knightcote, John Martyn, John de Elmeshale, Richard Leverych, Thomas de Beby, John Cook the elder, and William Dunstable. Of the thirteen the first four were officers or servants of the Earl and were given precedence over the others, all prominent burgesses. Not only were the founders responsible for the running of the fraternity but in the event of the death of any one of them they alone chose a successor from the community to take the place of the deceased. Membership of the Gild was not guaranteed to be permanent. Any evil doer, evil speaker, or offender against the articles of the foundation and who has been twice warned would on the third time of offending be removed from the fraternity for ever. Likewise there was a similar penalty for not attending common assembly. By the beginning of the 16th century the number of names directly associated with the Gild had risen to 64 and it was at about this time that the first part of the Guildhall was built. For most of its life the Gild was closely associated with the government of the Borough, although it did not have any official status. In the event of complaints or disputes among the members of the 24 (the Corporation) the two Gild wardens with the mayor had powers of arbitration. The mayor himself was liable to a fine by the wardens if he failed to execute judgment with the possibility of imprisonment in the event of defaulting on his fine. The Gild was dissolved in 1548 under the Chantry Act and much of the property previously owned by the Gild was transferred to the Corporation under Leicester’s Charter from Queen Elizabeth I in 1589. Of those founder members two stand out as surnames still today in the Freemen’s Rolls. John Porter was the earl’s clerk, under steward and receiver, and responsible for guarding the castle prisoners, collecting rents, dues and rendering the annual accounts for the castle. John Martyn (Martin) was mayor in 1334, 1339 and 1344, and represented the Borough in parliament in 1337, 1353 and 1354 and is an ancestor of our Patron, Col. Robert Martin. Other religious gilds in Leicester performed similar roles to that of the Gild of Corpus Christi and the most prominent of those was the Gild of St Margaret and St Katharine which was maintained by a body of citizens living in the Bishop’s Fee outside the town walls. Again there were thirteen founder members and the first Master was John Porter mention above. It was not unusual for someone to be a member of more than one gild, and unlike Coventry there was no hierarchy amongst the gilds. Further gilds in Leicester included the Gild of St George who also had a chapel in St Martin’s (now used as a Regimental chapel), and it remained a 17
poor and unimportant gild whose only claim to fame was the civic possession known as the ‘Riding of the George’. The Gild of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was founded prior to 1346 and its main object was to provide a chaplain to officiate at the Gild’s alter in All Saints Church in what is now called Highcross Street. A very wealthy, though small gild was the Gild of Holy Trinity blessed with the patronage of Lord Hastings and was founded by Sir Richard Sacheverel and Lady Hungerford at some time before 1495. The Gild’s altar was in the south aisle of St Mary de Castro. Other lesser known gilds included the Gild of St John attached to the Hospital of St John, the Gild of St Michael (the church had no vicar by 1487 and probably disappeared very soon after), the Gild of our Lady beyond the Water and the Gilds of St Cross and St Thomas.
John Tolton
Spiraling Costs Over the years there has been a dramatic rise in the cost of producing and issuing the Gildhall News to Freemen. Quite some years ago the Board of Deputies agreed to pay the cost of printing the newsletter; at that time in black & white only along with the postage. Some year’s later colour was introduced into the Gildhall News and the extra cost of this was met by the Gild as they requested the change. And of course in recent years the number of Freemen has risen a good deal with the admission of daughters to the freedom. The last issue in February cost the Board and Gild between us £800 for printing and £252 postage and that includes approximately 200 copies issued via email. So without those two hundred electronic copies printing and postage would have been a good deal more. None of this takes into account the cost of the clerical labour in addressing the envelopes which in itself takes at least a day to carry out. The rising cost of the Gildhall News is becoming increasingly difficult to support and the situation is not likely to improve, so the Board and the Gild are considering ways to reduce the burden. The most suitable way without reducing the quality of the newsletter is for more freemen to agree to receive the Gildhall News from the freemen’s web page. The alternative will be to reduce the quality of the Gildhall News. This is a plea to those who receive a hard copy of Gildhall News through the post to seriously consider reading the copy on the web page and opting out of receiving their copy through the post. Please notify Lynda at Freemen’s Holt at leicester.freemen@talktalkbusiness.net if you are willing to opt out of receiving a postal copy. 18
SureStop water stop valves Water leaks and burst pipes can cause serious damage and are one of the main causes of domestic floor disasters in the UK. The amount of damage a water leak can cause can be significantly reduced if the water supply can be turned off quickly. This is often not possible because stop taps are usually located in out of the way places e.g. under the sink. It can prove to be quite a struggle to turn the stop tap off especially if you are elderly or disabled, also if the stop tap as not been used for some time it can become affected by scale and partially seize up. From personal experience, and being 80+, it’s one thing to turn off the stop tap and entirely another trying to get up off of the floor afterwards! A SureStop valve enables the water supply to be turned off at the flick of a switch and overcomes all the problems associated with using a conventional stop tap. The switch itself can be fitted in a handy position, on a wall, or inside a cupboard for example. The Board of Deputies have managed to negotiate a very competitive price with GAP Property Services for the supply and fitting of a SureStop valve at a cost to you of only £108. To have one fitted, and we would strongly recommend that you do, contact GAP Property Services, who carry out most of the Maintenance work at the Holt, direct, and they will make all arrangements. GAP Property Services Leicester Ltd. Unit 9 Woodgate Business Centre 74 Bradgate Street Leicester LE4 OAW Tel. No. 0116 2425796
Maurice Hill
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Chamberlain’s Report by Maurice Hill The Gild accounts have now been audited by Russell Mason and give a true picture when compared with last year which was beset with missing information and a Chamberlain at the start of a very steep learning curve. I should point out that I am still learning but now feel more in control of the situation to the extent that Russell was very complementary regarding the condition and presentation of the accounts and has suggested ways that will make them easier to record and analyse in future. Some things of note are that the accounts now show cheques awaiting payment into the bank, a petty cash figure, but still show an overvalued stock figure. We made a loss of £136 overall on functions we staged albeit a quite small amount but even this might have been avoided if the hand writing of an applicant for one function had been clearer and as a result was miss read. On the subject of functions we have endeavoured to stage a full programme for this year, and those still to come are:8th June Annual banquet 23rd June Trip to Hendon 4th August Trentham Gardens Stoke 18th September visit to Everards Brewery 8th November fish & Chip evening at the Holt 13th December Panto I have set out to create a new and up-to-date card index for all members and associates both at home and abroad. This is progressing very well and my ambition is to make this as complete as possible with where ever possible Email addresses included in an attempt to minimise the cost of postage in future. This is quite a challenge but I feel will prove to be well worth the effort. We are about to introduce a new stock item which is a Lady’s scarf emblazoned with the Gild badge and is in the same colour as our gowns and will cost £15 each. Problems with the bank continue, and I’ve written to them and requested that in future statements are sent direct to me and at the start of each month, this will make it so much easier to keep control of our finances. I await their reply. I’m pleased to report that Russell Mason has agreed to continue as Honorary Auditor. Summing up I can report that the Gild’s finances show an increase in value of £832 when compared with the last correct and full audit completed in 2011, and if you have not yet paid your subs for this year can I remind you that they are now due.
Maurice Hill 20
The Gild of The Freeman of the City of Leicester Income and Expenditure account for the year ending 31 March 2013 2013 Income Entrance Fees Annual subscriptions Guildsman Associated Members Donations Sales of Gild insignia Gowns, tie badges etc. Less cost Bank Interest Expenditure Functions and events Expenses Income Printing postages and stationary Freeman of England and Wales Membership subscriptions 2013 Donations to Lord Mayor’s Appeal Civil Authorities Other Gilds Miscellaneous Expenses
2012
24 1,416 362
542 (387)
5,659 (5,523)
Excess(deficit) of income over expenditure Add balance from previous year Total Represented by: Cash at Bank Cheques awaiting payment into the bank Petty Cash Stock of Gild Insignia Prepayments Less cash received in advanced and creditors
1,778
155 2 1,958
136 1,681
22 813 245
947 (1,445)
(8,313)
1,058 18
(498) 2 602
6,823 (1,490) 722
60 200 0 0 49 2,125 (167) 7,045
60 200 28 0 83 (397) 999 6,046
6,878
7,045
4,587 818 277 1,839 685 8,206 (1,328)
5,448
1,844 0 7,292 (247)
6,878
7,045
I have examined the books and vouchers of the Gild and certify that the Income and certify that the Income and Expenditure Account is in accordance therewith. Russell D Mason Honorary Auditor 10-Apr-13
21
Have you changed your address ? In the event that is necessary to inform the Gild or the Board of any change in circumstances then the information should be sent to: Lynda Bramley Clerk to the Board Leicester Freemen’s Estate 32 Freemen’s Holt Old Church Street Aylestone Leicester LE2 8NH Telephone: 0116 – 283 4017 E-mail: leicester.freemen@talktalkbusiness.net Leicester Freemen web site: www.leicesterfreemen.com
Copy for the next issue should reach the Editor by th Friday 19 July 2013 For your News and Views write to : Brian Mudford 11 Huntsman Close Markfield Leicestershire LE67 9XE Telephone 01530 245414 e-mail: brianmudford@tiscali.co.uk
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From left to right on back row are Kamal Adiata, City Barrister & Head of Standards, Lynn Roffee, Clerk of the Gild of Freemen, Bill Hargrave, Chairman of the Board of Deputies, the Lord Mayor, Cllr Abdul Osman, Tony Chettle, Deputy Master of the Gild of Freemen, and Michael Ayres, Warden of the Court. The new Freemen on the front row are Lynn Gartside, Geoffrey Measures
and Claire Sheppard after the Making free ceremony on 26th March 2013
Group photograph taken in Bedern Hall in York after the Sunday morning service for the Gild of Freemen of the City of York on 21st April 2013
23
Group photograph taken after the Making Free ceremony on 20th April 2013 of the nineteen new freemen together with Jane Wildbore, a Freemen’s Deputy, Bill Hargrave, Chairman of the Board of Deputies, the Lord Mayor Cllr Abdul Osman Lynn Roffee, Clerk of the Gild of Freemen, and Jim Manship a member of the Gild of Freemen.
BOOKING FORM Gild Gala Banquet Sarturday 8th June 2013 at Devonshire Place Please reserve................places at £39.00 each I will require.........vegetarian meals .........of us will be attending the Annual Freemen’s Service at St. Mary de Castro on Sunday 9th June 2013
My name is ............................................................................................. Address................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................ .................................................................................................................. Post code.........................Telephone number.......................................... Names of other persons attending (please mark with a “V” if vegetarian) .............................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................... .............................................................................................................................
e-mail address......................................................................................... I enclose a cheque/postal order for £...............made payable to “Gild of Leicester Freemen”
Please send to: Maurice Hill, 33 Mossdale Road, Kingsway, Leicester LE3 2UT. Tel: 0116 2895394 Applications will be dealt with strictly on a first-come, first served basis. Regrettably bookings will not be acceptable after 23rd May.
BOOKING FORM
Visit to Hendon, Sunday June 23rd 2013 Please reserve ………. adult places at £18.00 each .......... child places (under 16) at £13.00 each ...........places for non-Gild members at £20.00 each My name is.........……………………………………...………………………………. My address is………………………………….....……………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………. Postcode……………………….Telephone……………………………. e-mail address..................................................................................................... I enclose a cheque/postal order for £…………….., made payable to “Gild of Leicester Freemen”. Please send to: Maurice Hill, 33 Mossdale Road, Kingsway, Leicester LE3 2UT.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ---BOOKING FORM
Visit to Trentham Gardens, Sunday August 4th 2013 Please reserve ………. adult places at £23.00 each .......... child places (under 16) at £18.00 each ...........places for non-Gild members at £25.00 each My name is.........……………………………………...………………………………. My address is………………………………….....……………………………………. .………………………………………………………………………. Postcode……………………….Telephone……………………………. e-mail address..................................................................................................... I enclose a cheque/postal order for £…………….., made payable to “Gild of Leicester Freemen”. Please send to: Maurice Hill, 33 Mossdale Road, Kingsway, Leicester LE3 2UT.
BOOKING FORM
Fish & Chip Supper - talk on WWI memorials Friday 8th November 2013 at Freemen’s Holt 7.30pm Please reserve ………. places at £8.50 each My name is.........……………………………………...………………………………. My address is………………………………….....……………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………. Postcode……………………….Telephone……………………………. e-mail address..................................................................................................... I enclose a cheque/postal order for £…………….., made payable to “Gild of Leicester Freemen”. Please send to: Maurice Hill, 33 Mossdale Road, Kingsway, Leicester LE3 2UT. Applications will be dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ---BOOKING FORM
Visit to Cinderella pantomime on 13th December 2013 at the Little Theatre, Dover Street at 7.00pm Please reserve ………. adult places at £14.00 each .......... child places (under 16) at £12.00 each My name is.........……………………………………...………………………………. My address is………………………………….....……………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………. Postcode……………………….Telephone……………………………. e-mail address..................................................................................................... I enclose a cheque/postal order for £…………….., made payable to “Gild of Leicester Freemen”. Please send to: Maurice Hill, 33 Mossdale Road, Kingsway, Leicester LE3 2UT. Applications will be dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis
RENEWAL OF GILD MEMBERSHIP FOR THE YEAR 1ST APRIL 2013 - 31ST MARCH 2014 I would like to pay the annual subscription for my membership/associate membership of the Gild for the year commencing 1st April 2013
Membership
.............at £9.00
= £.............
Associate Membership
..............at £6.00
= £.............
My name is (BLOCK CAPITALS).................................................... My address is (BLOCK CAPITALS) ......................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................... Post code...........................Telephone............................................. e-mail address................................................................................. I enclose a cheque/postal order for £................... made payable to “Gild of Leicester Freemen” Please post to: Maurice Hill, 33 Mossdale Road, Kingsway, Leicester LE3 2UT Any queries, please phone Maurice on 0116 2895394 PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PAY YOUR ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION BY STANDING ORDER, PLEASE SEE OVER PAGE.
GILD OF LEICESTER FREEMEN (Kindly complete where marked by all dotted lines) To: Maurice Hill, 33 Mossdale Road, Kingsway, Leicester LE3 2UT Date………………………………..20.….. I, ………………………………………………..agree to pay my Annual Subscription to the GILD OF LEICESTER FREEMEN on 1st April each year by means of the signed Standing Order that I have sent to my bank. I understand that the annual subscriptions at present are £9.00 for a full member and £6.00 for an associate member, and that I can stop or amend this Standing Order simply by giving instructions to my bank. Signature………………………………………………………. Address………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………… Post code……………………………………………….
e-mail address...................................................................
STANDING ORDER - PLEASE SEND TO YOUR BANK MANAGER To: The Manager…………………………………………..Bank PLC Address ……....………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………... ………………………………………………........... Postcode…………………………………………… Please pay to:Lloyds Bank TSB Bank PLC, Old Market Square Branch, Nottingham NG1 6FD (Bank Sort Code 30-96-18) For the account of the Gild of Freemen of the City of Leicester (Account No. 01409164) the sum of £………………. Commencing on 1st April 20.…, and yearly thereafter until further notice. Kindly make the payment with reference …………………………………(my surname and initial). Name of account to be debited....……………………………..….. Account No.........…………………………………………………. Signature………………………………………………………… Date
………………………………………………….20.….
Address .…………………………………………………………. .........……………………………………………………. ..…………………………………………………………. Postcode………………………………………………....
GILD OF FREEMEN OF THE CITY OF LEICESTER APPLICATION FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP
Full Name______________________________________________ (BLOCK LETTERS)
Address_____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________
Post Code ________________Tel No. _______________________ e-mail address__________________________________________ I am a duly sworn Freeman of the City of Leicester and apply to be enrolled as a Member of the Gild of Freemen, for which I enclose the sum of £10.00 (Enrolment fee of £1.00 plus the first annual subscription of £9.00).
Signature
Date APPLICATION FOR ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
Full Name______________________________________________ (BLOCK LETTERS)
Address ___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Post Code __________________Tel No. ____________________ e-mail address__________________________________________ I certify that I am the SPOUSE / WIDOW / WIDOWER / SON / DAUGHTER / GRANDCHILD aged 18 years or over (please delete where necessary) of Mr. / Mrs./ Ms. _____________________________________(Freeman of Leicester) Or I am a full member of the Guild of Freemen of_________________(City or Town) I apply to be enrolled as an Associate Member of the Gild, for which I enclose the sum of £7.00 (Enrolment Fee of £1.00 plus the first Annual Subscription of £6.00) Signature___________________________________________Date_____________ Please make cheques payable to ‘Gild of Leicester Freemen’ and send with this application to Maurice Hill, 33 Mossdale Road, Kingsway, Leicester LE3 2UT
THE GILD OF FREEMEN OF THE CITY OF LEICESTER GILD PRODUCTS ORDER FORM 1. Tie
- navy
………at £10.00 each
= £………….
- maroon
………at £10.00 each
= £………….
- green
………at £10.00 each
= £………….
- two ties (state colours) ...……at £19.00 two
= £………….
- three ties
…...…at £27.50 three
= £………….
2. Key-ring
………at £5.00 each
= £………….
3. Lapel badge
………at £2.50 each
= £………….
4. Cufflinks
..........at £16.00 each
= £………….
………at £3.00 each
= £………….
…...…at £55.00 each
= £………….
.....….at £20.00 each
= £………….
7. Blazer badge
.........at £13.50 each
=£..............
8. Wall plaque, wooden
…..…at £24.00 each
= £………….
5. Gild pens
- new design
6. Arm badge - framed - unframed
9. Gown, made to measure, incl. delivery........price on request = £…………. (Chest ..........ins, height..........ft...........ins). 10. Register of Freemen- 1931-85 - 1986-96
………at £4.00 each
= £………….
………at £3.00 each
= £………….
TOTAL
= £…………. plus postage
I enclose cheque/postal order for the above total, made payable to: “GILD OF LEICESTER FREEMEN” NAME…………………………………………………………………………………….. ADDRESS………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………. POST CODE…………………………… E-MAIL ADDRESS:........................................................................................ Signed………………………………………………………………………………………. Please post to: Maurice Hill, 33 Mossdale Road, Kingsway, Leicester LE3 2UT Tel: 0116 2895394