Christmas 2003 NewsletterThe Master’s MessageIt seems much more than 30 days since that splendid Installation Dinner, attended by a record 112 Members and guests, so much has happened since. Firstly laying the Company’s Cross in St Paul’s Garden of Remembrance, then marching with the Wardens and Past Master Mackie in the Lord Mayor’s Show, (my grandchildren loved it, an excellent test,) and finally processing in St Paul’s for the St Cecilia’s service. The choir augmented from Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral sang beautifully. 20 Members of the Livery thoroughly enjoyed an excellent lunch at Guildhall afterwards. Now to the future. The Carol Service is on December 8th at St Mary-le-Bow with the Constructors Company. We must beat them in the singing stakes, so please a great turnout and lusty singing. Fortunately the Mansion House Banquet falls on a Friday this year, February 20th. Waking with a sore head is positively agreeable on a Saturday. Martin Nourse, recently retired from the Court of Appeal, is replying for the Guests. He is a wit and his speech will delight all. Guess what. He is planning a second career as an Arbitrator. Is nothing sacred? It will be a wonderful occasion. Do come. Yorkshire this year: next year we visit Somerset from April 16-18. On Saturday we shall visit Forde Abbey. Candida Lycett-Green says this beautiful home of the Roper family, once a Cistercian Monastery, is “one of the ten best places in England”, and its gardens are world famous. In the evening we hope to hold a reception and dine at Montacute House, one of the greatest of Elizabethan houses. The Sunday entertainment is Choral Evensong at Wells or Wincanton races. What a terrible choice! We leave for Chile soon to marry off my niece. Do have a wonderful Christmas while we are away. |
NEWSLETTERSJune 2007 Dec 2006 Aug 2006 Oct 2005 May 2005 Dec 2004 Aug 2004 April 2004 Dec 2003 April 2003 Dec 2002 Dec 2001 Sept 2001 |
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At Installation Dinner, from left to right, Rev George Bush, Lt Col L Butterfield TD, Michael Stephens (Junior Warden), Ann Underwood (Senior Warden), Mrs Drysdale, The Master, Mrs Franklin-Adams, Mr Patrick Franklin-Adams (Guest Speaker) |
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Profile of the MasterThe Master, Andrew, is the second son of Sir Matthew Drysdale, who was for many years Chairman of Lloyds. He was educated at Eton and Magdalene College Cambridge where he read History and Law, and obtained a 2.1 degree, much to his own great amusement and surprise. Afterwards he read for the Bar and passed his Bar Finals, but he was never called, and has never practised Law. Immediately after leaving Eton Andrew was commissioned into the 60th Rifles, now known as the Green Jackets. He served with Ist Bn in Germany, where their role was as a Motor Battalion to a Cavalry Brigade. He served for 10 years in the TA with the Queens Westminsters and the Queens Royal Rifles, and is now a trustee of the successors to the 4th Volunteer Bn the Royal Green Jackets. The Master’s career has been as a Lloyd’s underwriter. He joined his father underwriting at Lloyds for Harvey Bowring and Others, non-marine underwriters, specialising in reinsurance. He formed Andrew Drysdale Ltd as exclusive underwriting agent for the Terra Nova Insurance Company. Later he formed Andrew Drysdale Underwriting Ltd as agent for Names at Lloyds underwriting non-marine and aviation insurance and reinsurance. Since retiring, he has acted as an expert witness and arbitrator in insurance and reinsurance matters. The Master is married to Merida, and they have three daughters and four grandchildren. Merida represented the National Trust for Scotland in London for 22 years, serving on the Councils of both the National Trust and the National Trust for Scotland, of which she is an Honorary Councillor. The Master’s daughters are all involved with the arts, one as a painter and lecturer on History of Art, another as a specialist in Museum artefacts and their conservation, and the third as a travel writer. The Master’s other interests include hunting and salmon and trout fishing. He has hunted most of his life, most recently with the Devon & Somerset Stag Hounds. He was Master of the Surrey Union Foxhounds for two seasons, and of the Coakham Bloodhounds for four seasons. As well as in this country, he has hunted in Italy, America and Canada. The Master is also active in the Church. He is Chairman of the Bath & Wells Branch of the Prayer Book Society, and he very much enjoys listening to cathedral choirs. Profiles of the WardensSENIOR WARDEN Ann Underwood has practiced as a Dental Surgeon in general practice since qualifying at the Royal Dental Hospital of the University of London. In 1989, with the encouragement of the late Norman Royce, she became an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and in 1993 became a Fellow. During this initial period she followed the arbitration course at the College of Estate Management in Reading, from where she received her Diploma in Arbitration. She feels she must be the only dental surgeon to have written an interim award for a Construction Industry dispute! Ann has been the Arbitrator in over forty disputes involving the dental profession, mainly on a documents only basis. She served for three years as a member of Council of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and also served on the committee of CIArb London Branch. She has been sitting as a Magistrate on the Brent Bench since 1982. Ann is the Chairman of our Second Charitable Trust, which was set up in 1998 to broaden the range of the Company’s charitable giving. She is eager to receive as many regular donations from members as possible (which may be sent to her via the Clerk), as the Second Trust is still in its infancy and is still very short of funds to meet all of its charitable aspirations. JUNIOR WARDEN Michael Stephens is a barrister practising from Chambers in Birmingham and London; his work covers a wide variety of topics including construction law, commercial law and professional negligence. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute and a member of the West Midlands branch committee. Michael is also a Recorder of the Crown Court and sits as Deputy District Chairman in the Appeals Service, dealing with many aspects of welfare law. He has been appointed to arbitrate or mediate in disputes in areas relevant to his legal expertise. Married to Catherine and living in Leicestershire, he is the proud father of three sons aged 8, 7 and 5, between whom he arbitrates frequently when permitted any jurisdiction. Court NewsWe congratulate our two newly elected Court Assistants, Assistant Hew
Dundas and Dr Derek Ross, who were welcomed to the Court by the Master,
Wardens, Assistants and Past Masters on 29 October 2003.
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PRIZE WINNER The Company’s 2003 Certificate of Merit has been awarded to Graham Lambert for Best Assessed Course Work in the Arbitration Module of MSc Construction Law and Arbitration Course at King’s College London. Left: Graham Lambert receiving his Certificate from the Master following Common Hall in October |
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NEW APPRENTICE Our new Apprentice, Paul Mills, has a BEng degree from Ulster University. He is a member of the CIBSE and works as a commercial manager in North London. Paul has already achieved Associate Membership of the CIArb, and will be taking his Part 2A examination in February 2004. He is aiming to achieve Fellowship by 2006. Left: Apprentice Paul Mills being welcomed by the Master at the Court Meeting in October |
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Annual Service and Supper 9 July 2003This was the first Annual Service conducted by our new Chaplain and the members were in good voice accompanied by the very capable choir of St Mary Le Bow. The congregation were then bussed by our member John Coleman to the Apothecaries’ Hall, Blackfriars for a very enjoyable summer drink in the Courtyard followed by an informal supper in the wonderful Hall. Our official guests were the Master Pavior and Master Bowyer, both of whom share an interest in sailing with the Master. The evening was concluded with a few “Songs from the West End Shows” performed most ably by a trio from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
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