Sheep Drive across London Bridge

The Worshipful Company of World Traders chose Friday 19th September to stage a Sheep drive across London Bridge in support of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal 2008. What a choice!  The most glorious early autumn day after a summer of discontent for most of the country.  In an atmosphere brimming with expectation the Drummer, Pikemen and Musketeers of the Honourable Artillery Company formed up to provide an escort to  the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress and some  460 Freemen of the City of London re-enacting  their  former right to bring sheep and other animals into the City free from tax or toll.  It was intended to be a special occasion and indeed the brilliant organisation on the day by the World Traders and their contributing organisations surpassed all expectations. The Master of the Worshipful Company of World Traders and his able Freemen and Liverymen are to be congratulated. Their organisation and marshalling, with such a light touch, were faultless and the smiles that were to be seen throughout the day reflected the acute sense of general well-being engendered among the participants and general public alike. Organised in stages the first drive of Romney Sheep was lead out of the City across the Bridge by the Lord Mayor Alderman David Lewis and the Lady Mayoress lead the second drive back into the City of London.  The Freemen of the City of London escorted by Drummer Pikemen and Musketeers then drove the sheep over the Bridge in groups of 15 in stages, ably assisted where necessary by students of Hadlow Agricultural College. The charities supported by the Lord Mayors Appeal in 2008 which benefited from this event were Wellbeing for Women and ORBIS - preventing avoidable blindness, both under the patronage of Prince William.