The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 29 Summer 2018 | Page 11

The 400th Anniversary
On 27th June 2019, the Company will celebrate
the 400th Anniversary of the establishment of
the original Company of Tobacco Pipe Makers of
Westminster.
As part of this, our Clerk turned Sherlock Holmes
and has been able to retrieve a copy of that
Company’s Grant of Arms (see below).
The original company, founded on the heels of Sir
Walter Raleigh’s return from North America was
incorporated by James I. It failed in 1643 probably
because of non-payment of the annual rent due to
the King - it was after all during the Civil War! Our
Modern Company, established in 1954, is proud to
be associated with this long and eclectic past!
The
was deliciously
by Mark
Our lunch
celebration
next year catered
will therefore
be Grove
a
and
his for
team
Cook & Butler
and
we cracked
chance
our at members
and our
guests
to enjoy
along
at a goodly
Our guests
admirably
this tradition
- our pace.
celebration
will were
centre
around a
introduced
by
Liveryman
Fran
Morrison
our in
service of Evensong at the historic Temple and
Church
Principal
Guest, Tim
gave
a generous
and
the City, followed
by a Wonnacott
reception at
Middle
Temple.
very humorous reply to which I responded initially
Please
put the poor
date Tim
of Thursday
27th
June 2019
in
by drenching
in a glass
of water
- he was
your
diaries!
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 Andrew
them out,
and
Golding
the new Immediate
Past Master,
Chris Allen,
and 400th
his
Senior Warden
and Chairman
of the
IPM, Mark Gower-Smith have Anniversary
funded a beautiful
re-
Committee
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-
style downpours were being had all over London
- 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.
T he Master
College of Arms Misc. Grants 1 f. 61v. Reproduced by permission of the Kings,
Heralds and Pursuivants of Arms
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