It's hard work being a Master!

I have had the privilege and pleasure of representing the Company at the following events since my Installation as Master on 28th October 2009.

2009

2nd November
AM Opening of the Garden of Remembrance at St Paul’s Cathedral. Attended by the Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs, Mark Field MP, Heads of the Police, Fire and Ambulance Services, Officers of the Royal British Legion, representatives of the City Schools and the Bank of England, Masters of the City Livery Companies and office holders from other City Institutions and representatives from HM Forces and other Services Organisations.

Followed by Coffee with the Chaplain, the Rev. George Bush. Also attended by the Masters of other Livery Companies that have St Mary le Bow as their Church.

2nd November
PM City of London School Prize Day – Prizes were presented by the Lord Mayor who was accompanied by the Sheriffs and the Corporation, Swordbearer, City marshal et al. Our prizes to the two Deputy Head Boys for Services to the School were presented.
I had a long chat with Alderman and Sheriff David Wootton who encouraged thinking about widening our overseas membership to help in the creation of groups of members of the Livery at various centres who could get involved in the Lord Mayor’s overseas visits.

13th November
Attended the Silent Ceremony – report in last Newsletter

14th November
Walked in Lord Mayor’s Show – report in last Newsletter

16th November
Attended the Painter Stainers’ Company Lynn Art Prize Exhibition and Presentation in the company of many other Masters and our wives. Total prize money was £22,500 with a first prize of £15,000 and a Gold Medal, a Young Artist’s Prize of £2,500 and five runners up who each receive £1,000.

17th November
AM Attended the Marketors’ Company Lecture given by Kevin Roberts, the Worldwide CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi on Tuesday, 17 November in the Great Hall, Barts. A fascinating insight into the world of marketing.

17th November
PM Attended CIArb London Branch dinner at Cutler’s Hall. Speaker Sir Bernard Rix

18th November
AM Attended the Musicians Benevolent Foundation St Cecelia’s Service at St Paul’s Cathedral in the company of the Masters of many other Livery Companies. We processed in strict pecking order!

19th November
Attended the Lord Mayor’s Address to the Livery. (Masters and Clerks) His principal message related to his Charity Pitch Perfect.

Attended the Society of Construction Arbitrators’ Annual Dinner as guest (even though I am a Past President of that organisation)

23rd November
Attended the Annual Dinner of the Worshipful Company of Solicitors of the City of London. Master; Alderman Sir David Lewis (ex- Lord Mayor) spoke, Senior Warden; Alderman and Sheriff, David Wootton, Junior Warden; Alderman John White. The Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral gave a splendid speech.

2010

12th January
Attended Masters and Clerks Dinner held by the Plaisterers’ Company. We were entertained by their GSM student on the piano as an interlude between speeches. (Their Clerk gave the toast to the Company!!!)

19th January
Attended the January meeting of the Modern Livery Companies Financial Services Group at Guildhall and chaired the luncheon afterwards.

26th January
Attended The Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects’ Court Dinner at Cutler’s Hall. Responded on behalf of the guests.

29th January
Attended luncheon hosted by The Vintners’ Company and Searceys Caterers at Vintners Hall

2nd February
The Actuaries’ Company Lecture at Staple Inn Hall was a presentation of Hanging Hooke which is a One Man Show performed by Chris Barnes in which he portrays episodes from the life of Robert Hooke (1635 to 1703) who was Curator of Experiments at the Royal Society for 20 years and was an accomplished artist, architect and engineer. He has been compared with Leonardo Da Vinci and was one of the fathers of modern science who strangely after his death written out of history.

10th February
The Worshipful Company of Engineers’ Lecture was given by Douglas Oakervee, Former Executive Chairman, Crossrail. He gave a fascinating account of the history and current progress of the Crossrail project.

16th February
Attended the 2010 Boyle Lecture – The Legacy of Robert Boyle: Then and Now - given by Professor John Hedley Brooke. Andreas Idreos Professor Emeritus of Science and Religion in the Faculty of Theology, University of Oxford. This is organised annually by the Trustees of the Boyle Lecture and organised by St Mary-le-Bow. This year because of the organ works it was held at the church of St Mary Aldermary. Afterwards to a Reception at Grocers’ Hall. Splendid canapés.

22nd February
Attended The Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators’ 2010 Rivers Lecture. Given by Alderman The Lord Levene of Portsoken. The City and International Business.

25th February
Attended The Worshipful Company of World Traders Tacitus Lecture at Guildhall. 700+ present with the City great and good including the Lord Mayor. Given by Donald Bryden Chairman of Royal Mail Group, The London Metal Exchange and Smiths Group plc. Subject Threats from a Breakdown in Trust.

Afterwards attended the Guildhall School of Music & Drama Supporters’ Evening where I met Miss Berrak Dyer, a piano student who is being helped in funding her studies by the Company’s Charitable Trust. The visit included a fascinating backstage tour which included the workshops where all the sets for the School’s productions are made.

8th March
Attended the Modern Livery Companies’ dinner at Tallow Chandlers’ Hall. Addressed by Alderman Fiona Woolf who is the Aldermanic Sheriff candidate this year.

9th March
Attended the King Edward’s School Witley Bridewell Service at St Bride’s Church. In the presence of the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs. Afterwards attended a Buffet Luncheon at Guildhall.

9th March
Attended the Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers Dinner at Plaisterers’ Hall. The Response to the Guests was given by Mr Mike Bowron, the Commissioner of the City of London Police who spoke very entertainingly.

11th March
Attended Reception and Tour of the 750th Anniversary Exhibition at the Guildhall Art Gallery. In the presence of H.R.H The Princess Royal, Honorary Assistant and Past Master. I found out what Loriners do! (They make all the metal bits that are a part of horses’ tack – stirrups, bits, etc) Lots of very expensive stuff on display.

12th March
Attended The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals presentation of Royal Charter at Mansion House. Achieved within 12 months of their becoming a Livery Company! The Master read out a list of the 50 or so Masters present and got a round of applause afterwards1

16th March
Attended the Sheriffs’ Luncheon at the Old Bailey. Other guests included the German Ambassador and the President of the CBI. All the Judges sit down to lunch in their wigs and gowns with one of the Sheriffs presiding, in this case Alderman and Sheriff David Wootton. Also present is the Duty Alderman in this case Alderman Benjamin Hall who, in addition to attending the luncheon has the duty of escorting the senior Judge back to his Court. Guests are also offered the opportunity to sit in and watch proceedings in one of the Courts afterwards.

17th March
Attended the London Maritime Arbitrators’ Association 50th Anniversary Reception at Mansion House.

18th March
Attended Dinner given by The Lord Mayor at Mansion House for The Masters, Prime Wardens and Upper Bailiff of the Livery Companies of the City of London. This Dinner is held annually on the evening preceding the United Guilds Service. With 340 people present the Egyptian Hall was a splendid sight.

19th March
Attended the United Guilds Service in St Paul’s Cathedral. The Masters, Prime Wardens and Upper Bailiff together with their Wardens and many members of each Company filled the Cathedral to overflowing. A must for any member of a Livery Company!
Followed by luncheon at Farmers and Fletchers’ Hall.

13th April
Attended Marketors’ Company luncheon. It was good to return to Salters’ Hall where I was installed (and to see it in daylight)

19th April
Attended Chartered Surveyors Company Dinner at Stationers’ Hall

20th April
Attended Livery Luncheon hosted by Chester Boyd with a small group of other Masters. Chester Boyd does the catering at Mansion House and at Livery Halls and at other venues and also at Buckingham Palace Garden Parties.

Attended the Mercers’ Company concert performed by Musical Rendezvous at Mercers’ Hall. Musical Rendezvous was formed by David Owen who at 83 years of age still has a splendid tenor voice and is devoted to helping and encouraging young musicians by arranging performing opportunities for them. The other performers were Melissa Alder, a fine soprano, Analiza Ching who gave a spectacular performance on the violin and the Tom Green Jazz Quartet, a young group of musicians.

22nd April
Attended the Gold & Silver Wyre Drawers Company concert at Freemasons’ Hall. We were treated to a performance by the City of London Choir and the London Mozart Players including Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor. Richard Fenwick who has been Master’s Chaplain of the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers since 1981 performed Volckmar’s Sonata for Organ in G Minor.

I am pleased to say that Ursula has been able to attend many of these functions with me.

As far as my Company duties are concerned I have also attended the following

2009

3rd November
Membership Committee

18th November
Dinner with Wardens, Junior Warden in Waiting and Clerk

24th November
Chinese evening

1st December
Met Webmaster Edward Peters to take forward Court’s decision to update the Company web site

18th December
Visited Mansion House with Clerk and Ursula to taste alternative menus for the MH Banquet (The Master has a really hard life fulfilling his duties to the Company)

2010

13th January
Trustees meeting
Finance Committee meeting
Events Committee meeting

27th January
Mansion House Banquet

5th February
Court Meeting and Lunch. The speaker was Peter Rees the City Planning Officer who has overall responsibility for Planning and Transportation in the City of London.

10th March
Company visit to Temple Church.

17th March
Met with the Clerk and Shelley Jenner the prospective administrative assistant.

23rd March
The Master’s Lecture given by The Honourable Mr Justice Ramsey. Every seat in The Great Hall at Kings College London was filled.

7th April
Meeting of the Trustees of the Company’s Charitable Trust
Finance Committee meeting
Reception for those who have recently been admitted to the Freedom of the Company

23rd April
Court meeting
Followed by Spring Livery Luncheon

Chris Dancaster