Liverymen and Members’ Corner
This page was set up during lockdown as a point of contact for our members to keep in touch, and also provide some light relief. We shall keep it running to copy the update sent to all members via email. If you have anything you would like to add to it, please email the Clerk. The Clerk and Webmaster will have the final say on what will, and will not, be published!
Watercolour reproduced by kind permission of artist Victoria Rees.
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News Round-up – November 2023
Dear All,
The autumn is typically the busiest season in the City’s calendar, and it’s no different for us Plumbers.
On 17th October, David Adams was installed as Master at our Company Church, St Magnus-the-Martyr. Also elected, as new Company Officers, were Upper Warden Charles Brooks and Renter Warden Sandra Raine. See our new line-up on the Court and Officers page, and read all about this important event and see the pics. You can also see the minutes of the Installation Court meeting, and the rest of the reports from each meeting held in the third quarter of 2023 on the Company Reports page.
A day into the job, and our new Master was at Mansion House attending a banquet on the occasion of a rare visit to the City of London by the King and Queen. Read the rest of the News from the Master #1.
The Master’s first social event is a visit to his Club, Marylebone Cricket Club (“the MCC”), for a tour of the Home of Cricket, followed by lunch, on Thursday 30th November. On Wednesday, 6th December, the Master and his Mistress will welcome you to our traditional Carol Service at St Magnus-the-Martyr with mulled wine and a mince pie from 6pm, and a buffet supper after the service.
Outgoing Master Air Commodore Paul Nash provided us with two final Master’s Blogs about his exploits: #11 and #12. One of his last events was driving sheep across Southwark Bridge, and attending the St Michael’s Day Service for our patron saint. At that service, Father Philip announced that two historic treasures, an Alms Basin and a Paten from St Michael’s, Crooked Lane, had been returned to St Magnus-the-Martyr. Adding to our treasures, and to mark his year in office as Master, Paul Nash has presented the Company with a New Jewel for the Clerk.
Before becoming Immediate Past Master, Paul also found time to go to the Plumbing Museum and Workshop Trust at Amberley Museum, West Sussex, where our volunteers, Liverymen Peter Cheesman and Eddie McCourt, are working on casting Their Majesties’ Coronation Planter. Paul was given the honour of casting Queen Camilla’s main Royal Cypher panel.
In Industry News, the Company has opened its 2024 Bursary Scheme and is inviting applications, with the aim of supporting more young people during 2024 as they embark upon careers in the plumbing industry. Find out more about our Bursaries and how to apply. Chair of the WCoP Technical & Education Committee, Julie Spinks, said:
“We are delighted that our annual Bursary Awards continue to go from strength to strength, with six very worthy students being recognised during 2023, and up to six more young people set to benefit from the same level of financial support next year. Most importantly, the awards are inclusive, and we therefore welcome applications from all those who are working hard towards becoming professional plumbers.”
Regarding diversity, Renter Warden Sandra Raine shared a timeline of achievements that the Women in the Livery (WIL) team are celebrating for their 3-year anniversary. Sandra also took delight in capturing a photo of our growing female membership who attended the Ladle Dinner. The Ladle Dinner is a special event, to which only Members of the Livery may attend, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at Painters’ Hall.
You may have spotted some new additions to the website. First, we have 5 new videos that are posted on our YouTube channel and on our Videos about us page, with huge thanks to Liveryman Jason Clark for their creation. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel, and of course, watch the videos! These videos are also dotted around on the website on their relevant pages: Membership of the Company; Plumbing Professionals Development Scheme (PPDS); Supporting our craft; Corporate Membership; Women in the Livery (WIL).
Second, a new page is on the website called Climate Action that lays out how the Company signed up to the Livery Climate Action Group (LCAG) (and separately Pollinating London Together) and that Master David Adams has committed to establishing a committee/working group to build a Climate Action Plan for the Company.
Third, have a look at our updated Clerk’s Cupboard if you’re looking for inspiration for Christmas presents. We have our new Plumbers’ Cap, and new Plumbers’ Logo Kit embroidered with the Plumbers’ Company logo that can be ordered in different sizes. All of which will have you neatly togged up if you’re tempted to join the Plumbers’ Golf Society (PGS). Their 2024 programme and 2024 membership form are available online. Consider signing up and attending the Plumbers’ Golf Society Zoom AGM on 4thDecember.
The new Lord Mayor, Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli’s theme is “Connect to Prosper”, which he further explained in his banquet speech as “celebrating the “Knowledge Miles” of our Square Mile, the world’s Coffee House”. His website features an event series on a huge range of topics, which the Master recommends to you. Many are free, and some come under the banner of Gresham College of which The Rt Hon. Lord Mayor is President.
The Guildhall Christmas Market is back, after an absence, on 27th and 28th November, all in aid of the British Red Cross.
In sad news, we learned of the death of Alison Alexander on 27th September. Our heartfelt condolences to David Alexander, who was Master in 2007-2008.
As usual, all our news and information can be found via the homepage on our Plumbers’ Company website.
Best wishes,
Senior Steward & Webmaster Philippa Stary
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Following the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we wait to see whether Her Majesty Camilla the Queen Consort will continue with her online Reading Room, and update it accordingly, but for now I’ve kept the link to ‘The Duchess of Cornwall’s Reading Room’, with its selection of books, each chosen by Her Majesty.
New books are posted at regular intervals with information about the authors, including videos, pictures and commentary:
Clicking on the picture above will “take you into Her room”.
I’ve also kept these stories here because they still bring a smile to my face!
Plumbers’ Apprentice Statue Missing!
Plumbers’ Apprentice Statue Found?
