The Clothworker No.15 Autumn 2016 by The Clothworkers' Company

Clothworker Autumn 2016 â&#x20AC;¢ No 15

The

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Master’s Welcome It is an immense privilege for

Nevertheless, it is inevitable that a

Equally, a Master has the opportunity

anyone to be installed as Master of a

Master will set a tone while in office.

to imbue the formal occasions of the

Livery Company, the more so when

That may reflect the incumbent’s

year with individual touches,

it is one of the City of London’s

perception on how business may best

whether in the selection of guests or

Great Twelve.

be conducted within the Court. The

chosen entertainment. It has to be

Master sits on all the main

admitted that there is little control

I recently entered into

committees and thus has notice well

over the choice of wines which tend

correspondence with Anthony West,

in advance of emerging issues and

already to be “below stairs” and

Master 2008-09 – well known for his

proposed solutions. I have had the

scheduled for consumption some

fascination for mathematics

good fortune to sit on all those

years in advance!

generally, but especially for the

committees in my role as Chairman of the Foundation

quirky charm of certain individual

Wardens

numbers and dates. I expressed

for the past five

considerable satisfaction, from a

years so will

Company’s election of Wardens for

numerical perspective, in becoming

be expected

this year. Carolyn Boulter (First

the 497th Master, having noted that

to be up to

Warden) was a tremendous support

it was the product of 7 and a prime

speed as the

to me during her tenure as Deputy

number. Anthony replied putting it

year unfolds.

Chairman of the Foundation and

I am very pleased with the

more elegantly as “7 squared 7”; he

Grants committees and we will

reckoned the Chinese, most

continue to work closely together.

Front cover: Jane Short cup, gift of Past Master, Robin Booth

particularly, would regard that combination as propitious.

John Coombe-Tennant (Second Warden) has enviable business

The Master’s standing

experience striding several

The Master’s Handbook begins:

continents – with footings currently

“The Master is nominal Head of the

in Hong Kong and Turkey. His centre

Company during the year and is its

of gravity is still to be found in

representative in the outside world. The

London though he has

power of the Master is very limited in

professional and relaxation pulls

that all decisions covering the

in the directions of South Wales

Company and its affairs are in the

and Essex.

hands of the Court, upon the recommendations of relevant

Alex Nelson (Third Warden)

Committees”.

followed Carolyn in her Foundation roles. Alex became

That is understandable and

Free of the Company by

correct in principle and practice.

Patrimony, his father having

Civic City Lord Mayor

2 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2016

On 29 September, Alderman

examining and broadcasting. He is

Dr Andrew Parmley is expected to

currently Principal of the Harrodian

be elected Lord Mayor for 2016-17.

School and is a past Chairman of the

Awarded an exhibition by the Royal

City of London School for Girls and

College of Organists, Andrew studied

the Guildhall School of Music and

at the Royal Academy of Music, and

Drama. He is a Past Master of the

at Manchester, London and

Parish Clerks, Musicians and Glass

Cambridge Universities. His career

Sellers, and a member of a number

has embraced performing, teaching,

of other Livery Companies.

served on the Company’s staff for many years as Grants Manager, and it is particularly fitting that he has now taken on the Chairmanship of the Foundation. And, in the role of Renter Warden, we are delighted to have in the team Neil Foster, the urbane Master of 2009-10, who will keep us grounded. New Court Members We have welcomed to the Court this year Lucy Rawson and Joanna Dodd,

other Livery Companies. I have had

Grumbar, was tossed into a huge sea

with both of whom I have worked on

the privilege of being propelled into

of activity on arrival last year but has

the Foundation; each has given

direct contact with the Corporation’s

surfaced, seemingly unscathed and

generously of their time along with

Social Investment Board, giving me

enjoying his role. He swiftly, and

their individual skills and insights.

an insight into the way in which City

sensibly, led us in the appointment of

Their husbands will offer a degree of

committees operate (in short: not

Hamesh Patel as Director of Finance,

support (at last) to Hugh Boulter who

very differently from ours – but our

Property & Investments who has

has been courageous enough to sit,

staff support offering seems

brought to us the hoped-for skills

as sole male Clothworker consort,

somewhat leaner!). And we have set

and experience. Each of them

through so many dinners presided

up a committee ourselves to

presents with a very approachable

over by successive Masters’ Ladies.

determine in short order whether

demeanour.

In addition, we are very pleased that

Social Investment is a suitable

Andrew Strang accepted an

pursuit for the Clothworkers.

The current team is as good as it has ever been. All the staff routinely find

invitation to join the Court; he will bring to our deliberations his

Staff

themselves operating under

extensive and distinguished property

The permanent staff at Clothworkers’

pressure. During the coming year

investment experience.

Hall is a remarkably small group:

I will do my best to ensure that our

just 23 individuals managing the

appreciation continues to be

City connections

substantial portfolio of properties

conveyed to all on a regular basis;

As I have previously said elsewhere, I

and shareholdings and the operation

I encourage others to do the same.

will follow the example of my

of our grantmaking Foundation, not

predecessor Melville Haggard in

to mention the fellowship activities

seeking ways of engaging more

of the Company and other Hall

Michael Jarvis

widely with the Civic City and the

events. Our Clerk, Jocelyn Stuart-

Master

Sheriffs

Banking division in New York and

spent 14 years at Merrill Lynch

On 24 June at Common Hall,

London. In 2008 he joined Barclays

working in Hong Kong and New York,

Alderman Peter Estlin and Alderman

as Group Financial Controller and

leaving in 2006. He is Chairman and

William Russell were elected as a

has been CFO of the Retail and Non-

one of the founders of Knightsbridge

double Aldermanic Shrievalty for

Core divisions, and Acting Group CFO.

School, Chairman of Prostate Cancer

2016-17.

He is now a Senior Advisor. He is a

UK, and a Past Chairman of the

member of the International Bankers’,

Development Board of the Royal

Peter Estlin is a Chartered Accountant

Chartered Accountants’, Educators’

Court Theatre. He is a member of the

and has spent the majority of his

and Ironmongers’ Companies.

Haberdashers’, Feltmakers’ and Paviors’ Companies.

career in banking. He has had a number of CFO roles – Salomon

William Russell started his career at

Brothers Asia in Hong Kong, Citigroup’s

First Boston Corporation and then Autumn 2016 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 3

John Stoddart-Scott receives an Honorary degree The Clothworkers was one of the founders of Leeds University and still

John had, himself, graduated from

maintains a close connection. This is largely through our support for the

Leeds with a BA in Textile Management

Textiles and Colour Science activities, where we regularly make grants for

in 1966, the year in which he joined

student bursaries and equipment. The Company also provides funding for

the Company by Redemption on the

early stage technological innovations developed in the two departments,

introduction of his godfather,

through the Clothworkers’ Innovation Fund.

Brigadier Kenneth Hargreaves, Master 1969-70. His business career was in

John Stoddart–Scott, Master 2011-12,

The congregation, presided over by

recently stepped down as the

the Vice-Chancellor, also saw some

Clothworkers’ Representative on the

200 degrees received by graduands in

He served on numerous University

Council of Leeds University, a

modern languages. One of these

committees, chairing several, and

position he had held since 1977.

stepping up to the stage was

became very much an integral part

Shortly before he did so, he was

graduating in ”European Politics and

of its institutional memory. At

awarded a Degree of Doctor of Laws

French”; another in “International

Clothworkers’ Hall, he served as

honoris causa.

Relations and Spanish”. We felt they

Chairman of The Foundation and

were on a fast-track to Whitehall with

continues to chair the Textiles Sub-

I had the pleasure of attending the

jobs guaranteed for at least five years.

Committee.

conferment ceremony on 18 July –

Seated at the very front and centre, we

my first formal outing as Master.

were treated to an exhibition of

He was High Sheriff of Yorkshire in

A beautiful July day, with the Leeds

present day fashion in ladies’

2001-02 and is a Deputy Lieutenant

campus looking spick and span (the

footwear, some of which made

for West Yorkshire. For ten years, he

students had been on vacation for

Grayson Perry’s look quite tame, and

led the Yorkshire Agricultural Society

some weeks!). The family members

seemed destined to create

as its Chairman and subsequently

of the supporters’ team comprised

opportunities for medical students in

served for a year as President.

John’s wife Annie, his sister Carolyn,

Orthopaedics. A highly colourful

and son and Liveryman, Tom.

scene, amid which the Honorary

Michael Jarvis

Doctors’ robes were quite the most

Master

striking. 4 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2016

the wool trade and in agriculture.

Autumn 2016 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 5

New Assistant Andrew Strang

Threadneedle Property

including with Capital and

Educated at Radley and

Investments for seventeen

Counties Properties, Intu

Durham, Andrew is a

years. Subsequently he

Properties AEW UK and

Chartered Surveyor. He

was Chairman of Hermes

Norges Bank. His pro bono

started his career at

Real Estate Investment

involvement includes

Richard Ellis, before

Management. He has

Durham University and

moving on to Hill Samuel,

extensive property

Woking Hospice. He is a

Schroder and Allied

investment experience

keen sailor and a member

Dunbar. He was then

and now has a portfolio of

of Sea View Yacht Club.

Managing Director of

non-executive roles,

New Freemen of Pamela Cusack (nĂŠe Angell). The family connection goes back to 1713 when John Baptist Angell, son of a deceased mariner from Limehouse, was apprenticed to William Burding, a cook of Limehouse corner. William graduated this year from Bristol University with a degree in Law. He is currently taking the Legal Practice Course in London before joining Milbank, Arabella Adams

Ashleigh Barker

William Cusack

Tweed, Hadley and McCloy

Arabella is a 5th

Daughter of Robert John

A 10th generation

LLP in the City. His

generation Clothworker

Barker, Freeman, and

Clothworker, William is

interests include travel,

and daughter of Chris

granddaughter of

the son of Shane Cusack,

sport and information

Adams, Liveryman. The

Raymond Hawks Barker.

Liveryman, and grandson

technology.

family connection with

Ashleigh is a 7th

the Clothworkers goes

generation Clothworker.

back to 1867 when George

The Barker connection

Turner Adams, a

dates back to 1789 when

silversmith, was admitted

Robert Barker, the son of a

to the Freedom by

vintner of the parish of

Redemption. Arabella has

St Bride in the City, was

just graduated from the

apprenticed to Benjamin

University of Cambridge,

Fuller, a callender [or

with a First in Modern

presser] of cloth in Milk

Languages (French and

Street. Ashleigh originally

Russian). In her spare

qualified in beauty

time, she enjoys travelling.

therapy but subsequently had a change of heart, and now works in logistics.

6 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2016

Luke Farrant

Jonathan Ferns

Claire Phillips

Daniel Portal

A 4th generation

Jonathan is a 9th

A 6th generation

Son of Philip Portal,

Clothworker, Luke is the

generation Clothworker.

Clothworker, Claire is the

Assistant, Daniel is a 3rd

son of Jane Frazer,

He is the son of Amanda

daughter of Robert Henry

generation Clothworker.

Freewoman, and grandson

Ferns, Freewoman, and

Clarmont Phillips,

The family connection

of The Hon Mrs Una

grandson of Jean Barbara

Liveryman, and great

dates back to 1928 when

Rowcliffe (née Slim),

Smith, Freewoman. The

great granddaughter of

Daniel’s grandfather,

Freewoman. The family

family connection dates

Stephen A. Child, Master,

Sir Francis Spencer Portal

connection dates back to

back to 1785 when

1929-1930. The family

Bt, was made Free by

1947 when Field Marshal

Benjamin Smith (son of

connection goes back to

Redemption. Sir Francis

the Viscount Slim was

John Smith) was

1804 when Samuel

was Master in 1970-71.

admitted to the Freedom

apprenticed to Aaron

Preston Child of Surrey

Daniel is a student at the

by Presentation. Educated

Cracklow, a Hatlining

was apprenticed to John

Royal Northern College of

at St Edward’s, Oxford and

Cutter and Linen Glazer.

Peter Hobkirk, an

Music. In addition to

Newcastle University,

Jonathan is an Accounts

insurance broker in

music, he enjoys

Luke is an Account

Executive, and his

Abchurch Lane. Claire

exploring.

Executive with White

interests include reading

works as a sales assistant

Spider Media. In his spare

and computer gaming.

in a local Lymington

time he enjoys sport,

jewellers and, in her spare

reading and travelling.

time, enjoys jewellerymaking, dining out, theatre and reading.

Autumn 2016 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 7

Charity Governance Awards Combining Trusteeship and Textiles We were delighted to link the Charity

Course, and fell in love with

Can you tell us why you wanted to

Governance Awards with our textiles

constructed textiles.

get involved in designing the fabric for The Charity Governance Awards?

support by commissioning a woven textile design for the award piece

I went on to specialise in woven

I really enjoy working on diverse

from Cassandra Smith, one of our

textiles, as this discipline blended my

projects and the challenge with this

Cockpit Arts bursary recipients. As to

practical and analytical skills with

project was to design on a small

her background and inspiration for

my passion for materials, pattern

scale using a new technique. It also

the award piece, Cassandra

and the process of making. I

gave me the chance to work again

commented as follows:

completed my BA in Textile Design in

with The Clothworkers’ Foundation

2011, earning a First for my

in their support of charitable causes.

Can you tell us about your design

experimentation with fibre optics in

background?

woven textiles.

What inspired the design for the weave?

After my previous studies in Engineering, early career in Finance and my extensive global travel, I relocated to the UK in 2002. It was shortly

The following year, with support from The Clothworkers’ Foundation and Cockpit Arts, I began

thereafter that I decided to

my own design studio

fulfil my ambition to retrain

and have since been

as a designer. I took time to explore the different disciplines on offer at Central St Martins

creating exciting textiles using a variety of materials for the interiors market.

through the Foundation 8 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2016

Cassandra Smith

I was really keen to connect the significance of the categories of awards with the fabric outcome and ●

used contrasting materials and colours to represent board diversity

●

used angles in the design to show movement, and the embracing of opportunities

The Winners In partnership with New Philanthropy Capital, Reach and Prospectus, we held the inaugural Charity Governance Awards at the Hall in May. There were over 100 entries submitted across the six categories and from a shortlist of 18, the winners were: Board diversity and inclusivity

eight adjacent almshouses in

Managing turnaround

Leap Confronting Conflict, a

Saltwood, near Canterbury.

Mosaic Clubhouse, supporting

national youth charity working with

people in Lambeth living with

young people to manage conflict and

Improving impact –

mental health illness to re-join the

to reduce violence in communities.

charities with 4-25 paid staff

worlds of friendship, family,

Sport 4 Life UK, a Birmingham based

employment and education.

Embracing opportunity and

charity seeking to create a better

harnessing risk

future for disadvantaged young

Each winning charity received a

Healthy n Happy Community

people by improving their

cash prize of £5,000.

Development Trust, working to

employability and key life skills

improve the lives of people in the

through the power of sport.

Rutherglen & Cambuslang region. Improving impact – Improving impact –

charities with 26+ paid staff

charities with 3 staff or fewer

St Cuthbert’s Hospice in Durham,

Robert Thompson Charities,

providing specialist palliative and

providing a service to the

end-of-life care to people affected by

community, running and improving

life-limiting illnesses, at a time and

the arts-and-crafts village hall and

place that is right for them.

●

The 2017 Awards open on 6 October 2016 www. charitygovernanceawards. co.uk

created a bold and graphic pattern to reflect the impact a board can have on a charity

●

incorporated the transition of light to bold colour, signifying how a charity can turnaround

Can you talk about the production of the weave? The process began with colour studies and windings to experiment with different proportions and combinations of yarns. I then followed with design developments, sampling on the loom and finally production. I find this process the best way to experiment with the different relationships between colour, material and pattern. What is next for your designs? I am currently in the research phase of a new fibre optic lighting project. Expect bold colours, unusual materials and exciting 3D shapes in the near future!

Cassandra Smith’s work in progress

Autumn 2016 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 9

New Designers The New Designers 2016 Clothworkers’ award for Printed Textile Design went to Leeds College of Art graduate, Bronte Adam, for her children’s collection Would you like to go to the seaside? Past Master Christopher McLean May, assisted by 2014 New Designers winner, Emily May, judged the entries and presented Bronte with the award. They were particularly drawn to her seagulls, fish & chips and ice creams design. Inspired by the playful and high-

Bronte Adam, centre

spirited imagination of the young, Bronte has created an impressive

painting to create designs tailored

collection that translates humorous

primarily towards childrenswear.

drawings and excellent draughtmanship into commercial

Bronte will be presented with a

designs. She combines various

cheque for the £1,000 prize at our

printing techniques with

Alumni Dinner in October.

illustration, paper cutting and

Isla Middleton

Texprint We are one of the major supporters of Texprint and each year sponsor the Interiors Prize. The 2016 prize was awarded to Isla Middleton, who recently graduated from Falmouth University where she studied textile design, specialising in print. Isla’s inspiration comes from plant forms and flowers and she uses a dark, rich colour palette. Her designs can be described as comfortable and easy to live with, but with a commercial twist. Isla hopes to set up a small business printing and designing interior fabrics, focussing on quality, sustainability and small scale production.

10 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2016

The Great Fire of London The commencement of the new

being full of oil – a fact recorded in

The Master attended an event at

Master’s year has seen the Great Fire

Samuel Pepys’ diary.

George V Docks, where he was able to

of London as a prominent feature, 2016 being the 350th anniversary of the disaster. During a tumultuous era in

view a wooden interpretation

“But strange it was to see Cloathworkers’ Hall on fire these three days and nights in one body of flame, it being the cellar full of oyle . . .”

English history – the Civil War

of the London landscape, as it would have been at the time of the Great Fire. Created by disadvantaged young

and its political aftermath, the

St Olave Hart Street narrowly

Londoners as part of the Learning and

execution of Charles I, and the

escaped, as did All Hallows Staining,

Participation Programme, alongside

Plague – all Livery Companies

the churchyard next to Clothworkers’

skilled artists and craftsmen, the

struggled with constant demands

Hall, acting as a natural fire break on

structure was subsequently set alight

upon their resources, first from the

the eastern edge.

on the river near Blackfriars Bridge,

Crown and then from the

and the public treated to a moving

Commonwealth. In 1643, pressures

A number of commemorative events

and atmospheric re-enactment of

became so great that The

have been held across the City, and

the Fire.

Clothworkers’ Company was forced

we were delighted to support a

to sell two-thirds of its plate

project organised by The Artichoke

To mark the event ourselves, the

collection.

Trust, in partnership with the City of

Great Fire of London was chosen as

London Corporation and the Arts

the church kneeler design theme for

It was therefore unimaginably

Council of England. Great Fire 350

this year’s Royal School of

devastating when, on 2 September

comprised a season of events, at the

Needlework Future Tutors

1666, the Great Fire broke out in

heart of which was London’s Burning,

programme. Work on the winning

Pudding Lane, the subsequent spread

a series of art installations,

design by Sarah Smith is ‘roaring’

of which left much of the City of

performances, talks and tours around

ahead and we expect to take delivery

London destroyed. The third

the Square Mile, giving a modern

of the completed kneeler by the end

Clothworkers’ Hall, which had only

perspective on this significant

of the year.

been built in 1633, succumbed to the

moment in our history.

flames, not helped by the cellars Autumn 2016 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 11

Carols, cups and badges Since then the carol O Thoma! has been published by Edition Peters and sung several more times, including at the St John’s College, Cambridge, Epiphany service, and by A year ago in The Clothworker, the then Master,

James’ Oxford choir, Schola Cantorum. James also kindly

Melville Haggard, wrote about the commissioning of a

rewrote out the beginning of his score, which has been

carol for St Thomas’ Eve. At that point he had received

framed, together with the text in Latin and English, and is

the text and was waiting for the score to be written by

hanging in the Court Luncheon Room at Clothworkers’ Hall.

the acclaimed composer, James Burton. By December the

The carol may be heard on the webcasts page of the Choir

music had been composed and written out, a choir put

of St John’s Cambridge website (under Epiphany Carol Service

together and rehearsed, and the piece was premièred at

2016, piece number 18). It is envisaged that O Thoma! will

the St Thomas’ Eve service in St Olave’s.

be sung each year at our St Thomas’ Eve service.

12 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2016

Michael Howell, Master 2014-15, commissioned the Royal School of Needlework to create an embroidered shield of the Company’s coat of arms in appliqué, with gold and silk embroidered detailing, topped by a ram worked in gold metal thread. The work is very fine and intricate due to the small size of the shield (approx 7.5 by 4cm). The embroidered shield has been mounted onto badge fabric and stitched onto the arm of the Master’s gown. It was worn, for the first time, at the Installation Court meeting in July.

In yet another Olympic year, it seems fitting to feature the cup (front cover) which was the gift of Robin Booth, Master 2012-2013. Designed by the celebrated enameller Jane Short (from whom we commissioned a centrepiece in 2010), it was delivered in 2015. The design was made in response to Robin’s term of office – the year of the London Olympics – and to the Booth family business, which produced high quality green baize cloth for billiard tables. Representing the process of turning wool into yarn and finally cloth, engraved fleece curls at the top of the cup flow down to the stem which depicts a ball of yarn. This changes into green enamelling symbolizing baize cloth. At the base of the cup, red and orange flames rise from the silver ‘petals’ of Thomas Heatherwick’s 2012 Olympic cauldron. The enamel technique used is champlêvé, where recesses are cut into the silver, detail engraved onto the base of the cells produced, and filled in with transparent enamel. The cup has a gilded interior, with some gilding on the exterior as well.

Autumn 2016 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 13

Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2016

The Queen’s Bindery Apprenticeship The increasingly rare skills and expertise of the hand bookbinding trade will

discussions to create the scheme.

be preserved in the UK through a unique new training initiative, The Queen’s

In addition, there will be three Skills

Bindery Apprenticeship, which launched in July.

& Industry Partners, who will benefit from employing the apprentices and contribute to costs.

The scheme is the only bindery

the tools it houses having been used

apprenticeship available in the UK,

for centuries. Today, it is at the

and the first since the 1970s. Over a

forefront of preserving the

seven-year pilot period, up to six

high standards of

apprentices will gain unparalleled

craftmanship that are

experience working in the Royal

the benchmark of

Bindery at Windsor and external

the professional

workshops, acquiring a broad range

hand

of bookbinding skills, including fine

bookbinding

the gathering

leather binding, edge-gilding and

trade.

and met

be lost for ever. City & Guilds

The seven-year

scheme’s

qualifications will be received upon

pilot will cost

supporters

completion of the five-year training

around £500,000.

and partners.

programme.

It will be

held a pre-launch reception at Windsor Castle in June. The Queen joined

some of the

gold finishing, which may otherwise

supported by eight The Royal Bindery at Windsor Castle

Founding Partners,

was founded in 1770 by George III, a

including The

noted bibliophile, and has been in

Clothworkers’ Company

operation ever since, with many of

who acted as lead catalyst in

14 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2016

The Royal Collection Trust

Designer Bookbinding The Company continues to support the endangered craft of bookbinding by commissioning fine bindings from Designer Bookbinders. Earlier this year we took delivery of a new binding by Lester Capon, a self-employed bookbinder, restorer and conservator, Fellow and former President of Designer Bookbinders. He trained at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, when bookbinding was still taught in the UK, and then became an assistant for a number of years to James Brockman, from whom we commissioned a binding in 2010. The work we gave him to bind is Piper In Print – Books, Periodicals & Ephemera edited by Hugh Fowler-Wright, limited edition print by Artists Choice Editions, 2010. Within it, five experts explore the range and diversity of Piper’s work in formats that were usually considered ‘lesser arts’. Their articles are illustrated with many rarely seen images, which inspired Lester’s design. Lester writes “The underlay multicolour

It is bound in green Oasis goatskin

to all edges to match the doublures

areas refer to the colour incorporated into

with handmade paper underlays

[inside lining of the covers] which are

much of Piper’s architectural images. The

which are hand-stained with leather

made of burnt orange Finnish

designs in gold on the areas of leather

dyes and drawing inks. Lester

reindeer suede, a product Lester

use aspects of buildings – brickwork,

designed the blocking tools

arches, windows, doorways etc as a

himself and tooled in gold leaf,

starting point. The images are, of course,

with inlays of hand-stained

not literal but are more imagined and

goatskin. There is gold-tooled

half-remembered leading to fanciful

lettering on the spine with

depictions of parts of the paintings

additional hand-stained onlays.

within the book.”

Striking orange gouache was applied

sourced while teaching at a summer school at Tyrvään Arts and Crafts College in Sastamala, Finland.

Autumn 2016 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 15

Notable Clothworker Frederick William Porter This article features an individual who was not actually a member of The Clothworkers’ Company but who, as a member of staff, gave forty

Frederick William Porter was

duties. Among the 25 duties

Architect and Surveyor to the

drawn up was the requirement

Company from 1859 to 1899,

to attend all meetings of the

successor to Samuel Angell, who had

Court and Committees and

held office from 1824 to 1859 and had

Views [of Company property];

built the fifth Clothworkers’ Hall.

to view one fourth of the

(CL/PO/P006)

years of service to the Company.

Company’s London or Born in 1820 or 1821 in Dublin, Porter

immediate vicinity Estates

studied in London under Lewis

every year; to superintend and

Vulliamy. He subsequently returned

arrange the letting of all houses on

Portrait of Frederick William Porter,

to Ireland until around 1849, when he

lease and make enquiries as to the

no date, by Andrew Gow (1848-1920)

moved back to London. He became a

character and responsibility of the

fellow of the Royal Institute of British

parties applying; and to maintain

Architects in 1855. He lived first in

good records. They also

“he has built a house in the Bog with

Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, then in

recommended they should have a

Barn and Cow house and has

Russell Square. He later moved out to

plan book containing a detailed plan

expended about £150 on the place, he

Hythe, Kent, where he was mayor in

of each estate.

has already reclaimed a considerable portion of the Bog and is busy with

1887 and where he died in 1901. In October 1863, Porter undertook a

more, he boasts of having the best

There is no definitive description of

visit to the Company’s Irish Estate in

house on the Bog and means to keep

Porter’s life and work but research

Coleraine. His four day visit resulted

it so, looking forward to the time

has brought to light that, prior to his

in a fifteen page report giving details

when the next deputation goes over

appointment to the Company, he was

of everything he saw, including

to visit the Estates when he feels sure

involved in designing two

cottages, roads, bridges, a well, farms

he will get a prize from the

workhouses in Cornwall – in Helston

and a school. On visiting

Company!”

and Falmouth – and a recent enquirer

Mr J McMaugh, he reports

is researching his involvement with

Plans of all the Clothworkers’ estates

Bodmin gaol. There may be further

and property were commissioned

Cornish connections waiting to be

from the Surveyor early in 1866. They

discovered. He probably also went on

were reported as complete and in the

a visit to Italy in the winter of 1846-

bookbinder’s hands in 1873. The two

47, as the British Architectural

volumes, containing 146 plans,

Library holds several detailed

survive, measuring half a metre high

drawings by him of buildings in

and weighing a considerable amount.

Rome, Genoa and Florence.

They were bound in red leather with elaborate gold tooling and gilt lettering, showing their importance.

there were no fewer than 17

They provide a detailed record of all

candidates for the post of Company

properties and estates at the time,

Architect and Surveyor in 1859! From

from Clothworkers’ Hall itself, round

those, a shortlist of six names was

the City, Greater London and out to

presented to the Court and, after

Watford, Sutton Valence in Kent and

(CL/G/Irish/B/3/15)

The Estates Committee records that

several ballots, Porter was appointed. A Special Estates Committee met in May 1859, in readiness for the new appointee, to draw up a revised list of 16 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2016

Page from the survey of Irish estates

Warley in Essex. In 1873, the foundation stone of St James, Islington was laid, and built to Porter’s design before being

consecrated in 1875. The new church

kept up his own practice and is

appointing him Consulting Surveyor

was built to replace the chapel,

known to have taken on apprentices

… hoping he may continue his

dedicated to St James but normally

in his London offices. In 1865 he was

connection with the Company as

known as Lambe’s Chapel, which had

the Architect of the Union Bank of

such for many years.” Horace was

been at London Wall until 1872. It

London on Chancery Lane (now a pub

appointed Surveyor in the place of his

was at this time that the crypt was

called the Knights Templar) and in

father, an office he held until 1918.

moved to All Hallows Staining, next

1868, he designed Christ Church at

to the Clothworkers’ Hall. Islington

Castlerock, County Derry.

Sadly, the connection was not to last that long. On hearing of Porter’s

was, of course, the location of a major Clothworker estate (the Packington

Towards the end of his tenure, Porter

death at the end of 1901, the Court

Estates) and the Heath almshouses.

suffered from ill health. His son,

Orders record how his “loftiness and

The stone used for the church was

Horatio (or Horace) Porter, attended

amiability of character had attracted

Kentish Rag, dressed

the monthly

to him the regard, affection and

on the interior with

Estates

respect of every Member of the

Bath stone and with

Committee

Court.”

Mansfield stone

meetings in his

columns. The peal of

absence, as Acting

Although not a Clothworker, Porter

six bells was given

Surveyor. On

was, however, a member of the

by Angela Burdett-

Frederick’s

Saddlers’ Company, becoming Master

Coutts, Freewoman,

retirement in the

in 1895. His son, Prime Warden of the

known for her

summer of 1899,

Saddlers’ (in 1916) and sometime

generosity in this

the Court placed

Surveyor to them, presented a silver-

area.

“on record its

gilt ewer to that company in memory

appreciation of

of his father. The portrait was given

Despite what must

the long and

to The Clothworkers’ Company in

have been a

efficient services

1952 by Alderson Horne, Master 1927-

considerable

rendered … and

1928 and Porter’s son-in-law, and his

workload at the

… has much

daughter, Mrs Charles Palmer.

Company, Porter

pleasure in Autumn 2016 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 17

All hands on deck

The Jubilee Sailing Trust’s training ship, STS Lord Nelson, was moored at HMS President, a pier just downstream from St Katherine’s Docks, for her 30th Anniversary Celebrations. The Duke of York and a couple of hundred supporters braved a cold blustery afternoon for the celebrations. After an extensive tour of the ship, the Duke made a short speech commending the work of the Trust in building self-confidence, leadership skills and teamwork and for its recent focus on partnering with other charities, including Help for Heroes. I was there representing the

heaving on halyards, keeping a

Clothworkers, who gave the trust

lookout, going aloft to set and furl

occasionally starting the engines –

£30,000 in 2015 for the refurbishment

sails, taking the helm, cleaning, and

and there are of course generators to

of the tall ship. The Clothworkers’

serving in the galley. The Bosun’s

power the conveniences of a modern

involvement goes back to 1984, and

Mate makes sure everyone faces

ship (fridges, navigation equipment,

over the years we have contributed a

challenges and at the end of the

hot water, stair lifts etc).

total of just over £200,000 to various

voyage crew members go ashore with

nautical-sounding needs, from

a new perspective on disability and

Those who have sailed on her do not

hawsers to ‘sailor strainers’ (nets to

on their own capabilities.

forget the experience, and many of them come again and again, often

catch crewmembers who fall from the bowsprit).

Lord Nelson will do 10 knots in a

introducing other disabled friends

blow, and will average six to eight

and relatives.

The Lord Nelson and her sister ship,

knots with a following wind. She is

the Tenacious, take mixed crews of

square-rigged, and one of only a

When we went on board it had been

able-bodied and disabled people to

couple of boats on which a sailor can

slack tide, the locks of St Katherine’s

sea and have them all work together

get a square-rigger ticket. With three

Docks open to admit five or six small

as a team. Since the JST was

masts and a succession of roller-jibs

yachts. During the visit, a distant

established in 1978, over 40,000

and spanker sails she can only point

alarm announced the opening and

people have sailed with them,

as high as sixty degrees to the wind.

closing of Tower Bridge, and then the

including around 15,000 people with

To do this, the yards have to be lashed

resumption of road traffic. As we left,

disabilities, and 5,000 wheelchair

in a forward position using the cats

a fierce ebb tide swept under the

users. The ship’s ten permanent crew

head, a metal rack on the bow which

pontoon. Without the sailor strainers

need the additional manpower

would traditionally have held the

you would have been a mile

provided by the ‘voyage crew’ in order

anchor (an anchor was ‘catted’). She

downstream in Wapping before

to put to sea, so teamwork is

was scheduled to take sixteen days to

anyone could fish you out!

essential. Everyone is divided into

sail from Amsterdam to Lisbon this

four watches and asked to lend a

July. Owing to the need to meet

John Coombe-Tennant

hand with everything. This includes

deadlines the crew admit to

Second Warden

18 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2016

Samuel Evans’ play, My Beautiful City, at the Arcola Theatre in 2015

Dramatic Arts The Foundation has established a £1.25m five year proactive grants programme

free with my creativity; a rare and

in the Dramatic Arts. Previous editions have featured the annual £150,000

wonderful thing.

Clothworkers’ Regional Theatre Award, and a piece on Matt Jessup, the first recipient of the £7,500 Clothworkers’ Laurence Olivier bursary (the first of five

Thanks to the support of The

through a £37,500 grant to the Society of London Theatre).

Clothworkers’ Foundation, and the opportunity it afforded me, I now

The Dramatic Arts initiative also includes a £50,000 grant over five years to the

have a reputable writing agent, Nick

National Youth Theatre (NYT) to fund places for talented students from

Quinn at The Agency. It also gave me

economically disadvantaged backgrounds in their repertory, or to commission

belief in myself as a writer, so much

young writers. Below Samuel Evans, who received a £5,000 bursary, tells us

so that I spent the last £50 on a

what it meant to him.

successful application to study Dramatic Writing at New York University!

“I could say that The Clothworkers’

for the course have often been in the

Foundation has changed my life;

care system, and experienced mental

maybe you would smile and think

health issues, homelessness and

I was subsequently awarded a

that sounds a little simplistic, but

substance abuse. Playing Up helps

fellowship whereby the NYU will

that is exactly what it has done.

reintegrate them into the education

cover my tuition fees. However, with a

Bursaries are hard to come by for

system and society at large.

lot of money still to raise for flights,

working class boys like me, who are

accommodation and living expenses,

not good at asking for assistance.

In addition to support work, I have a

I launched a fundraising campaign

However, when this opportunity

passion for writing. The

offering to do 2000 jobs for a tenner in

came along, that all changed.

Clothworkers’ Foundation bursary

three months – from cooking,

became a vehicle for me to pursue

cleaning and dog walking, to writing

I am a support worker on the

my dream of becoming a

short stories for people. I received

National Youth Theatre of Great

professional writer. The funding

amazing support, including a

Britain’s social inclusion course,

enabled me to devote time and space

personal note and donation from

Playing Up, an OCN Level 3 accredited

(things a writer craves) allowing me

Alan Bennett, for whom I had written

nine month drama training

to sit with a script and give it my

a short story.

programme. The course offers the

undivided attention – albeit with a

opportunity to gain an Access to

degree of procrastination!

Higher Education Diploma in Theatre

I am hopeful this next phase of the journey will provide more

Arts, which is equivalent to two ‘A’

This ten month journey gave me a

opportunity for me to develop as a

Levels. It is for young people who are

taste of what writing full-time could

writer. I will not forget where it

not in education, employment or

be like. The Clothworkers believed in

began, and would like to thank The

training and who are often considered

my ability to create something with

Clothworkers’ Foundation sincerely

‘at risk’. The young people I recruit

the NYT, and allowed me to be truly

for its support in giving me a voice.” Autumn 2016 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 19

Sporting Activities

Shooting The Inter Livery Clay Pigeon Shoot

Jago, Peter Houston, James Horne,

Finally a plea for new shooters to

took place on 18 May in a damp and

Andy Wates and Simon Purefoy.

come forward if they would like to

chilly West Ruislip. Once again the

take part; either collar me at a dinner

Clothworkers fielded three teams of

The Bisley Event was held for the

or simply email me at

four guns each: Court, A and B.

third year running, also in May. On

charles@goingsolar.org.uk.

the two previous shoots, we came

Captain, Charles Houston

If there was a prize for the best

second out of thirteen teams to the

dressed squad we would have been in

Gunmakers but with one of our team

the running with our new Purdey

winning individually. This year’s team