Hugh Toler's blog

On 24th June I attended the Election of Sheriffs in Guildhall.  It is an occasion of great pomp and ceremony.  Having only ever witnessed the event from the crypt it was a real pleasure to have an aisle seat near the front.  As expected the procedure was over in no time and it was not long before I was making way to Pewterers’ Hall for lunch.  This was preceded by one of the legendary ‘Health & Safety’ briefings by the Clerk in which he never fails to recall some misfortune suffered by the Army on that day in contrast to yet another stunning victory on the part of the Royal Navy.  The luch was extremely welcome and much enjoyed by all. 

Mindful of what was to come that evening I fully intended to return to a conference that hadn’t missed me only to be waylaid by a couple of Past Masters and the Clerk who assured me that urgent business required discussion in a nearby wine bar.  Fortunately the Immediate Past Master, Peter Lumley kindly gave me a lift in his car to where my dinner jacket was so I could change and return to the City as guest of the Merchant Taylors’ at their dinner with the Skinners.  Forgive me if my memory is imperfect of who I was sitting next to but the evening started in their beautiful, tranquil courtyard.  Speeches helpfully rehearsed the history of sixes and sevens (what with Actuaries and so on these numbers keep cropping up).  I believe I was much the wiser as a result and certainly went rolling home in a state of some euphoria.

My Election Dinner was great fun.  Although one might be a little apprehensive beforehand by the time the evening came as the Clerk’s Office had done all the work one could just enjoy it.  It was a great pleasure to have Sherriff Adrian Waddingham as our principle guest; a man who can make numbers amusing.  It was also good to have Major General Peter Williams as my guest speaker.  He has been a great friend and commanding officer throughout my military career and so it was very reassuring to have him at my side on this occasion.  It was of course the Master’s Song that causes some concern so it was a relief to discover that the pianist had only just been drafted in as a short notice replacement.  He was as unfamiliar with the tune as I was with the business of singing in tune.  So we agreed a pact in which I would bray loudly while he played whatever tune he considered appropriate in view of the noise coming from the other end of the room.  Relieved of any burden of keeping in time I thought I got along famously although I am not sure this was shared by my brothers in law, nieces, nephew and daughter who were present.

Barely had the last drop of port left my lips from the Election Dinner when next day I found myself at lunch in Drapers’ Hall as a guest.  It was a splendid occasion in a grand setting made all the more so by the fact that Master Draper had been Honorary Admiral of Fleet, a signal honour indeed.  I sat next to Master Wheelwright and we shared our thoughts on how best to engage our craft or art now that they were so diminished.  My suggestion that Quik Fit Tyres might be suitable somehow didn’t resonate.  Turning my attention across the table I please to meet a great friend of my late father from Lincolnshire so conversation settled happily into shooting and agriculture.

The Royal Thames Yacht Club has had the great initiative of holding an annual Livery Dinner for members of all the Liveries.  It is a great opportunity to meet Liverymen who are not necessarily Masters of their Companies but nonetheless are keen supporters.  This year I was very kindly invited as the guest of Broderer Sue Bonham.  It was delightful evening that started on the Club’s terrace overlooking Hyde Park and enabled to enjoy such spectacles as the Household Cavalry returning from Horse Guards.  The dinner was hosted by Broderer Michael Gardner who is Vice Commodore of the Club and I was pleased to say encouraged a significant number of other Broderers to join us.  If they were expecting the Master’s Song they were disappointed and had to make do with a few words from me on behalf of the guests, all of whom appeared to enjoy themselves immensely.

On Tuesday 10th June we attended a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in glorious weather.  We took full advantage of being able to invite our two children as did Past Master Nick Charrington who was attending as High Sherriff of Essex.  As you can imagine we made a noisy, jolly party because being able to join other Essex friends including the Lord Lieutenant we became ‘TOWIE  goes to BP’.  Having some inside knowledge of the Palace we were able to make the most of the arrangements to speak to members of the Royal Family so our son secured a meeting with HRH Prince Philip where he forbore to wish him a happy birthday and stuck a recent visit to Stowe School.  Meanwhile the Master Actuary and I had the pleasure of meeting HRH Princess Eugenie.  I perplexed her with my inadequate explanation about the work done by the Broderers.  The Master Actuary was on safer ground with a brief anecdote about numbers that was grasped instantly.

During the weekend of 5th -7th June my Mistress and I joined the Masters of most of the Livery Companies at Ironbridge in Shropshire.  In truth I was somewhat sceptical about how much fun it would be to trail around a series of industrial museums.  In the event it was fascinating and the organisation was superb.  Each group was under the charge of an expert guide by that I mean a senior member of the Ironbridge staff with at least a doctorate to their name.  They were great enthusiasts and arranged a programme that moved at the right pace to keep us entertained yet wishing to return to see more.  Interspersed with all this visiting were a series of lunches and dinners that allowed you meet other Masters and their consorts.  I also met the Lord Mayor who said how much she had enjoyed Liveryman Sue Bonham’s fashion show in the Old Bailey; nice to be able to reinforce the work being done by Broderers in connection with our art.  We also established the past masters of 2014 association under soubriquet of ‘1 4 All’ (one for all).  Having failed to read the last page of the Ironbridge instructions I was not able to make the most of this opportunity to promote the Livery other than volunteering to be a member.  In my defence, however, if one already has a full business programme as well as a year of being Master to look forward to it doesn’t give one much time to organise another series events. 

The Mercers’ held their Associated Companies Dinner on 29th May and it was a great pleasure to attend along with the Warden, Renter Warden and Clerk.  The Mercers are most generous hosts and to receive a ‘Royal Flush ’ (In this instance is the Master the King and the Clerk to Ace or is the Master the Ace and the Clerk the Knave?) of Broderers was very kind. Fortunately I was not called upon to speak; that honour fell to the Master Mason who delivered a very eloquent perspective on our Association and its origins.  The Master Mercer also recalled his Northern Irish experience with the Associated Companies on a visit to Gullion Link.  Apparently the march around Slieve Gullion proved more of a test of stamina than expected.  I forbore to tell him the last time I visited the place was by helicopter in the company of a number of heavily armed men who were prepared for a week or two in the open, so a walking tour was not really a novelty for me.

On Tuesday 20th May, the Mistress (such fun to be able to use the term legitimately) and I had the great pleasure of attending Pewter Live 2014 hosted by the Worshipful Company of Pewterers.  This annual competition encourages students and established commercial pewter manufacturers and designers to submit their finest work.  It was quite a magnificent display a clearly demonstrated the wealth of talent we have in this country.  It was also an opportunity buy some of the pieces on display.  In this respect I am indebted to Liveryman Sue Bonham who led my wife with unerring accuracy to a stand of very attractive pewter jewellery.  Unsurprisingly we bought a very fine pewter necklace that was encouragingly affordable.  I recommend those having the opportunity to visit this and any future events.

On Friday 16th May, I attended a service of Thanksgiving in Southwark Cathedral for the late Past Master, Gerald Charrington who died in March 2013 and gave his body to medical science. The Service was attended by friends and relatives of the 280 people who gave their bodies University Hospitals in London and the South East in 2013.  It was very simple, moving and served as a reminder to families of how much their loved ones were appreciated by those students learning anatomy.  The service was further enlivened by stirring hymns, which gave the Charrington Choir; liverymen Richard, Harry and Past Master Nicholas a chance to fill the North Transept with their stentorian tones for the benefit of all.

Dear Fellow Broderers, having so kindly elected me as your Master I have set about the task of representing the livery with much enthusiasm.  My first engagement was at the St Bartholomew’s Hospital View day on 14th May.  For those who have yet to experience the event, it is a grand start to the year in office.  The evening began with a service in the Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great.  Being seated next to the Master Innholder I was able to reassure him that their membership of the Associated Companies was very much a topic du jour with Broderers and that the Immediate Past Master had relayed the Innholders alleged role as spies of the State, which he found so reassuring; some wry comment about leopards and spots followed.  Having a front pew position I was well placed to see the Masters of other Livery Companies and in particular the Master Firefighter, appropriately wreathed in clouds of smoke as the censer passed down the aisle.  The Choir’s singing was outstanding and served as a salutatory reminder to me get on with practice for the Master’s song.  The service also featured his Eminence Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh from the Russian Orthodox Church who gave the sermon, splendidly bearded and adorned with the top hat of their order.  Afterwards we were entertained in the Great Hall at St Bartholomew’s, which provided another excellent opportunity to introduce myself to other Masters and supporters of the Bart’s Charity as well as learning more about the history of the City. 

On Wednesday 21st May, under the Captaincy of Past Master Colin Hart, my son and I joined Liveryman James Neill for the Inter Livery Clay Pigeon Shoot and the Holland & Holland Shooting Ground.  If not blessed by skill, well certainly not on my part, the Broderers Team was at least blessed with enthusiasm and after hearty breakfast in the Club House we set about breaking clays with cheerful determination.  The stands were well set up and the whole operation went very smoothly.  Some stands were more difficult than others, notably the high tower but everyone connected to greater or lesser effect on each stand.  Without doubt the flush provided the best fun where my old gun’s barrels were soon too hot to touch. 

 We finished with an excellent lunch and a chance to reflect on our fortunes.  Colin was the clear winner in our team and the less said about my performance the better.  Note for the future: Get my son into the Livery and use the School’s guns.