The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 29 Summer 2018 | Page 31

Here’s one of our prints, with a brief explanation of its history and context.
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.
“Soulagement en Prison; or
Comfort in Prison.” Underneath
the title is a quotation from John
Milton’s L’Allegro (1645): “Hence
Loathed Melancholy, of Cerberus
and blackest Midnight born”.
Drawn from life and etched by
Richard Newton, published 2o
August 1793. by William Holland
of 50 Oxford Street.
Wealthy, genteel but radical
prisoners and their visitors are
gathered around Lord George
Gordon’s dining table in the state
rooms of Newgate Prison, enjoying
pipes of tobacco, tankards of ale
and glasses of wine or Madeira.
The walls are covered in paintings
and prints. A serving woman
stands by with a jug of beer.
Each character is identified by a
number, with a key listing their
names below. Gordon sports
a spectacular beard and wide-
Whilst all this was going on, apparently biblical-
style downpours were being had all over London
- oblivious
to all that
we ended
our lunch
brimmed hat. Leader
of the anti-
1. drama
Lord George
Gordon
and trooped
quarterdeck
where Coffee,
Catholic Gordon Riots,
he had back to
2. the
William
Holland
Cigars,
and years
Cognac awaited us (I did mention that
been sentenced in 1788
to five
3. Thomas Lloyd
our Livery
in Newgate for defaming
Marie enjoyed dining on the High C’s..) and
4. the
Thomas
Macon
mark – Townley
Liveryman
Jemma
Antoinette and the which
French seemed
and to hit
5.
James
Ridgway
Freeman
had kindly provided the torpedo cigars
British governments.
Many others
and had
had them 6.
placed
in souvenir
tubes with our
Henry
Delahay Symonds
in the picture had been
imprisoned
Crest materials,
emblazoned on
it.
Several
of
us
also
sported
for publishing seditious
7. Matthew Miller
a limited and
edition Livery (identified
Smoking in
hat
- originally
including Henry Symonds
other
versions
conceived
as
a
sort
of
shooting
hat,
it
serves its
James Ridgeway, who appear at
as Charles Piggott)
so well as a “team” hat, that of the twenty
the bottom right of purpose
the picture,
8. Richard Newton (Visitor)
ordered, but one remained by the close of the day!
facing to the left. (Symonds
9. Doctor
Dowlin
you wig;
to the Master
Mariners
for allowing us the
sports a particularly Thank
ill-fitting
10.
William
Smith
use to
of him.)
the venue, to Tim for being a perfect Principal
Ridgeway has his back
Guest,
and for everyone
attending
giving my
11. Spencer
Enoe and
(Visitor)
The publisher himself, William
year such
a special 12.
start.
Holland, was imprisoned
for the
John Frost
same crime. The conditions may
13. William Williams
look comfortable, but two of the
14. Doctor Watson (Visitor)
men depicted would be dead and
The Master
15. William Stabler
two more ill with typhoid before
the etching was a year old. Gordon 16. Mrs Moore (Servant)
was one: he contracted typhoid and
died in Newgate in 1793, the year
Jacqueline Burrows
this picture was published.
Honorary Archivist
31
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