The Clerk’s Blog

EVENTS ATTENDED IN 2009

Today has been a day of sending out bits of paper (at least of the electronic variety): a list of questions to be discussed at this evening’s extra Court meeting (to consider members’ feedback from the recent online survey); a communication to Court members about the Election Court, followed by a Court supper, on 2nd July; a communication about the same date to new members who need to be admitted to the Freedom of the Guild; a communication to all members about a wine-tasting event to be held in August - and so on and so forth.  Each document requires some finalising before it can be sent out, budgets need to be drawn up, and every communication generates more e-mails to be answered - not necessarily about the subject originally under discussion!

The Court meeting, held in the Aldermen’s Court Room at Guildhall, was constructive.  Over the next few months, members should see that the Court has taken note of various concerns raised in the survey and taken steps to address them.

Then I went to Tesco to get something for supper, and got the 242 bus back to Hoxton.  And at about 9.30pm I actually got on to some work on THE BOOK.  (I daren’t look at Amazon.com, as I fear my American publisher may already be publicising this book which I have nowhere near written yet…)

 Today was a Courtauld day, but mercifully clear of appointments as the deadline for the MA dissertations has arrived, so I no longer have a queue of students slogging up the 98 stairs to my room in search of advice on their 10,000 words.  Instead I had a draft chapter of someone’s Ph.D thesis to read, over which I spent an enjoyable two hours in the Seamen’s Hall at Somerset House, a very civilised space in which to drink one’s latte and think.

I was also in recovery mode, after a very enjoyable Joint Livery Dinner at Mansion House on Wednesday evening.  One of the highlights was undoubtedly the post-horn gallop, performed by members of the London Banqueting Ensemble.  After all the organising - which I shared with the admirable Rebecca de Lucy of the Information Technologists’ Company - I needed a good night’s sleep, but didn’t entirely get it, as there was some sort of disturbance outside my door (sounded like two drug-crazed young men throwing one another down the corridor, though I’m not sure whether that was really what it was) at 4.15am.  And I had been dreaming of St Seraphim of Sarov, a Russian hermit canonised by Tsar Nicholas II in 1903.  He was famed for standing for 100 days on a rock, praying to the Blessed Virgin.  I managed an hour (not standing on a rock, but sitting on a bench) in front of my favourite image of the Virgin in the Courtauld today, a perfect antidote to any psychic disturbance.

Lunch today with the Security Professionals at Drapers’ Hall.  I was seated with a number of other Clerks at the end of a sprig, so the company was congenial.  And the lemon tart was stunning.

Otherwise I’ve been completing a few minor arrangements for the Guild’s Joint Livery Dinner (with the Information Technologists Company) at Mansion House tomorrow.  It’s all pretty much under control by now, with just the occasional query to deal with.  The cheque is written for the winner of the first Herald’s Award (to be announced by Windsor Herald at the dinner), the table plan has been agreed, the processional order sorted out, and the ‘allocution’ (i.e. the introduction to each speech - ‘Masters, Deputy Master, Wardens, My Lord Mayor etc etc’) written out & distributed by Barry, the Information Technologists’ Beadle.  About 250 people are expected - despite the difficulties thrown in their way by the tube strike engineered by that dinosaur of industrial relations, Bob Crowe - and it should be a very enjoyable evening.

Other Guild things I’ve done today include despatching a cheque for £100 to ‘Rock Challenge’ - an initiative chosen by the Master to support this year. 

I also managed a whole hour & a half of research for my next book, reading a really interesting article about images of the Romanovs in 1913.  The censors allowed innovations for the celebrations of the dynasty’s tercentenary, including portraits of the imperial family to appear on scarves - but with the stipulation that the scarves were not to be used as handkerchiefs.  No blowing one’s nose on the Tsar!

If bridge isn’t your thing, then how about swimming?  The Chartered Surveyors’ Company will be holding the 17th Inter-Livery Swimathon on Monday 30 March 2009 at the Royal Automobile Club, Woodcote Park, Epsom, Surrey.

The Chartered Surveyors’ Company Prize (a silver salver) is awarded annually to the Company which raises the most money through participation in the Swimathon and has been won in past years by the Tallow Chandlers, Paviors, Actuaries and Chartered Surveyors.

Each participating Company provides a team of five or more swimmers to swim a total distance of 5,000 metres per team.  This is not a competitive race, the simple object being to complete the course.

Companies taking part generally donate at least part of the funds they raise in sponsorship to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal.  Promotional leaflets and sponsorship forms are provided by the Chartered Surveyors, but participants are asked to manage their own fundraising.  The Swimathon will be followed by an informal dinner in the Club’s Cedar Room.

If any Freemen would like to be part of a team in the Swimathon, please let me know by mid-January.

The Clerk

An Inter-Livery Bridge Competition is organised every year by the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards, and any Bridge-playing Freemen are invited to participate.  Here’s what the Makers of Playing Cards say about it:

The 2009 competition will be the 27th year that we have sponsored this Inter-Livery event and these are the details:

 Date: Monday, 2nd March 2009 (applications by Monday, 2nd February 2009 please.)

 Venue: Drapers’ Hall, Throgmorton Street, London EC2N 2DQ

 Times: Reception 5.00 p.m. First session 5.45 pm. Dinner at 7.00pm. Second session

8.30pm. Prize-giving 10.10pm. Conclusion 10.30pm.

 Dress code: Lounge Suits, with Badges and Company Ties where appropriate please.

The Bridge will be played in the two well illuminated Reception Rooms. Dinner will be served between playing sessions in the splendid Livery Hall, with table service. Coffee, tea and biscuits will be served after the Competition while awaiting the results and prize-giving.

Prize-giving is planned to begin by the Master Card Maker at 10.10pm and the evening will conclude at about 10.30pm. Competitors are asked to remain for the presentations. We are delighted that the Worshipful Company of Drapers can again accommodate us next year, and we are extremely grateful to The Master Draper for his kind permission for the use of the Hall in 2009. As in previous years, individual prizes will be presented to the top three pairs. The Improvers prize has been discontinued in favour of a new prize for the best pair who are or have been members of the Court of a Livery Company. There are additional prizes: The Thorpe Tankard for the top Livery team (i.e., the top two pairs representing the same Livery or Guild) and The Actuaries’ Trophy for the top ‘Flitch’ married couple playing together. The Maurice Trophy is for the highest-placed pair from The Makers of Playing Cards Company.

All Trophies will be held for one year. Prizes are for winners to keep. Please note that the Trophies are to be returned to the Trophy member of the Committee, having been engraved, ready for presentation at the next competition. It has been agreed that the cost of engraving shall be met by the WC of Makers of Playing Cards. Last year’s winners will be contacted directly about the trophies.

It is up to each Company to decide how to choose its pair or pairs however one of the participants in each pair must have a bona fide connection with the Company they represent. A spouse or son or daughter or other close relative of the Liveryman/Freeman would be welcome to pair with him/her and there is no limit to the number of pairs a Company may enter. Widows and widowers of past Members of your Company may also partner a Member of your Company (this allows them to continue playing in the Competition after the demise of the Competition-qualifying Member).

All Members and Officers of a Company may participate, that is Liverymen, Freemen, Apprentices, Yeomen, Clerks, Assistant Clerks and Beadles – in other words we hope to be as inclusive as possible. The charge for entering the 2009 competition will be £110 per pair, inclusive of VAT, and is unchanged from last year. The closing date for entering the Competition is Monday 2nd February 2009. Space is limited and you are urged to submit entries as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please let me know (by e-mailing clerk@prguild.org) if you would like to participate, & I will send you a form.

I’m going to be using the Clerk’s Blog to keep members of the Guild of Public Relations Practitioners up to date with events in the City, opportunities to join with members of other Guilds and Livery Companies, to remind them of matters concerning our own Guild, and so on. 

And of course I’ll be pleased to hear from any Freemen with ideas they may wish to contribute, or comments they may wish to make.

I hope this blog may also prove of interest to people considering joining the Guild.

The Clerk.