24.08.21 Liveryman Simon Diffey
Consort’s Corner
Pictured above: Johanne Moss receives her award from Rt Hon The Lord Mayor William Russell escorted by Liveryman Simon Diffey
Mansion House Luncheon with the Lady Mayoress
In July, I was delighted and honoured to be invited to a private Consorts’ Luncheon at Mansion House by the Lady Mayoress, Hilary Russell, writes Liveryman Simon Diffey.
Having known the Master Farrier for some years, I had agreed to escort his consort and wife, Mrs Wilsher to the event. We were also joined by Charles Nodder, consort to the Master Salter and we all walked together to Mansion House.
With social distancing still in place there were just two tables of six which included consorts from the Girdlers, Ironmongers, Brewers and Joiners to name a few. Sheriff Mainelli’s wife was also in attendance. It was a great lunch, very convivial and The Lady Mayoress brought her dog with her who has kept her and the Lord Mayor sane through the pandemic and who I understand has been nominated to become a member of my wife’s Past Master association, ‘The unmutables’ as he has often been seen on Zoom!
The Lord Mayor’s COVID-19 Livery Awards
On a hot summer’s day, I had the great honour of escorting Johanne Moss from St James Garlickhythe to Mansion House to receive her COVID-19 Livery Award from the Rt Hon The Lord Mayor, William Russell. She received it for her morale-boosting online posts each morning via the St James Garlickhythe e-mail. Johanne was thrilled, and proudly had her photograph taken with the Lord Mayor who presented her with a certificate and a beautiful Mansion House tea set.
It was an honour to be a part of this special day. Only 26 presentations were made out of the 110 Livery companies that may have applied and so as a Coachmaker it made it very special that our nominee was chosen.
If you would like to sign up to receive these wonderful posts then the please send Johanne a request to adminSJG@london.anglican.org and she will add you to her list of recipients.
Warwick Square dinner party at the Old Bailey
I was delighted to be invited to a private dinner of just 12 consorts at the Old Bailey by Alderman and Sherriff Prof. Michael Mainelli’s wife, Elizabeth. We had the most interesting grand tour of the building. Of course everybody wanted to see what it felt like to be in the dock in Court No1, and step inside a prison cell.
Dinner was delicious and the company grand. I spoke with Consort Leatherseller, Fiona Muirhead. My wife, the Master, had dined with her husband the night before at the Leathersellers’ Hall. And I met Rebecca Collins who is the City Recorder’s Assistant, a very important job. It turned out that she is the niece of one of my best friends, and I had known her since she was a child. It’s a small world.
All in all, I have been most fortunate to have had these three wonderful opportunities in a year that has been deplete of functions, and made a few new friends along the way.