The Livery Newsletter and Gazette Issue 32 Spring 2020 | Page 30

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Please follow the link below to join our private WIT
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Our First Virtual Event
The Covid-19 situation may have paralysed life as we
know it, but we Tobacco Pipe Makers are a tenacious
lot and, thanks to the wonders of technology and the
enterprise of newish Liveryman Roger Southam, an
inaugural ‘Smoking Social’ was held on Thursday 9th
April via Zoom.
Starting at 7pm and lasting approximately 50 minutes,
some fourteen Liverymen and Freemen met over
the ether, half smoking pipes or cigars and wearing,
naturally, the Livery smoking cap. Included were
four Past Masters (Merton, Tranter, Miller and
Edmondson), the Third Warden, Paul Taberer and the
Fourth Warden, Elise Rasmussen (accompanied by
her son Freeman William) who was one of three ladies
with Liveryman Martine Petetin and our Clerk (who’s
also a Liveryman), Sandra, there to maintain order
from her command bunker in Sutton.
High sartorial standards were maintained from
South Devon by Liveryman Christopher Lally (called
‘Vivienne’ on the screen for some reason!) sporting
a striped blazer, our cap and bow tie and smoking a
fine calabash; Liveryman Archie Smith looked like he
had the most senior cigar on the go in Hertfordshire
and looked very at home with his claret and we were
able to glimpse never-before-seen interiors of various
domiciles and gardens. The joy of this sort of internet
forum means that members can, time zones allowing,
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join us from anywhere in the world and indeed,
organiser Roger (to whom a vote of thanks) joined us
from the Cayman Islands whilst the Chaplain tried to
convince us he was in San Francisco - but none of us
were taken in, sorry David!
I joined a minute or two past 7pm by when Past
Master Tranter had already held a ten point meeting
and was on to something else.. a paper is being
prepared for the Court which, the way things are
going may also be via Zoom. Past Master Merton
impressed upon us that he had not been idle at home
and had spent his time growing a fine set of whiskers,
ironically Past Master Edmondson had just shed his
-- perhaps Buckinghamshire is more clement than
Herts? Third Warden Paul Taberer joined us from
some fine Palladian pile which we assumed was his
weekend cottage until a waiter popped in with a tray
bearing his refill! (or was it his butler?) The banter was
pleasant and the rounds cheap, and it was very good
to see so many old (in the metaphorical sense) faces
as the lock-down came just as we were about to enjoy
a little flurry of events, including our Election Court
and Lunch. The time passed in a pleasant haze with
and if someone talked too long, the mute button was
always available! I hope this will become a regular
event whilst we’re in loco parentis and perhaps even
beyond – we’re going to have to face up to a Brave New