Message from the Master
There have been quite a few events since the last Newsletter. Thanks go to the Events Committee, the Education Committee and the Learned Clerk Gaye Duffy for organising the following:
The annual Carol Service on 14th December 2009 at the Company’s church, St Mary-le-Bow in Cheapside. The carols chosen by Matthew Power who is the Parish Secretary and Pastoral Assistant which included O Little Town of Bethlehem and O come All Ye Faithful were perfect for the occasion. An innovation was the inclusion of a reading of Christmas by John Betjeman which was read with great gusto by Karl Davies. The other readers were Court Assistant Tony Ensom, Freemen Lindy Patterson and Robert Sliwinski and The Master. The Rector conducted the service in his usual admirable fashion with his customary apposite address and all enjoyed wine and mince pies after the service finished.
The Annual Banquet in the Egyptian Hall at Mansion House on 27th January 2010.
The Egyptian Hall is really a splendid place to hold a Banquet. The Militaire Orchestra entertained the guests as they gathered for their pre-dinner drinks and again during the course of the meal. The Post Horn Gallop played from the balcony by two trumpeters was, as always, a highlight. The principal speaker was Lord Hoffmann who responded to the Senior Warden’s toast to the Guests and himself proposed the toast to the Worshipful Company. The Master proposed the Civic Toast which was responded to by a previous Lord Mayor Alderman Sir Michael Savory who attended in place of the Lord Mayor who was on his travels, this time in the United States of America, extolling the virtues of the City of London.
The January Court Meeting and Luncheon on 5th February 2010 at Guildhall. The customary Court Luncheon was held after the first Court Meeting of 2010. The Master welcomed His Honour Peter Bowsher QC, Dr David Gill and Sir Gary Hickinbottom as Freemen and Freeman Gordon Cain was admitted to the Livery. The speaker was Peter Rees, the City Planning Officer, who heads the Planning and Transportation Department, who gave a fascinating view of the development of the City.
The Master’s Lecture on 23rd March 2010 in the Great Hall, King's College, London. Sir Vivian Ramsey gave the annual Master's Lecture which was entitled "Open Secrets - the concept of confidentiality in dispute resolution". The audience was treated to a paper which ranged widely over aspects of confidentiality in arbitration. Sir Vivian made a brief comment on the fact that the Court has not as yet had to consider confidentiality in the context of enforcement of adjudicator's' decisions and moved on to mediation making reference to the recent case of Farm Assist Limited (in liquidation) v The Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (No 2) [2009] EWHC 1102 (TCC) in which he decided that a witness summons against a mediator should not be set aside. The Master also presented Company prizes to David Lomax and to Dr Jamie Muir Wood who are the joint winners of the prize for the Best Second Year Coursework on the MSc Course at Kings College London. With thanks to Keating Chambers for sponsoring the event and to Kings College for hosting it.
The April Court Meeting and Spring Livery Luncheon on 23rd April 2010 at Innholders’ Hall. At the second Court Meeting of 2010 Charles Brown, Nigel Dight, Eamonn Malone, Anthony Nixon and David Roberts, were admitted to the Freedom of the Company and Freemen Keith Blizzard, Chris Linnett and David Wilson were admitted to the Livery. At the luncheon afterwards a grace by the Chaplain George Bush (stuck in Spain due to the travel disruption) was said and after a toast to St George, those present heard John Pearse, a specialist in interrogation and body language speak on the art of questioning.