The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 28 Winter 2017 | Page 14

Treasure Hunting
The lunch was deliciously catered by Mark Grove
and his team at Cook & Butler and we cracked
along at a goodly pace. Our guests were admirably
introduced by Liveryman Fran Morrison and our
Principal Guest, Tim Wonnacott gave a generous and
very humorous reply to which I responded initially
by drenching poor Tim in a glass of water - he was
very kind about it (sorry Tim!). I was very pleased
to show off the newly found Livery Grant of Arms
and Letters Patent which have been missing for many
years - our Clerk tenaciously sought them out, and
the new Immediate Past Master, Chris Allen, and his
IPM, Mark Gower-Smith have funded a beautiful re-
presentation and they are now resplendent in frames
carved with tobacco leaves (or close to); Sandra also
located a huge banner not seen since 1985 and Angus
Menzies, Clerk to the Master Mariners and never shy
of a challenge saw to it that it was displayed on the
Quarterdeck.
Whilst all this was going on, apparently biblical-
Our Livery may not be amongst the wealthiest in the City but we are rich in other ways, one of which is the
style downpours were being had all over London
generosity of our members. Over the years, we have been given many gifts from Past Masters, Freemen,
- oblivious to all that drama we ended our lunch
Liverymen, Clerks and other friends. Some of these gifts are stored carefully in our vaults at Stationers’ Hall.
and trooped back to the quarterdeck where Coffee,
Some – such as our gowns and our banner - are in regular use at our meetings and dinners, or brought out for
Cigars, either
and Cognac
awaited
us (I did
that
special occasions. A few are on permanent display to the public,
in London’s
Guildhall
or at mention
the Broseley
our Livery enjoyed dining on the High C’s..) and
Pipe Factory, part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums (www.ironbridge.org.uk).
which seemed to hit the mark – Liveryman Jemma
Amongst the items on show at Broseley is this beautiful tobacco
box. had
Made
from provided
Welsh slate,
each side cigars
is
Freeman
kindly
the torpedo
delicately gilded and hand-painted with famous scenes that and
would
have
been
included
in
any
self-respecting
had had them placed in souvenir tubes with our
19th century tourist’s visit to Wales. We can see Thomas Telford’s
Menai Suspension
Bridge, of completed
in 1826;
Crest emblazoned
on it. Several
us also sported
the Eagle Tower at Caernarfon Castle with flags flying; an unidentified
mill
near
Llanberis
at
the
foot
of
Mount
a limited edition Livery Smoking hat - originally
Snowdon; and a view of Pont-y-Pair near Betws-y-coed, a 16th
century as packhorse
bridge which
conceived
a sort of shooting
hat, it carried
serves the
its main
London to Holyhead road in the early 19th century. Sadly, purpose
we can only
guess
at
what
might
have
been
painted
so well as a “team” hat, that of the twenty on
the lid, as it is missing.
ordered, but one remained by the close of the day!
to the boxes
Master
for allowing
As well as the slate box, our Broseley collection consists of Thank
six lead you
tobacco
and Mariners
an Edwardian
brass us the
use
of tobacco
the venue,
to were
Tim presented
for being to
a perfect
Principal
vending box. Our Annual Report for 1955/56 recorded that
“six
jars”
the Livery
by Mr
Guest,
and
for
everyone
attending
and
giving
my
F J Fox and we have recently discovered that the original paperwork relating to their purchase may still be in the
a special
archives at JJ Fox in St James’. Assuming this relates to the year
lead such
boxes,
we have start.
not yet established who gave us
the slate box or the brass vending box.
Sadly, only two of our tobacco boxes held in Ironbridge are on public display at present but we are hoping to find
The
Master
a way of improving this in the near future. In the meantime, if anyone has any more information about
this
collection, we’d be delighted to hear from you! Please contact Jacqueline Burrows at
[e-mail].
Jacqueline Burrows
Assistant and Honorary Archivist
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