of what the Livery movement should be about. I am keen to retain my position as Secretary of the Benevolent Fund during my year as Master. I do not think the two positions are incompatible and the Trustees have agreed to me keeping that position. I think the Benevolent Fund has made good progress over the last three years and now distributes more than ever to deserving causes. We can do more if the donations from the Livery can be increased. I am grateful to everyone who has supported my Jailed and Bailed appeal, in favour of the British Red Cross. The terrorist events have underlined the importance of that charity.
My Master’ s year started a day early with the Tobacco Trade Sponsored Lunch organised by Past Master Roger Merton. This event allows the Master to present the Livery’ s prize to the Tobacco Retailer of the Year. It was my pleasure to present our cheque for £ 500 to Chris Mercer who accepted the prize on behalf of James Barber of Otley. I also enjoyed the company of TV personality, Alexander Armstrong, who entertained us during and after lunch. I even had the opportunity to play‘ Pointless’! The proceeds of this event go to our Welfare Fund so I was there in two capacities.
My Installation Dinner was attended by Masters from other companies, many of our Liverymen and Freemen, their guests, my family members and old
The friends lunch. I am was grateful deliciously to Tony catered Scanlan by Mark for toasting Grove and the guests his team and at to Cook Richard & Butler Burrows and, we Chairman cracked along of British at a American goodly pace Tobacco. Our guests, for delivering were admirably an introduced entertaining by speech Liveryman that covered Fran Morrison the history and of our Principal tobacco. Richard Guest, Tim started Wonnacott with the gave Huron a generous native and very American humorous myth reply which to recalled which I in responded ancient times initially, by when drenching the land poor was barren Tim in and a glass the of people water were- he was very starving kind, the about Great it( Spirit sorry Tim sent!). forth I was a woman very pleased to to save show humanity off the. newly As she found travelled Livery over Grant the world of Arms, and everywhere Letters Patent her right which hand have touched been the missing soil, for there many years grew potatoes- our Clerk. Everywhere tenaciously her sought left hand them touched out, and the the soil new grew Immediate corn. And Past when Master the world, Chris was Allen rich, and his IPM fertile, Mark, she sat Gower-Smith down and rested have. funded When she a beautiful arose, representation there grew tobacco and they.‘ Producat are now terra resplendent’. We also in heard frames carved about development with tobacco of leaves the new( or close generation to); Sandra noncombustion a huge products banner aimed not seen at reducing since 1985 risk and to Angus the
also located Menzies consumer, Clerk. to the Master Mariners and never shy of In a the challenge splendid saw setting to it of that
Skinners it was displayed
’ Hall, it was on a the jolly Quarterdeck event with good
. humour, friendship, the clinking of
Whilst glasses all and this, on was the going roof terrace on, apparently, the aroma biblicalstyle cigars downpours and Armagnac were. being A perfect had start all over to my London year.
of Cuban
- oblivious to all that drama we ended our lunch and trooped back to the quarterdeck where Coffee, Cigars, and Cognac awaited us( I did mention that our Livery enjoyed dining on the High 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 conceived as a sort of shooting hat, it serves its purpose so well as a“ team” hat, that of the twenty ordered, but one remained by the close of the day! Thank you to the Master Mariners for allowing us the use of the venue, to Tim for being a perfect Principal Guest, and for everyone attending and giving my year such a special start.
The Master
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