News

In line with Master Paul Nash’s Installation promise, we have begun to publish short reports from our Court and Committee meetings, including the Charity, to show all the work that goes on behind the scenes.

See the new dedicated Company Reports page, located under the parent News, showing the reports on each meeting held in Autumn 2022. The reports will be published quarterly going forwards.

Dear all at the Worshipful Company of Plumbers,

On behalf of everyone at WaterAid, I would like to wish you a wonderful festive season and a Happy New Year.

I want to offer you our sincerest thanks for your continued support. This year we have been able to reach hundreds of thousands of people worldwide with clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene and we couldn’t have done it without you. I very much look forward to catching up with you in the new year and working together in 2023 to bring even more communities the essentials they need to survive and thrive.

With warmest wishes,

Laura Dowse
Philanthropy Manager WaterAid

Read their seasonal update: Season’s Greetings from WaterAid.

Dear Wardens, Past Masters, Court Assistants and all Liverymen and Members,

Sue and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Read the Master’s Christmas Message, by Master Paul Nash.

Read the third installment about his year, by Master Paul Nash.

On 22nd November 2022, eight Past Masters’ Consorts of our Plumbers’ Company, gathered in a small dining room in the Private Members Club of The Guildhall for the nineteenth annual Past Masters’ Consorts Luncheon.

Reminise on two of the hottest days of 2022, and more importantly, the magnificent Becket Pageant in Guildhall Yard, where the Plumbers featured in the Livery Crafts Fair. #PMWT

Blink and you’ll miss Liveryman Peter Cheeseman at the Plumbers’ stall:

A packed Cutlers’ Hall enjoyed a fun evening, hosted by Senior Steward Damon Reynolds (and the other Stewards) in post for the last time before handing over to new Senior Steward Malvern Tipping, all in aid of thanking and honouring Immediate Past Master Nick Jones for his time in office during the past year.

It is with much sadness that we announce the death of the Father of the Company, Past Master David Paget Thomson who died peacefully in the afternoon of 22nd November, at the age of 91.

David became a Freeman and a Liveryman of the Company in 1965 and served as Master in 1980 – read his obituary by Past Master Lt Col Antony Paterson-Fox. The funeral details are within:

Read the second installment about his year, by Master Paul Nash.

Master Plumber Jimmy Hendry EngTech AfCGI FCIPHE RP picked up the national award at the On The Tools awards ceremony at Edgbaston Stadium on 18th November, 2022.

“It was in recognition of my work in getting defibrillators onto building sites, raising awareness of alcohol in construction, and my continued work in improving gas safety.”

Why not sign up to be a Member and enjoy the season!

The Plumbers’ Golf Society is the friendliest of groups and welcomes golfers of all ability, including partners, spouses and immediate family members.

It has a number of informal meetings and Inter-Livery competitions every year on some great courses to suit everyone.

Alderman Vincent Keaveny shared his last news before he handed over to his successor, Alderman Nicholas Lyons at the Silent Ceremony on Friday, 11th November, 2022.

Our Master, Wardens, and Clerk took part in the 2022 Procession.

Honorary Liveryman Queen Consort Camilla wrote to Immediate Past Master Nick Jones:

Here’s the Master Paul Nash at this morning’s Garden of Remembrance Service at St Paul’s Cathedral, which is led by the Lord Mayor, with Masters of all other Companies, and who planted a memorial cross on behalf of the Company.

Report from the Master on our visit to The Charterhouse on 3rd November, 2022.

The Clerk’s Cupboard now has a dedicated page showing off the branded items for sale privately to Liverymen, and includes all the brilliant new gifts announced by our new Master Paul Nash at his Installation, which you can pre-order and pick up at the Company Office in Carpenters’ Hall.

Read all about the start to our Master Paul Nash’s year.

Our five newly-clothed Liverymen were presented to the Court on 19th October, 2022.

…explaining his very personal connection to the first day of television. The programme was at Alexandra Palace in north London to celebrate 100 years of BBC Television.

An urgent call to action to accelerate progress on ensuring safe drinking water for all.

This report presents the data on the links between water, health and development and the status of drinking water, with actionable recommendations to accelerate access to safe drinking water, and comes on the back of the alarmingly fast-paced cholera outbreaks in Syria, and now in Lebanon [a country close to my heart, Webmaster].

Our warm congratulations to Liveryman Dr Susanne Surman-Lee FRSPH for the award of an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) at the RSPH Health & Wellbeing Awards 2022 on 20th October.

Says Susanne: “Thank-you so much to the RSPH. I am really appreciative. The RSPH IS an amazingly relevant organisation and I am so honoured to play a small part in the increasingly important work that you do!”

Past Master Dr Peter Rumley hosted a brilliant sell-out evening with Honorary Liveryman Jools Holland performing at St Paul’s.

Air Cdre Paul Nash OBE has been installed as Master for the ensuing year in a wonderful ceremony at St Magnus-the-Martyr Church, today, followed by a celebratory lunch at Vintners’ Hall.

View the photos from the Installation, and buy copies from the photographer.

See the new line-up of the Court and Officers, plus new Stewards.

Almost 60 people arrived at a fully-booked Hever Castle on Friday afternoon for my Master’s weekend. We were so lucky with the weather over the weekend. The sun shone most of the time, and the scene was set for some joy!

…and a boyish make-over for the Master:

The Plumbing Museum and Workshop Trust are delighted to become custodians of a lead sculpture of the late Queen created by Denys Abba in 1956. #PMWT

The Master wrote a letter to our Honorary Liveryman Camilla, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom.

The Master Mercer has sent a collective letter to His Majesty to offer sincere condolences on behalf of all Livery Companies, including The Worshipful Company of Plumbers.