The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 26 Winter 2016 | Page 5

pipes personally until well into his retirement. He
was a champion of the ‘Gentle Art of Smoking’,
regularly alternating his huge personal collection of
Dunhill pipes.

Perhaps at his happiest, Richard enjoyed the smoke
filled rooms where he could enjoy his passion for
backgammon. He was a world-class player and often
seen
in thewas
company
of hiscatered
good friend,
Omar
Sharif.
The lunch
deliciously
by Mark
Grove

and
his also
teamaatprolific
Cook collector
& Butler and
cracked
He was
and we
some
here present
along
at
a
goodly
pace.
Our
guests
were
admirably
may recall his purchase of Craven A cigarette cards.
introduced
by Liveryman
Franhe
Morrison
I bought a few
cigarette cards,
told Pat and
and our
they
Principal
Guest,
Tim
Wonnacott
gave
a
generous
then arrived in two trucks. He also had the largestand
very
humorous
reply toand
which
I responded
initially
collection
of Meccano
limited
edition cabinet
by
poor Tim in a glass of water - he was
setsdrenching
in England.
very kind about it (sorry Tim!). I was very pleased
Richard
served
as Master
of the
Worshipful
to show off
the newly
found
Livery
Grant of Arms
Company
of
Tobacco
Pipe
Makers
and
Tobacco
and Letters Patent which have been missing
for many
Blenders
inClerk
1987/88.
Alfred Dunhill
was a out,
founder
years - our
tenaciously
sought them
and
member
and
Master
in
1955/56.
Apart
from
Alfred
the new Immediate Past Master, Chris Allen, and his
and
three other Dunhill
directors
to havereIPM,Richard,
Mark Gower-Smith
have funded
a beautiful
Richard was in his element when representing the
served
as Master
Hardcastle
(68/69); Ken
presentation
and Eddy
they are
now resplendent
in frames
company at prestigious events. He was an elegant
Haward
(77/78)
and
myself
(2002/03).
carved with tobacco leaves (or close to); Sandra also
and perfect gentleman, a statesman rather than just
located a huge banner not seen since 1985 and Angus
Richard is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years,
a figurehead. The Queen is known to have enjoyed
Menzies, Clerk to the Master Mariners and never shy
Pat, his daughter, Susan who lives in Las Vegas and
his company and Richard was proud to be the Royal
of a challenge saw to it that it was displayed on the
his sons Mark and Christopher. His youngest son,
Warrant Holder for the Alfred Dunhill Company.
Quarterdeck.
Johnny sadly passed away.
He presided over numerous high profile events for
Whilst all this was going on, apparently biblicalmany years including the Dunhill Polo, The Dunhill
In many ways, life for Richard was really a ‘Pipe
style downpours were being had all over London
Horse of the Year Show at Olympia and The Dunhill
Dream’!
- oblivious to all that drama we ended our lunch
Cup golf tournament at St Andrews until it became
and trooped back to the quarterdeck where Coffee,
the Dunhill Links Championship, one of the most
Cigars, and Cognac awaited us (I did mention that
prestigious tournaments on the European Tour.
Walter
our Livery enjoyed diningPast
on Master
the HighMichael
C’s..) and
which seemed to hit the mark – Liveryman Jemma
Freeman had kindly provided the torpedo cigars
and had had them placed in souvenir tubes with our
Crest emblazoned on it. Several of us also sported
a limited edition Livery Smoking hat - originally
Past Master Richardconceived
Vanderpump
as a sort of shooting hat, it serves its
purpose so well as a “team” hat, that of the twenty
We are sad to record the death
of Pastbut
Master
Richard Vanderpump
ordered,
one remained
by the close ofwho
the was
day!our
Master 1997-1998.
Thank you to the Master Mariners for allowing us the
use ofhethe
venue,
to Tim of
forthe
being
a perfect
In addition to being our Master,
was
also Master
Gold
& SilverPrincipal
Wyre
Guest,
and
for
everyone
attending
and
giving my
Drawers and Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths Company.
year such a special start.
Richard did much for our Company in making sure that our own silver was
always in order and when requested, obtaining and making new pieces of silver
for us.
The Master
He was the winner of the Pipe Smoker of the Year
award in 2002 to be succeeded the following year by
Stephen Fry after which this popular event had to be
cancelled due to concerns that the award broke new
laws on tobacco advertising. The list of winners is a
veritable who’s who, including Harold Wilson who
was Pipeman in 1965 and Pipeman of the decade in
1976. Dunhill made Character Pipes for each winner
in designs that reflected the winners’ career. Works of
art, hand carved from the finest briar in the Dunhill
workshop.

A very jolly member of the Court who will be greatly missed.
Past Master Derek Harris
35