Summer 2010 • No 4
Clothworker The
I very much hope that as many
The Master
Liverymen as are able will attend the Meeting and the Election Dinner
The past few months have been
afterwards. For those who are not
a busy period, with a number of
able to come, and indeed for any
formal dinners around the City
members of the Freedom who would
and with fellow companies and
like to provide input on the subject
guilds in Bristol, Exeter and
of the Livery Fund, I would be very
Edinburgh. I have also been
pleased to hear from you. It seems barely credible that my
fortunate to visit a number of
year as Master is nearly over. Anthea
charities which have a close connection with the Clothworkers,
income has meant that our charitable
and I have greatly enjoyed the exp-
including Treloars, Christ’s Hospital
giving was down in 2009. However, we
erience and have been honoured to
and the Jubilee Sailing Trust.
are budgeting for a higher level of
represent the Company and Found-
grants this year, including a major
ation at the many events we have
This edition includes summary fin-
£1m commitment to the Victoria &
attended.
ancial information on the Company
Albert Museum, details of which are
and Foundation for 2009. As you
covered elsewhere in this edition.
I would like to thank all Clothworkers for their great support and
know, the Company does not publish
I encourage all members, both
fellowship, and the staff at the Hall
its accounts and thus this informat-
Liverymen and Freemen, to take the
for making everything happen like
ion is not in the public domain. How-
time to read the piece on our plans to
clockwork.
ever, the Court is keen that members
refine the workings of the Livery Fund.
I am sure that Richard and Tina
have an opportunity to understand
This is a very important aspect of our
Jonas will derive as much pleasure
our overall financial position.
membership of the Company and we
and satisfaction from their year as
In summary, despite the econom-
will be devoting much of the Annual
Anthea and I have done.
ic downturn, our finances are sound,
Meeting of the Livery on 9th June to
although the reduction in investment
this topic.
NEIL FOSTER Master
Trusteeship The three seminars co-hosted at the Hall with New Philanthropy Capital have all been over-subscribed. A number of members are attending, alongside trustees of a wide range of charities. The breakfast seminars cover how trustees can make their charities more effective, how boards can maximise their own contribution, and what trustees need to know about impact.
Cover photo: St Thomas’ Eve Freedom lunch, December 2009
Master’s Gift The Master, Neil Foster, has gener-
dinners, in continuance of the Com-
ously given the Company a fine
pany’s tradition of preserving histor-
leather-bound Great Twelve visitors’
ical dinner records.
book. Every year, each of the Great
This novel and interest-
Twelve Companies entertains the
ing gift, the Company’s
Masters, Prime Wardens and Clerks of
first comprehensive series
the other eleven Companies to dinner
of original illustrations of
at their Hall. The book will be signed
the making of cloth, will
by attendees at the Clothworkers’
be displayed at future
dinner over the next ten years.
Livery dinners.
Alongside specially-commissioned original pen and ink and colourwash illustrations of the cloth-making cycle by William Rowsell, the book will also include the menus from each of the
2
| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010
An illustration of sheep shearing from the Visitors’ Book
Social Events We were pleased to welcome to the April dinner the Lord Mayor, Alderman Nick Anstee, the Sheriffs and their ladies, and other members of the Civic party. Despite having to leave the Hall during the evening to officiate
at
an Aldermanic
election, the Lord Mayor returned in ample time for the speeches. Dan Jago proposed the Civic toast. The Master hosted a Young Livery Dinner at the end of January. This is a less formal occasion and provides a great opportunity for Liverymen to get to know their peers. On the sporting front, the annual match against the Dyers was played in perfect weather at the Berkshire Golf Club in Ascot. Del Bousfield won the Britten Salver, with David
Bousfield
and
Justin
Roberts coming equal second. The Mathieson tankards were won by Andrew Wates and Justin, with David Hutchins and David Bousfield coming second. The Great Twelve golf day was held a few days later at Tandridge, with the Clothworker team comprising David Bousfield, Tim Bousfield, Richard Hill and Justin Roberts. We came a very commendable fourth with the winners being the Mercers. Continuing thanks to Richard Saunders for captaining the team. Charlie Houston has corralled sufficient members to field three teams in this year’s Interlivery Shoot to be held at the Holland & Holland ground in Ruislip on 19th May. Brian Wright has put together three teams to enter the Great Twelve Sailing Challenge on 18th June at Seaview on the Isle of Wight.
Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER |
3
Master-elect Senior Partner from 1992 to 2003.
Richard Jonas is the son of Philip
He has served on the Council of
Jonas, Assistant, and grandson of Harold Driver Jonas, Master 1949-50.
Roedean School and is currently a
The Driver connection with the
Director of Babraham Bioscience
Clothworkers goes back to 1742.
Technologies Ltd and a Governor of
Richard was educated at
Sutton’s Hospital in Charterhouse.
Charterhouse and, after starting as a
He lives near Cambridge with his
land agent, became a Chartered
wife Tina. Their two daughters,
Surveyor and worked for Cluttons for
Vanessa and Annabel, are both
thirty years, culminating in being
Liverymen.
Assistants Andrewjohn Clarke is the son
Philip Portal
of Robert Clarke, Liveryman and
is the son of
grandson of Colonel Sir Ralph
Sir Francis
Stephenson Clarke, Master
Portal, Master
1962-3. Educated at Eton, King’s
1970-1.
College London and London Business School, he is an IT
Educated at Radley and Durham University,
specialist and consultant. He is involved with charity and
he has worked in the investment industry
pro-bono work, being a trustee of Borde Hill Garden,
for twenty five years, and is currently a
Sussex and a family trust in the Isle of Wight, and Finance
managing partner of a Zurich-based
Director of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness.
discretionary portfolio management company. He lives in Cascais, Portugal.
Livery Henry
Sam
Joanna
Amy
Adams
Dewhurst
Dodd
McVittie
is son of
was
was
is the
Christopher
educated
educated
daughter
Adams,
at Rugby
at Roedean
of John
Liveryman.
School,
and Oxford,
McVittie,
Educated at
Durham
where she
retired
St Edward’s Oxford, UCL and
University and King’s College
was a Clothworkers’ Exhibit-
Liveryman. She studied at
Cambridge, he has degrees
London. After a short service
ioner. She is a founding
St Paul’s Girls’ school and
in Neuroscience and Social
commission with the Queen’s
partner of a public relations
graduated from Manchester
and Political Science, and
Own Hussars, he worked in
company, Lawson Dodd. She
University with a Masters in
was a rowing Blue at
recruitment prior to
joined the Company by
mechanical engineering.
Cambridge. He teaches
qualifying as a teacher in
Redemption in 2009.
She currently works as a
biology at St Paul’s School.
2002. He is a Housemaster
programme manager for
and Classics teacher at
Yahoo.
Uppingham School. He joined the Company by Redemption in February 2010.
4
| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010
Elections 2010-2011 Wardens
First
Second
Third
Fourth
John Stoddart-Scott
Robin Booth
Peter Langley
John Wake
is Chairman of The
is a Chartered Accountant.
is a retired solicitor. He
is a Director at Barclays
Clothworkers’ Foundation.
After sixteen years with the
acted for twenty years as
Capital, where he specialises
He is a dairy farmer and
Rea Brothers private
the Company’s legal
in insurance markets.
landowner in Yorkshire and
banking group he became
adviser prior to his
Son-in-law of the late
served as High Sheriff, West
Finance Director of the
retirement from Slaughter
Jeremy Latham, Master
Yorkshire 2001-2002. He is
London Chamber of
and May in 1999. As Chair-
1994-5, he splits his time
also on the Court and
Commerce in 1990, retiring
man of the Works of Art
between the City and his
Council of Leeds University.
in 2008. His family’s in-
Sub-Committee, he is a
wife’s family farm in
volvement in cloth manu-
keen proponent of the
Nottinghamshire.
facturing dates back to
Company’s efforts to
1806. He joined the
support fine bookbinding.
Company by Redemption.
Ed
Tom
Tom
Mark
Stoddart-
Stoddart-
Tibbits
Young
Scott
Scott is
is son of
was
is son of
son of John
Caroline
educated
John
Stoddart-
Tibbits,
at Radley
Stoddart-
Scott,
Free-
and
Scott,
Assistant.
woman.
Durham
Assistant. He was educated
Educated at Harrow and
He went to school at
University. He is a founding
at Harrow and Imperial
Reading University, where
Winchester and obtained
partner of Oriel Securities, a
College, where he obtained
he read Land Management,
his PhD in high efficiency
UK institutional stockbroker,
a degree in biology. He is
and qualified as a Chartered
multijunction solar cells at
specialising in the
joint owner of a landscap-
Surveyor in 2003. He
Imperial College. He is the
commercial property
ing business, The London
recently joined Hanover
Product Engineering
sector. He joined the
Gardening Company.
Private Office as Associate
Director of a spin-out
Company by Redemption
Director, having previously
company, QuantaSol, in the
in 2009.
worked in the West End
solar renewable energy
property market with GVA
field.
Saxon Law and Cluttons.
Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER |
5
Livery Fund The Next Phase In my editorial in the last edition of the Clothworker I
more important than the
trailed our thinking on increasing the level of participation
amount. Many people may find
in the Livery Fund. Although the headline numbers we
it easiest to set up a monthly
have achieved are impressive from a standing start,
standing order, rather than a
currently only 30% of the Livery contribute to the Fund.
lump sum and it would certainly be helpful if members
The Court is keen to encourage as many Liverymen as poss-
can make a regular comm-
ible to donate, not least as a reflection of the significant
itment, rather than relying on their memory or needing to be
benefits that membership of our Company brings. In order
chased!
to give a clear lead, every member of the Court has agreed to give to the Fund this year and in the future.
It may be helpful to give an idea of the levels of contributions received so far. In 2009, the average amount given
Given the low proportion of the membership contributing
by Liverymen was £230 and by Court members £410.
to the Livery Fund so far, last year the Court considered
However, I would again emphasise, these numbers are for
introducing quarterage (effectively an annual subscription).
information and are not expectations; any donations are
Eventually it rejected this in the hope that we could instead
welcome, regardless of amount.
achieve a greater level of participation in the Fund.
In the last few years, we have been explicit with members
Accordingly, the Court asked a strategy committee to look
of the Freedom seeking election to the Livery that there is a
at a number of aspects of member involvement, including
clear expectation that they should contribute to the Livery
member contributions. The committee was asked to come
Fund according to their means.
up with proposals to revamp the Livery Fund to make it more
As stated earlier, every member of the Court has signed
attractive to those members who do not currently contribute.
up to be an annual contributor to the Fund and I very much
A number of options have been considered over the past
hope that this lead will now be followed by the Livery in
nine months and at its last meeting, the Court agreed a set
significant numbers.
of proposals which will be launched at the Annual Meeting
Whilst lifetime giving is very important, so too are bequests.
in June. The current approach will continue for donations
Legacies are a very tax efficient way of leaving money to the
received in 2010, and the new arrangements are intended to
Clothworkers. We launched a legacy campaign a few years ago,
be introduced for 2011.
and plan to come back to this topic later in the year.
These proposals are designed to address the concerns of
I urge you to read the detail of the proposals for the Livery
Liverymen who have not felt able to contribute to date,
Fund carefully. We will be allocating a good portion of the time
whilst avoiding excessive administration.
available at the Annual Meeting to discuss this important
Details of the proposals are set out on page 10. I very
initiative. I look forward to seeing as many Liverymen as possible
much hope that this new approach will encourage more
at the meeting and, of course, at the Election Dinner afterwards.
Liverymen, and indeed Freemen, to participate in the Fund. There is no minimum or suggested contribution – people should give according to their means. The principle is almost
NEIL FOSTER Master
Livery Fund – The First Five Years 2005 Eastside Young Leaders Academy £11,000 IT equipment for disaffected young Afro-Caribbean boys in East London
2006 Railway Children £11,000 Emergency shelter and long-term support for street children in India
2007 Action Space £20,000 Visual arts workshops for people with profound learning difficulties
Coram Family £17,500 Development of tools to help children with estranged parents
Demelza House Children’s Hospice £17,800 Respite care for one year for a child with a life-limiting condition
Youth at Risk £15,000 Learning programme for ‘at risk’ young people in Leicestershire
IMPACT £17,500 Camps in India to treat children with potentially disabling conditions
Friends United Network £16,500 Befriending scheme supporting disadvantaged children in London Eastside Young Leaders Academy £8,000 IT training to support young AfroCaribbean boys in East London
8
| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010
£24,000 Hope for Tomorrow Mobile chemotherapy assessment unit
Concept of the Fund
Background
When we set up the Livery Fund in 2005, we tried to keep The Livery Fund was launched in 2005 to allow
the concept simple. Members were encouraged to donate
members, particularly Liverymen, to participate in the
and complete a Gift Aid declaration (which allows us to
charitable activity of the Clothworkers and put
claim a further 28% from the tax man).
something back.
The Livery Fund is a segregated sub-fund of The Cloth-
Since then, the Fund has distributed £265,000 to a
workers’ Foundation (which obviated the need to set up a
number of very worthy causes. So it has been a success,
new charity), and all donations received are distributed in the
making a difference to a significant number of less
same year.
fortunate members of society, with 115 Clothworkers contributing regularly. The Court now wishes to build on this success and engage more Liverymen in giving to the Fund.
The Company matches all member donations (including Gift Aid) as an additional incentive to donors. The grant-making expertise of the Foundation is used to ensure that the charities and projects funded are of good
The wealth of the Company, and the establishment
quality and financially viable.
of the Foundation, has been built on the generosity of
A Committee comprising five Liverymen (plus a member
previous generations of Clothworkers, helped by jud-
of Court who is a Trustee) is charged with selecting causes,
icious management of our assets over the centuries.
charities and projects to receive grants.
However, in modern times the practice of giving to the Company has largely dried up. We are not alone in this phenomenon, and most of the other Great Twelve Companies would have reported a similar story. However, expectations in society are changing, and many Livery Companies are responding to this shift. For example, in 2006, the Haberdashers set up a Foundation to which 177 donors have given or pledged almost £500,000, and sixteen legacy pledges in excess of £200,000 have been received. In addition, they levy
Membership of the Committee rotates and to date 11 Liverymen have served. The process currently employed is as follows: ■ The Committee meets to agree three or four areas of charitable activity as themes for the year, ensuring that they will have broad appeal ■ Foundation staff research charities operating in each category and produce a list ■ The Committee reviews these and selects a shortlist of three charities in each category ■ The short-listed charities are invited to submit bids to the
£50 per annum quarterage. The Merchant Taylors receive £100,000 a year from
Fund
their members into the Company’s charity; at the
■ The Committee receives presentations from each charity
Salters, Liverymen are encouraged to donate £35 per
and decides which of them should receive a grant;
head for Livery dinners to their charity, and 99% do so. The Skinners, who had some financial pressures a number of years ago, have raised over £1m from their
generally, three or four grants are made each year ■ Recipients tend to be small or medium-sized charities where our grant will make a difference
members in the past five years and have chosen to
■ One charity each year is invited to use the Hall free of
continue paying for dinners, although there is no
charge for a fundraising event, in the expectation that
longer any financial imperative to do so.
they will be able to leverage significant additional funds for their cause.
2008 Charlie Waller Memorial Trust £20,000 Pilot masterclass for school staff to support mental wellbeing in secondary schools 3H Fund £15,000 Holiday breaks for fifty low income families with a disabled dependant £11,000 Contact the Elderly Outings for isolated elderly people in East London
2009 Beating Eating Disorders £20,000 Mentoring programme to support young people recovering from an eating disorder £20,000 CHICKS Respite breaks in the West Country for disadvantaged inner-city children
Annual Distributions 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
£46,000 £53,000 £59,000 £51,000 £56,000
£16,000 City & Hackney Carers Respite breaks for carers of disabled relatives
Brandon Centre £5,000 Bereavement counselling project
Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 9
The New Livery Fund
Member Involvement
From 2011, we will run the Fund in a different way, design-
The Livery Fund is one of a number of ways in which we are
ed to give members a greater say in suggesting and
seeking to engage Liverymen more in the activities of the
selecting charities to receive grants.
Company and Foundation.
Each September, we will invite Liverymen to submit suggest-
In the last few years, we have been able to draw on the skills
ions of a charity they wish to be considered for receipt of a
and enthusiasm amongst our members in assisting with the assessment of grant applications. Over 70 Liverymen are
grant. There will be some broad criteria (eg UK registered
involved in visiting charities seeking money from the Found-
charities only) and those members who wish to submit a bid
ation, resulting in better-informed decisions. We will shortly
will be asked to complete a one page form giving brief details
be extending the programme to include follow up visits once
and the rationale.
the project we have funded is up and running. A number of
The Livery Charity Committee, with support from Foun-
visitors were recently able to join the Court in hosting the
dation staff, will review the suggestions and shortlist six
annual Charities lunch, where recipients of grants are
charities.
thanked for their efforts, learn more about the Foundation
In January, we will write to all members with the shortlist and ask them to vote for three charities to receive a grant.
and network with their peers. More Liverymen are now involved on Committees; we
We will circulate details of the successful three charities
currently have 22 members co-opted onto a number of
in March. Members can then decide how they wish to
Committees, including wine, textiles, property and invest-
allocate their donation for the year or split it equally. If they
ment and finance. In addition to the Livery Charity Comm-
do not wish their contributions to go to any of the charities,
ittee, we also have a Livery Activities Committee made up
they can elect to direct their funds to the endowment of the
of five Liverymen and chaired by a Court member; this group
Foundation or the Company.
looks at how we can engage more of our members in Company
At the end of the year, grants are distributed to the chosen charities.
activities. On the social front, we are endeavouring to respond to
The Company will continue to match members’ contrib-
members’ wishes within the inevitable budgetary const-
utions (including Gift Aid) and we will offer free use of the
raints. In the last few years, we have added several new
Hall to each of the three charities for a fundraising event.
events to the calendar – a drinks reception for younger
We hope that most members will contribute by Standing
Freemen to get to know each other, an informal dinner for
Orders (which can also be made from CAF accounts), but
Liverymen under 45 with the same objective, as well as ad
will also be making arrangements to accept payment
hoc outings to places of interest.
through one of the established web-based intermediaries.
Our military affiliations also provide an opportunity for
We will use electronic communication to the extent
Liverymen to get involved, whether going on board HMS
possible, but will of course respect individuals’ preferences
Dauntless, hosting Scots Guards Officers at dinner or playing
in this regard.
them at croquet.
We may also mount our own
And all this is, of course, in addition to our normal cycle
fundraising event for one of the
of dinners where Liverymen are able to entertain their guests
charities to boost the amount
in wonderful surroundings to our usual high standard.
they receive, effectively making it our ‘Charity of the Year’. Members can, of course, submit their suggestion again in
Participation in the Livery Fund should be an integral part of being a Clothworker, in addition to the fellowship and hospitality enjoyed at the Hall and the commitment of time involved in visiting charities and serving on committees.
a subsequent year if ‘their’
Our embryonic trusteeship initiative will provide further
charity is not successful first
opportunities for Liverymen to get involved with the Com-
time around.
pany and support its mission which, like all Livery Companies, is essentially charitable and philanthropic.
10
| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010
Textiles
Photographing a quilt at Blythe House
Victoria & Albert Museum The V&A has one of the best textiles and fashion collections in the world, and certainly the best in the UK. Much of the collection is not on display and the current arrangements for access by students, designers and academics are severely restricted. As part of the museum’s development strategy, all the collection is to be housed at Blythe House, a Grade II-listed building by Kensington Olympia, which used to be the headquarters of the old Post Office Savings Bank. The V&A uses the building, along with the Science Mus-
Cluttered storage
eum and British Museum, for storage and it is not open to the public. As can be seen from the photos, current storage is not fit for purpose.
Cluttered storage
As part of its FuturePlan, the museum plans to create a worldleading resource in Blythe House for the study of fashion and dress, alongside state-of-the-art stores and conservation facilities. The Textiles and Fashion Study and Conservation Centre will include a study room and seminar room, and have the museum’s first dedicated and fully-equipped spaces for the study of textiles. The conservation facilities will include a large studio, mounting and upholstery rooms, and dyeing and washing areas. The Trustees felt this was a very important textiles project which warranted a significant grant. Accordingly, we have committed £1m towards the total £3m cost and, in recognition of
Blythe House
this critical initial support, the V&A have agreed that it will be called The Clothworkers’ Centre.
Textile Conservation Centre The Foundation has supported the TCC
conservation centre is to be estab-
for many years, not least in its reloc-
lished at the University of Glasgow,
ation from Hampton Court to Win-
with the first cohort of MA students
chester in 1998 with a £500,000 grant.
starting this September.
Accordingly, when we learnt that
The Foundation has agreed to prov-
the Centre was under threat of closure
ide £50,000 towards the fit-out costs of
by the University of Southampton we
the new centre, together with a stud-
in her efforts to secure the future of
were keen to assist in it finding a new
ent bursary of £12,000.
textile conservation in the UK. We
home. We are delighted that a new textile
Nell Hoare, who was Director of the TCC for 18 years, has been unstinting
were very pleased to make Nell an Honorary Liveryman last year.
Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER |
11
Brenda Gourley, Vice Chancellor of the Open University, and Michael Howell
The City and Guilds of London Institute
teen Livery Companies, including the Clothworkers, the City and Guilds of London Institute came into being in
The City and Guilds of London Institute is Britain’s largest vocational awarding
1878 and received its Royal Charter
body, concerned with equipping people of all ages for better jobs. The Cloth-
in 1900. Its Engineering College became
workers’ Company has had a close association with the Institute since it was
part of Imperial College in 1907 and
first founded to establish a national system of technical education at a time
the Clothworkers continued to
when there was none.
support this offshoot until 2003. Today, it offers more than five
By the mid-nineteenth century,
Company had, in 1874, given its first
hundred different vocational qualif-
Britain’s trading and manufacturing
financial support to the newly-estab-
ications from construction and
powers had ebbed. The Industrial
lished Yorkshire College of Science
engineering, to hairdressing and dog
Revolution had earlier positioned the
[later The University of Leeds], and
grooming. It awards a total of 1.5
nation at the forefront of industrial
was also supporting technical educ-
million certificates annually and
expansion; however, this transform-
ation at the Bristol College of Science.
ation could not be maintained – the
The Clothworkers
there are nearly 20 million certificate holders world-
growth of the factory system had
combined with the
spelled the end of the apprenticeship
Drapers and seized
system and the means by which
the initiative,
workers at all levels could receive
organising what
ed by Further
effective technical instruction. Other
are now regard-
Education coll-
industrial nations had emerged,
ed as imp-
eges and priv-
realising that high level technical
ortant early
ate training
training was fundamental to
formative
providers, by
engineering success; Britain was
meetings with
companies and
losing its edge.
representatives
the armed
In 1875 the Prime Minister, Glad-
from other Livery
wide, of whom 90% are in the UK. Its courses are offer-
services.
stone, asked the Livery Companies to
Companies and
consider whether they could help in
the Corporation of
the strategy for regaining the coun-
the City of London.
try’s lost powers by fulfilling the
It is in recognition of the
training purposes which, as appren-
influence of the Clothworkers and
been members, with Michael Howell
ticeship, had been central to their
the Drapers that the Institute bears a
now in his second three-year term.
foundation.
spotted griffin and unicorn as supp-
The Clothworkers and City & Guilds
orters in its coat of arms.
jointly provide bursaries in stone and
His approach was timely. A similar appeal had been made by the Lord Mayor of London in 1872 and the
12
| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010
With financial support from the City of London Corporation and six-
There is still a close link with the Clothworkers – three of the last five Chairmen have
wood conservation at the City & Guilds Art School in Kennington.
Art Library Bridgeman
Apex Hotel One of the Company’s freeholds in the City of London is 7-9 Copthall Avenue, which abuts Northgate House, the JPM Cazenove head office on Moorgate, which is also in our portfolio. In 2009, this office building was converted into a boutique hotel. We agreed a 99 year lease to the hotel operator which will produce £135,000 rent per year rising with inflation, in place of the £10,000 annual fixed rent received before.
Knicker Shock Our archives sometimes yield the most unlikely gems. A recent find was a learned exchange with the Professor of Textile Industries at Leeds back in the 1960s. The Clerk had sought his advice on the problem of female employees encountering electric shocks at the Hall. The Professor’s diagnosis was that the shocks were caused by the friction created by the ladies’ nylon stockings and underwear rubbing on each other. Although in a surgical operating theatre this could risk static sparks igniting ether vapour, this was unlikely to apply at the Hall (other than perhaps from a decanter of brandy!) As a result, the Clerk advised staff to take appropriate cautionary measures and avoid wearing nylon undergarments.
Each year the Foundation hosts a lunch for students who have received a bursary in the preceding year. We make awards in textiles at Leeds and Manchester Universities, in textile design at the Royal College of Art, and in conservation at a number of institutions. We are also one of the few trusts to support medical students taking a one year intercalated BSc
Student Lunch
as part of their course. We provide bursaries at Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ School of Biomedical Sciences and University College London Medical School.
Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER |
13
Services Affiliations HMS Dauntless
the Bass Rock and then were shown
everyone had a few drinks afterwards.
the ship’s paces (0 knots to 28 knots in
The Dauntless is far more spacious
The Ship is to be commissioned in
four ship lengths!). Following high-
than earlier generations of warships,
Portsmouth on 3rd June, and the
speed turns, there was firing practice
and we enjoyed the comfort of twoberth cabins.
Master and Clerk have been
at 6,000 rounds a
invited to the ceremony.
minute at an infl-
Next morning we awoke with the
atable target and a
Tyne in sight and edged up the river
Several Clothworkers (Tim
dashing retrieval
with a pilot to North Shields. We then
Roberton, Alex Nelson and
of the debris by a
turned round skilfully, aided by tugs
Will Howell) were recently
rib-load of sailors
and moored alongside, facing down-
invited to join the Ship on a
launched by davit
stream. We came ashore just before
trip. They write:
over the side.
lunch, having had a full and very mem-
In the evening,
“We had a wonderful time a
Mess
David Sutcliffe and Susannah Broome
Newcastle overnight on HMS Daunt-
dinner was followed by a quiz, conn-
joined the Captain for drinks on the
less. We were very well looked after by
ected up to all other messes around
bridge and lunch in his cabin whilst
the Ship’s company, as were other
the ship (200 people on board) and
the ship was moored at North Shields.
travelling from Edinburgh to
formal
orable twenty-four hours on board.”
guests, namely the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Newcastle upon Tyne and an ex-MP from that city (Sir Neville ‘Globe’ Trotter). Also on board were affiliated servicemen from the King’s Royal Hussars and 51 Squadron, RAF Waddington. When we left, we passed under the Forth Bridges with only four metres to spare, dropped our pilot just short of
Scots Guards 1st Battalion is currently deployed on operations in Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick. Some 460 men are in Helmand province carrying out a critical role in this major initiative. Unfortunately, they have suffered several casualties, including one fatality. In response to a request
Left: Scots
whilst F Company were on Queen’s
Guards Dinner at
Guard. HRH the Duke of Kent, Colonel
St James’ Palace
of the Regiment, was a fellow guest and at the end of the evening, the
from the Regimental Colonel, we have made a
participation in
Master was presented with a Cloth-
grant of £2,500 to purch-
sending ‘buddy boxes’ to
worker March specially composed by
ase forty portable DVD players and a
named Guardsmen out in Afghan-
selection of DVDs to be used by
istan.
sections on operations when resting between missions. We have also sought the Livery’s
14
| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010
the Pipe Major. On a sporting front, we intend to
The Master and several Assistants
organise a return croquet match in
were recently guests to dinner at the
the summer, as well as a golf match in
Officers’ Mess at St James’ Palace
the autumn.
Notable Clothworkers Sir Owen Roberts Building upon the legacy of Thomas Massa Alsager’s transformative Mastership in the early nineteenth century, Owen Roberts enabled the Company to put its prosperity to good use, and for this reason is considered one of the Clothworkers’ greatest Clerks. many years, and it was for his services to technical education that he was knighted in 1888.
Old labs at Newnham College
and from the office. Roberts was dedicated to his work for the Clothworkers, and Livery Com-
During his time as Clerk, the
panies in general, and he drew partic-
Company also first supported the
ular credit for his part in defending
secondary education of girls and
them before the Royal Commission
higher education of women,
into the administration of their affairs
awarding scholarships and grants
in 1880. In the same year, the Court
to Newnham and Girton colleges
commissioned a portrait of Roberts as
Roberts was born in 1835 in Caernar-
in Cambridge, and Somerville and St
a mark of its esteem; the portrait now
von, the son of a land agent. He was
Catherine’s colleges in Oxford. We also
hangs in the Court Room, behind the
one of at least six children, and was
contributed £21 towards the £500 cost
Master’s Chair.
educated at Chester and Jesus College,
of Newnham’s first chemical labor-
Following his retirement in 1907
Oxford.
atory. Roberts’ activities in the field of
Roberts joined the Court, becoming
Following a clerkship at the War
female education extended
Master in 1909. However, it is
Office in Pall Mall, Roberts was called
further, including a close
to the bar in 1865. However, he was a
connection with the
barrister-at-law for just one year; in
Society for Promot-
pany that he is best
1866 he took up an appointment to
ing the Training of
remembered. Upon
the newly-revived post of Assistant
Wo m e n , w h i c h
his death in 1915,
for his tireless activities as Clerk to the Com-
Clerk to The Clothworkers’ Company,
sought to improve
an obituary in the
beating fifteen other applicants. He
training and employ-
City Press fittingly
succeeded to the position of Clerk in
ment opportunities for
noted ‘guildry is imm-
1867, following the resignation of Robert
women. A Clothworker
easurably
Beckwith Towse due to ill health, even
link with the Society still exists,
though Roberts had been at the Com-
as Carolyn Boulter, Assistant, is its
Master,
pany only a year and a day. Roberts
Chairman.
Wardens and
was to remain in the post for forty-one years. As Clerk to the Company, Roberts presided over the Company’s golden
Roberts’ external interests were wide-ranging, from being a JP to serv-
today by the death of its chief stalwart.’
Roberts (far right) as Clerk
ing as High Sheriff of Caernarvonshire. Roberts lived at Henley Park in
age, ensuring that it deployed its res-
Surrey, an eighteenth century mans-
ources to good effect. During his ten-
ion near Guildford, with his
ure, the Clothworkers became actively
third wife and his three
involved in the field of technical educ-
daughters, but part
ation, funding two textile departments
of every year was
at what is now the University of Leeds,
spent at the main fam-
in addition to making important grants
ily home in Caernarvon.
to a wide variety of other institutions.
At Clothworkers’ Hall,
Roberts was himself pivotal in the
poorer
Roberts’ flat was conven-
establishment of the City and Guilds
iently accessed through a
of London Institute, serving as one of
mirror in the Drawing Room so
its three Joint Honorary Secretaries for
that he could slip discreetly to Right: Letter conferring Roberts’ knighthood
Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER |
15
1587 map of the new world from
Bridgeman Art Library
Hakluyt’s Principal Navigations
The Company has recently agreed to
The new edition will be the first fully
sponsor an essay in a forthcoming
annotated edition of Hakluyt’s seminal
companion volume for the new edit-
work, providing key background inform-
ion of Richard Hakluyt’s Principal Navi-
ation, biographical details, maps and
gations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries
illustrations. The companion volume
of the English Nation (published in three
will include an essay exploring Hakluyt’s
volumes between 1598 and 1600), the
links with the Company and thus add
most important collection of travel
significantly to our understanding of
writing in the early modern period.
Hakluyt and his patrons, the internat-
Although not a Clothworker himself,
ional cloth trade and the trading
Hakluyt was a recipient of the Com-
activities of a number of important
pany’s benevolence on a number of
Clothworkers in the sixteenth century.
occasions – he was for example a Cloth-
The edition and companion volume
worker Scholar of Divinity at Christ
is expected to be published by Oxford
Church, Oxford – and a number of
University Press by 2016.
By permission of the Chapter of Bristol Cathedral
The Clothworker | Design by Chris Monk | Printing by Trident Printing | www.tridentprinting.co.uk
Tudor Travelogue
Clothworkers feature in the Principal Navigations.
Image of Hakluyt from Bristol Cathedral
Deaths
Dates for Your Diary
Mary Beachcroft, Freewoman,
Wednesday 9th June
Wednesday 29th September
on 25th January 2010
■ Annual Meeting of the Livery
■ Election of Lord Mayor and
and Election Dinner
Livery Lunch
Erin Smith, Freewoman,
Friday 18th and Saturday 19th June
Wednesday 13th October
on 11th February 2010
■ Great Twelve Sailing Challenge,
■ Court and Livery Dinner
Seaview, Isle of Wight
Saturday 13th November ■ Lord Mayor’s Show and Lunch at
Miranda Lowcock, Freewoman,
Tuesday 22nd June
on 26th March 2010
■ Young Freedom Drinks
Daphne Bousfield, Freewoman,
Thursday 24th June
■ Court and Livery Dinner
on 2nd April 2010
■ Election of Sheriffs and Livery
Monday 20th December
Reception
Lunch Wednesday 30th June ■ Livery Outing to Museum of London
16
| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010
Carpenters’ Hall Wednesday 1st December
■ St Thomas’ Eve Lunch