Clerk’s notes October 2019

Now that the new Livery Year is in full swing the first of the major Livery Dinners of the year is imminent. The annual Aerospace Industry Dinner will again be held at Clothworkers’ Hall and I encourage all those who have not yet done so to book their tickets now.

If you have not attended the Aerospace Industry Dinner in recent years I strongly recommend that you attend this one. Our guest speaker is a highly accomplished and experienced RAF fast jet navigator with command experience, and a trail blazer for women in the armed forces. You will also see, hear about and have the chance to meet a plethora of young award winners whose achievements at such young ages is a heartening example of the range and depth of talent that the Coachmakers Company is able to support. And if that wasn’t enough you’ll also get to hear the Master make his first major speech of the year – what’s not to like? Click here for tickets.

Prior to that, on 20th October the Livery Committee has arranged for a small group of Coachmakers to visit and dine onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia berthed in Leith near Edinburgh. The question on the lips of all those attending no doubt will be, is there really Sunshine on Leith?

I am also pleased to remind everyone that once again the Coachmakers’ Company will be taking part in the annual Lord Mayor’s Show. This year we will be entering the Millennium Coach. This magnificent vehicle was completed in 2001, built by Fenix Carriages in the traditional manner, with construction taking nearly 3,000 man-hours over a 15-month period. The body is constructed from seasoned ash, all the ironwork for the chassis was hand-forged by Court Assistant Mark Broadbent and his team, and it was finished to its full glory with more than 18 coats of paint. The coach is currently displayed, on behalf of the owners, as part of the collection at Fenix Carriages in Devon and we are grateful to them for being able to use it this year.

The show route is three miles long and travels from Bank to Aldwych, via St Paul’s, and then returns along Embankment. Coachmakers are encouraged to join the Master and Mistress and participate in this historic event, which is free to attend if you join the Master, and although it must be said that the event is usually visited upon by rain clouds at some point in the day, for those who have thus far resisted the temptation to buy their own Coachmakers’ umbrella (in blue), if it does look like rain you’ll be given one free of charge. For those who do join the Master, a restaurant will be reserved in the City for a late lunch after the Show, payment for which will be arranged at the time; you can book your place here.

Alternatively, if you wish to simply watch this magnificent procession from the grandstand, please contact Court Steward Richard Robinson directly for more information on: 07799 412326 or rhmrobinson@hotmail.co.uk.

Looking further ahead, the annual Christmas Carol Service will once again be held at St James Garlickhythe followed by supper at Tallow Chandlers Hall on 12th December 2019. The book for this event will open around the end of October.

Also the Winter Court Dinner will be held at Watermens’ Hall on Thursday 23rd January 2020. We have not in recent years visited Watermens’ Hall but it is an extremely attractive hall with an interesting history, although a little smaller than many of the halls we usually frequent. Taking into account the Christmas break, the book for this event will open in mid-November and I encourage you to book early when it does. For now, if you wish to see what the hall looks like follow this link: http://www.watermenshall.co.uk/

A list of future Coachmaker events can be found here – the list is constantly being updated so do keep an eye on it.

In City News I encourage you to read the City of London’s Livery Briefing for October 2019 by following this link. I draw your attention particularly to the various Livery Briefing Courses that are available for those who wish to know more about the history of the Livery community and what part the City Corporation plays in the life of the City and the Livery community. The courses also offer the opportunity to meet members of other Livery Companies. There is a variety of other City news that you will find interesting, particularly the details of the Charity Christmas Market during which you will see Guildhall transformed into the ultimate shopping experience on Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 November.

During the Charity Christmas Event you can shop at more than 100 stalls selling handmade, unique and exclusive gifts; get a cookery book signed by food editor William Sitwell or chef Monica Galetti; listen to guest speakers sharing their tips for wellness; or see designers showcasing their clothes on the Catwalk of Kindness. On the Monday at 8pm in the Art Gallery there will be a live auction with a Spitfire flight, a visit to William Sitwell’s Supper Club, and a year of wine on offer. Or you can muse over the items in the silent auction online via the jumblebee website which can be accessed from the link in the City Livery Briefing. With prizes including holidays, tickets to the Royal Opera House, a box at Ascot, and sumptuous dinners in top restaurants – there really is something for everyone.

On the Tuesday you can also treat yourself to a Festive Luncheon or Champagne Afternoon Tea, both of which will be served in the beautiful medieval crypt. If you fancy something a little lighter, then visit the Café in the Crypt or one of the food stalls in the Guildhall Yard. All proceeds go towards the life-saving work of the British Red Cross in the UK and overseas. For more details, and to book tickets, visit the Red Cross website which can also be accessed from the City Livery Briefing. For more details and a personal invitation from Honorary Coachmaker Alderman Alastair King, follow this link.

In other news, the Coachmaker incorporating the Directory will be despatched very soon, please check your entry on receipt and if it is not correct I’d be grateful if you would log-on to your personal page on the Coachmaker website and update your details and drop me a note with the same.

Finally, in the next edition of Coachlines, a Coachmaker will tell his story about a motorcycling trip he recently completed. Unfortunately it will make the trip I made with Liveryman Christopher Tate in the summer to the Orkney Islands and back look like a shopping trip to pick up a bottle of milk. If only the Master would give me the time off…

That said, since mentioning my two-wheeled interest, a number of Coachmakers have declared that they too are not averse to wearing flies in their teeth. As a result I am thinking of arranging a Coachmaker ride-in to the National Motorcycle Museum at Solihull next spring. Therefore if you are happy to declare a penchant for natural air-conditioning and regard all other road users as accidents waiting to happen, let me know and I’ll put together a plan.

The LAMBs at the Old Barn

For now, it has stopped raining so that means it must be about to start raining but I might just have enough time to check up on the latest addition to the Old Barn menagerie – the Lawn Area Maintenance Boys. Named Dennis, Ransome and ATCO after well-known British lawn mower manufacturers, they do exactly what the modern computerised autonomous mowers do but they are much more fun to watch.

See you all at Clothworkers’ Hall on 14th November.