Summer 2009 • No 2
Clothworker The
The Master I am conscious that this second edition of The Clothworker follows quite soon after the first. This is deliberate since it is important that the Livery have an opportunity to
Carolyn Boulter, Assistant, has just
review our financial performance in
completed her year as High Sheriff of
2008 ahead of the Annual Meeting on
the Royal County of Berkshire. One of
10th June. In future it is intended to
the many duties of office is presiding
publish two issues a year, one in May and
at Citizenship Ceremonies in the
the other in November / December; steps
County. Here she is with a proud
will also be taken to beef up the Members’
new citizen in Slough.
section of the website, to give current news of the Company and events. The Court has agreed that we should share our financial information with
Assistant
all our members, and not just the Livery. However, since the Company’s
John Coombe-Tennant is the son of
accounts are not in the public domain, I ask that you treat the information as
Alastair Coombe-Tennant, a former
confidential.
Liveryman. He was educated at Eton
Although we are not immune from market forces and the value of our
College and the University of East
investment assets has been hit by the general economic decline, we are
Anglia. He runs a family company
fortunate to have a strong balance sheet to withstand the current downturn.
with property interests in south
However, our income this year is expected to be considerably less than last
Wales and is also
and this will have an impact on the level of grants. As such, we are being
a director of a
disciplined on our costs.
Turkish pharm-
The Court, largely through the Strategy Sub-Committee, has spent
aceutical
considerable time over the past year looking at corporate strategy, to try and
company, a Hong
determine what the Clothworkers should be about in the twenty-first
Kong investment
century. An important element in this is finding a common bond amongst our
company, and a
members above and beyond fellowship, a glue that binds Liverymen together.
Governor of
After much consideration, the current view is that, in addition to the Foundation’s traditional and wide ranging grant-giving activity, we might over time become a centre of excellence in trusteeship, building on the increasing involvement of a number of Liverymen in visiting charities on behalf of the
TreeHouse School.
Livery
Foundation. We recently commissioned some research by New Philanthropy Capital into trusteeship to help guide our thinking in this area, and more work remains to be done. The Court has also been looking at what we all get out of our membership and what we put back into the Company. A recent proposal to introduce quarterage, in part as a result of the disappointing level of participation in the Livery Fund, was not adopted and the Strategy Sub-Committee will be reviewing alternative ways forward. Cover photo: Bells at St. Magnus the Martyr
In tandem, we are keen to engage the Livery more with the affairs of the Company and Foundation. For the coming year, we are co-opting a number of Liverymen onto Committees and I am pleased to note that we now have 100
Melissa Pemberton-Pigott is the
members involved with charity visits.
daughter of Joy Pemberton-Pigott,
We will be covering some of these issues at the Annual Meeting of the
Freewoman, and grand-daughter
Livery on Election Day and I very much hope that as many Liverymen as
of Tim Westoll, Master 1983-
possible are able to attend the meeting, followed by the Election Dinner.
1984. She studied Human Sciences
As this will be my last column, as Master, may I just say what a
at Oxford University and a
tremendous privilege and pleasure it is to serve in that office; my ‘Mistress’
Masters at University College
and I have taken part in many varied and interesting events during the year.
London in Comparative Art and
I wish my successor every good fortune in his year of office.
Archaeology. After several years working in the Royal Household,
ANTHONY WEST Master
2
| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2009
she is now training as a milliner.
Master
Elections 2009-2010 Neil Foster is the son of William Foster who
estate of Lexham Hall in Norfolk, consisting
was Master 1976-1977. The Foster family
of a home farm and let farms. He served as
owned a textile company, Black Dyke Mills, in
High Sheriff of Norfolk 1999-2000 and has
Queensbury, Yorkshire which was founded in
been actively involved in Church and rural
1819 by John Foster. It subsequently became a
affairs and with a number of organizations
public company, John Foster & Son Limited,
in the County. He is married to Anthea who
of which Neil was a Director for some years.
is a county organizer for Norfolk of the
He was educated at Harrow and Aix-en-
National Gardens Scheme. They have a
Provence University and runs the family
teenage daughter, Venetia.
Wardens
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Richard Jonas, the Senior
John Stoddart-Scott is
David Bousfield is a Chart-
Sir Jonathan Portal Bt is a
Partner of Cluttons, Chart-
Chairman of The
ered Surveyor and works as
self-employed Chartered
ered Surveyors, until his ret-
Clothworkers’ Foundation.
a property consultant. He
Accountant helping small
irement in 2003, has served
He is a dairy farmer and
has been nominated as
companies as a trouble-
on the Council of Roedean
landowner in Yorkshire and
Company Representative
shooter. He is a Board
School and is currently a
served as High Sheriff, West
on the Court of Leeds Univ-
Member of the Kingfisher
Director of Babraham
Yorkshire 2001-2002. He is
ersity and is an enthusiastic
Housing Association and
Science Technologies and a
also on the Court and
member of the Clothworker
Treasurer of his local Cam-
Governor of Sutton
Council of Leeds University.
golf team.
paign to Protect Rural England
Hospital in Charterhouse.
branch.
Robin Jones is the son of
Scarlet Oliver is the daughter
Nick Bousfield is the son of
Jennifer Harris is the
Antony Jones, Assistant, and
of Lyon Oliver, Liveryman, and
David Bousfield, Assistant,
daughter of Antony Harris,
grandson of Sir Henry Jones,
grand-daughter of Charles
and grandson of Eric Bous-
Liveryman, and runs JRBH
Master 1972-1973. He studied
Oliver, Master 1971-1972.
field, Master 1986-1987. A
Strategy & Management.
History at Pembroke College,
She has a degree in Textile
Business Studies graduate
She is a Classics and
Cambridge. He has worked
Design from Central St.
of Northumbria University,
Business graduate of Cam-
for the Financial Services
Martins and a Masters in
Nick is training to be an
bridge University. Jennifer
Authority in varying roles
Constructed Textiles from
accountant and is working
writes a column for
and is currently Data
the Royal College of Art.
as Financial Controller for
Management Today and
Manager.
She is currently a self-
a printing company
was named ‘The Times
employed designer with
Young Business Women of
her own label.
the Year’ in 2006.
Summer 2009 | THE CLOTHWORKER |
3
Social Events Maths Soirée The Master was delighted that this unique evening
and a number of leading
an evening of maths inspirat ion
Wednesday 18th March 2009 at Clot
Reception Entertainment
was a sell-out.
6.45 pm 7.15 pm
Dinner Carriages
8.30 pm 10.30 pm
hworkers’ Hall
Dress code: black
tie
figures in the maths
Socks in a Pair?’; and a
world, including Sir Peter
demonstration of the ‘Mathematics
Williams, author of the
of Juggling’ by Colin Wright, Maths
recent report on primary
Professor at Cambridge University.
maths education, who The objective of the event was to give the Livery first hand exposure to one
Over supper, the guests were entertained by the country’s leading
spoke to us after dinner. The evening kicked off with a
‘Mathemagician’ (above) whose turns
presentation from Maths
included turning a five pound note
initiatives we are supporting
Inspiration, being a truncated
into a million dollar bill.
through the Foundation, and
version of the events they
of the mathematics education
to learn more about the issues
mount for large groups of sixth
surrounding the subject. We had a number of distinguished guests, most notably HRH The
formers around the country.
is that those who came went away
It included a session by Rob
with a better understanding of what
Eastaway, author of a number
Duke of Kent (Honorary Liveryman),
There was a great buzz around the Hall during the evening and the hope
we are doing in the maths field.
of books including ‘How Many
Civic Dinner We were pleased to have a full house for the Civic Dinner in April. The Pikemen and Musketeers provided the Guard of Honour and we were delighted to welcome the Lord Mayor, the Right Honourable Ian Luder, and Lady Mayoress, and members of the civic party to the Hall. James Horne proposed the toast to the Lord Mayor.
Golf The Dyers’ golf day took place at
The Clothworker
Berkshire; we fielded twelve golfers,
team of Richard Hill,
with the Clothworker winners being
David Bousfield, Tim
Charlie Hutchins (Britten Salver)
Bousfield and Charlie
with David Sutcliffe coming second;
Hutchins came 8th.
Charlie Hutchins and Andrew Wates (Mathieson Tankards pairs) with Denis Clough and Tim Bousfield coming second. The Great Twelve golf day at Tandridge was blessed with perfect weather.
6
| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2009
Our Captain, Richard Saunders, (left) has also organised the Great Twelve golf day for the last few years. As a token of their appreciation, the Companies presented him with some whisky glasses etched with the Company crest.
Scots Guards A group of six Clothworkers led by
In complete
the Master spent a day and a half
contrast, we were
with the 1st Battalion Scots Guards
privileged to have front
at their base at Catterick, North
row seats at a passing
Yorkshire.
out parade of Guards
Upon arrival, we were given an
recruits had success-
recruits. These new overview of the Battalion’s role by
fully passed their 26-
the Second in Command, Major Rob
week training and many
Howieson, followed by a tour of
would shortly be going
the barracks, which included a
to the front line. The
visit to the impressive modern
pride these young men
accommodation provided for
(and their families) had
single soldiers in the regiment.
in their achievement
The Officers, led by their
was very apparent.
Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Lincoln
The Sergeants’ Mess members very kindly
Jopp MC, hosted a Mess Night which provided an ideal opportunity to get to know them. The formal part of the
breakfast, spent some time seeing how
hosted a curry lunch for us, allowing us to get another perspective. A
evening ended with a piper playing
Guardsmen are trained on armaments.
number of them were former
for us. In keeping with tradition,
This included a Warrior simulator
colleagues of our Beadle, Mike
when he had finished playing, the CO
where we were able to fire the 30mm
Drummond, who spent most of his
offered him a quaich of whisky; since
cannon at computer generated
career in the Scots Guards.
in olden times, the piper often kept
targets. We were also given instruction
the contents in his mouth to sell to
on how to fire several types of
session with the Commanding
colleagues, he is required to bid the
weapons, including light machine
Officer. The Battalion is about to
CO ‘good night’ to ensure he has
guns and anti-tank missile launchers,
head off to Alberta, Canada for two
swallowed the drink!
using laser technology on an indoor
months’ mission specific training
firing range.
ahead of deployment to Afghanistan
The Officers continued their hospitality after dinner; most of the
We were then taken up on to the
Our visit ended with a debriefing
early next year. We came away with a much better
Clothworkers slipped off to bed
Dales to do some cross country
before midnight leaving our hosts to
driving in a Warrior (albeit with a
understanding of the challenges
carry on until the early hours (despite
trained soldier behind the wheel).
facing the modern British Army and
having to be up at dawn for a 10 mile
These tracked vehicles can go up to
how these are being addressed. Our
route march with 15 kilos of weights
50 miles per hour over very rough
hosts could not have been more
on their backs!).
terrain – it was sobering to hear that
hospitable and the visit helped to
when in Kandahar some of the Com-
cement our affiliation further.
by a piper (thankfully playing outside
pany spent days at a time in the
Alex Ingham Clark
the Officers’ Mess) and, after a quick
cramped rear compartment of Warriors.
Liveryman
We were awoken in the morning
Catterick is now the largest Army garrison in the UK and
The Battalion’s principal armoured vehicle is the
has been the base of the Battalion since they moved from
Warrior which is an armoured infantry fighting vehicle
Germany last autumn.
designed to carry troops under protection and then give
1st Battalion is the serving element of the regiment, being an armoured infantry battalion in 4th Mechanized
firepower support when they have disembarked. During 2008, one part of the Battalion was deployed in
Brigade. The Battalion of 650 soldiers is routinely engaged
Helmand Province in Afghanistan for six months whilst the
in military operations overseas.
remainder undertook a tour in Basra and NE Iraq.
Summer 2009 | THE CLOTHWORKER |
7
Shearmen seasoning Recent diners at Clothworkers’ Hall may have spotted the
Bells ringing again at Wren Church
elegant new cruets sets adorning the luncheon tables.
St. Magnus the Martyr is a lovely Wren church near the
Designed by Steve Ottewill, silversmith and Freeman of
Monument on Lower Thames Street. It has a long tradition
The Goldsmiths’ Company, the cruets were commissioned
of bell-ringing, and much of modern change ringing was
to commemorate the five hundred year anniversary of the
developed there by the Ancient Society of College Youths,
incorporation of The Shearmen’s Company
the oldest bell ringing society in the world.
in 1508. During the war the bells were removed from the tower to protect against firebomb attacks and put in storage. Sadly, they never returned and were broken up for scrap. new ring of twelve bells and renovate the inside of the tower
three diff-
to house them. The Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which cast
erent designs, the new
the original bells in the eighteenth century, has produced
salts and mustards draw
the new ring and they were consecrated at a service in
upon the heraldry and craft
March by the Bishop of London.
of our predecessor
The ritual followed the practice used by the Church for
guildsmen: each piece is topped with a silver gilt finial
nearly twelve hundred years – washing the bells with holy
depicting either a pair of shears, habick or teasel.
water, anointing them with the Oil of the Sick, and then
The Sir John Hall pepper
with the Oil of Chrism, and
grinders, generously given to the
censing them on the thurible
Company as a millennial gift, have
and on the inside cavity.
been enhanced with gilt decorative
A number of City Livery
borders and new finials to form
Companies supported the
matching and now complete sets
£300,000 appeal and the
with the new pieces.
Clothworkers provided
A grand cruet set commissioned
£5,000. Along with the Lord
from Rod Kelly, renowned for his
Mayor and other Civic
use of traditional chasing, will soon
representatives, the Master
supplement our growing collection
attended the recent Baptism
of modern silver.
of the Bells Service.
London Open House Weekend
The Archivist and Beadle will do guided tours of the public rooms for people who have booked in advance. We will need ‘guards’ in each room (as you would find
This annual initiative allows access to buildings around
in National Trust properties) and we will be approaching
the capital which are not generally open to the public. In
the Livery in due course to see if there are any volunteers
2009 it is taking place on 19th and 20th September.
who would be prepared to act in such a capacity.
Dates for Your Diary Wednesday, 10th June
Wednesday, 19th June
Wednesday, 24th June
Tuesday, 29th September
■ Annual Meeting of
■ Great Twelve Sailing
■ Election of Sheriffs and
■ Election of Lord Mayor
Livery and Election
Challenge, Seaview, Isle
Dinner
of Wight
Monday, 15th June
Tuesday, 23rd June
■ RGS Lecture – Frank
■ Young Freemen Drinks
Gardner
Reception
Livery Lunch
and Livery Lunch
Thursday, 25th June
Wednesday, 14th October
■ Livery outing to
■ Court and Livery
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Dinner (with guests) Wednesday, 2nd December ■ Court and Livery Dinner (with guests)
The Clothworker | Design by Chris Monk | Printing by Trident Printing | www.tridentprinting.co.uk
As a result, the church launched a campaign to cast a Made in