The Master’s Blog 24

FOUNDERS’ COURT LUNCH: MONDAY APRIL 2018

I have met the Master Founder, Michael Swan, on a few occasions during my time as Master. Today, it is good to return to what is one of the smaller Halls in the City, which is located between Barbican Tube Station and Smithfield Market, for lunch following a meeting of the Court of the Worshipful Company of Founders. It is nice to note that the Founders invite widows of Past Masters to this event each year and several are in attendance today. I am seated between the Mistress Founder, Polly, who has met the Mistress Plumber on a few occasions, and a Past Master Founder.

INVESTMENT COMMITTEE: TUESDAY 1 MAY 2018

I chair the Company’s Investment Committee which meets twice a year. The Committee oversees the portfolios of investments of the Company, its Charitable and Educational Trust and the Plumbing Museum and Workshop Trust, all of which are managed professionally by Cazenove Capital. Although the 6-month period since our last meeting has seen low performance in most investment markets, the month of April has seen a bounce back and the managers wonder whether volatility (which has been low for some time) has returned.

MEETING OF TRUSTEES OF THE CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL TRUST: TUESDAY 1 MAY 2018

Although I stood down as a Trustee of the Company’s Charitable Trust before becoming Master, I have been invited to attend today’s meeting of Trustee as an observer. I welcome the opportunity and am pleased to note the progress being made and the clarity which the Trustees provide in relation to a number of regular grants awarded by the Trust.

DINNER AT THE OLD BAILEY: TUESDAY 1 MAY 2018

Tonight, the Mistress Plumber and I are delighted to be guests of Sheriff Neil Redcliffe and his wife Emma at a private dinner in the Old Bailey. We meet up with a number of other Masters and their consorts and enjoy an excellent guided tour of this important and iconic Court in the City of London with Sheriff Redcliffe as our extremely knowledgeable guide. A most enjoyable dinner in the Judges’ Dining Room follows the tour and we enjoy the company of some recently installed Masters and their consorts (along with that of some who have been on the Livery circuit with us over the last few months).

VISIT TO THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS: WEDNESDAY 2 MAY 2018

The Plumbers’ Annual Lecture is one of the highlights of the Company year and for some years the venue has been the superb Royal College of Physicians in Regent’s Park. This year’s Lecture will take place on Monday 21 May 2018 and today the Clerk and I visit the venue to go over the final arrangements.

RECEPTION AND TALK BY THE LORD MAYOR: WEDNESDAY 2 MAY 2018

The venue for tonight’s reception and talk is Chartered Accountants’ Hall, just a few minutes walk from the Plumbers’ base at Carpenters’ Hall. Alderman Charles Bowman has been Lord Mayor of the City of London for 24 weeks and 5 days and tonight he presents a very interesting report of that first period of his term of office with particular emphasis on his overarching theme of trust. The Lord Mayor (who has recently returned from a visit to South America and who leaves tonight’s event to attend a Banquet in his official home, Mansion House), gives a polished performance, particularly in response to some challenging questions from the audience.

PRESENTATION ON THE CULTURE MILE: THURSDAY 3 MAY 2018

The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors host tonight’s event in Guildhall which focusses on the Culture Mile project. The Culture Mile, an area of approximately one mile in length from west to east is situated within the square mile of the City of London and is intended to be a project over 10-15 years which aims to promote culture and widen its appeal to residents and visitors alike. Tonight’s presentation is opened by Late Lord Mayor (and organist extraordinaire) Sir Andrew Parmley and the chair for the event is Master Chartered Surveyor (and now good friend, Tony Joyce). This is an exciting project which will see annual events in the area as well as the longer-term projects of the move of the Museum of London to a new site in Smithfield and the creation (in its place) of a new Centre for Music which is to become the home of the London Symphony Orchestra. The presentation is followed by a reception and another opportunity to meet up with fellow Masters (some of whom I haven’t seen since last night).