The Newsletter of the Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters
K
nitter
An Installation with the Midas Touch
Our Bursary Winners
Captain Freestone
Dining in gilded splendour
The Milton String Quartet
The Master, accompanied by her consort Duncan King, Upper Warden Ian Grundy and his wife Julia and our Under Warden Tony Jarvis and his wife Mary welcomed family, liverymen, friends and guests. The drinks reception followed in the beautiful Drawing Room. After Grace, we sat down to a delicious meal of spiced potted shrimps followed by pan-seared beef fillet and a very decorative Eton mess, all accompanied by fine wines. The Sung Grace and the Ceremony of the Loving Cup were followed by the Toasts to the Queen, the Royal Family and the Lord Mayor, after which the Milton String Quartet, who are students at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, performed two delightful pieces. Past Master George Turner then presented two Bursary winners – Szilvia Burrows and Verity Germer – to the Master.The Toast to the Guests, of whom more than 100 were present, was eloquently and informatively proposed by Assistant Philip Tranter. The response to this Toast was made by Captain John Freestone, whose wife – Jenny – has recently become a member of our Company. The eminent Captain had retired after 50 years at sea, during which time he became the Senior River and Bridge Pilot for the Port of London in 1989. He had also been the Captain of the Queen’s Barge (the Spirit of Chartwell) during the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant. On that day he was both Captain and Pilot of the Barge, and was very relieved when he successfully navigated Waterloo Bridge! After he had proposed a toast to the Master and the Company, the Master responded.
As it was Friday 13th, the Master mentioned some disastrous Friday 13ths in history. In 1307, Philip of France arrested and then executed Knights Templar, while in 1940 Buckingham Palace had been bombed. She also referred to a young New York man who on that day had taken to his bed for safety and had been killed when his floor collapsed. The Master mentioned that her grandfather, her father, three uncles, her brother and her cousin had all been Masters of the Company, and she referred to her own knitting abilities when in 2014 she had knitted coverings for a bike to celebrate the Tour de France coming to Yorkshire. Continuing, the Master paid tribute to her cousin – Past Master the Honourable Elizabeth Green – who, as a candidate to become the non-Aldermanic Sheriff of the City, has so far attended over 140 events. The Master urged members illuminate the grandly decorated gold ceiling. Also of note is the display of the Goldsmiths’ Company Ceremonial Plate.
of our Livery and other liverymen to vote for her at the Guildhall on 25th June. Finally, the Master thanked IPM Peter White and also Shaun – our Clerk – before presenting the traditional gift of pairs of Framework Knitters socks to Captain Freestone and his wife. The Company then withdrew for the customary stirrup cup, bringing a splendid evening in Goldsmiths’ Hall to an end.
Liveryman Helen Woolfe The Installation Dinner for Master Sheila Turner was held at the magnificent Goldsmiths’ Hall, a particular favourite of her family. The original Hall was built in 1339, succeeded by another in the seventeenth Century, with the present Hall dating from the 1820s. Particularly remarkable are the stunning chandeliers in the Livery Hall, lit by twinkling candles, which
New ... New... News !!
To demonstrate that many of our Masters have talents that truly justify their title of Master (Framework) Knitter, here’s a sample of our new Master’s handicraft – a knitted bicycle.
Sadly, history doesn’t reveal if she rode away on it afterwards !! We are delighted to welcome a new Liveryman: here’s all about him.
New Liverymen
David Young was born in Calverton, the Nottinghamshire village where the Reverend William Lee invented the first Stocking Frame in 1563. Whilst David’s maternal great, great grandfather created a dynasty of coal owners and Liberal Members of Parliament, he also managed to marry off his 12 children to the heirs of leading industrialists across the County. One was the daughter of William Hollins, inventor of the Viyella and Aertex Shirt. David’s career followed a completely different path, and involved 45 years in the marketing and advertising industry. He has worked as a senior executive with a number of companies within the WPP Group PLC, the world’s largest communications network, across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, recently retiring as divisional global operations
director of advertising group Ogilvy and Mather. During the first 22 years, David managed to combine his civilian work with time served as a reservist being the fourth generation of his family to serve with the South Notts. Hussars. He also saw service with 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery. He was awarded the Territorial Decoration in 1980. Married to Elizabeth, David has two grown-up daughters and four grandchildren, and lives in Rutland where it borders on both Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. David, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, served as a Justice of the Peace for both the Leicestershire and Greater London Commissions from 1986 until 1993 when business took him abroad. He also sat on the CBI Small Firms Standing Committee from 1984 to 1986. Whilst David retired from army service at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel at the age of 34, he still maintains links with the military as County Chairman of ABF – the Soldiers’ Charity – Leicestershire & Rutland Committee. He is a Board Member for the Armed Forces Covenant and Trustee of the War Memorial Homes. He is also currently Show Director for the Leicestershire Agricultural Society.
THE WORSHIPFUL
COMPANY OF
FRAMEWORK
KNITTERS
2018-19
The Master Sheila Turner [email protected] Upper Warden Ian Grundy Under Warden Anthony Jarvis The Clerk Shaun Mackaness The Grange, Kimcote Lutterworth LE17 5RU 01455 - 203152[email protected] This Newsletter is produced by the Editorial Team with the guidance of the Social Committee.
Editor Paul Bethel 020 - 8878 2268 [email protected] Editorial Team Claire Bethel Diana de Froment Shaun Mackaness
The Social Committee Chairman Paul Bethel 020 - 8878 2268 [email protected] Members Elizabeth Fox
Janie Martin – Secretary Simon McIlwaine Susan Shield Linda Smith Paula Taylor Helen Woolfe
Ex Officio The Master & Wardens Editorial & Advertising
All contributions welcome – please contact the Editor.
www.frameworkknitters.co.uk
Web Master – Philip Tranter 0118 - 948 2713
A Master with Talent
Our Website and The Data Protection Act
As part of our plans to improve our service to members, we now have a “Members Only” section on our website. This is accessible only to those who register with the Clerk, and will be protected by individual passwords chosen by you.This section gives access to a number of areas, including somewhere to see and buy various Livery items such as ties, tankards and shields, some useful documents and – perhaps most important of all – the place when you can book yourself and your friends in to the many Livery and social events offered by the Company. You will also be able to see who else is going to those events, to help you plan your visit better.
Another area is the Membership Directory, which contains the same information as we used to publish in the bi-annual ‘Livery List’ – but it is now updated as soon as the Clerk learns of any changes. It also saves us a lot of expense in printing and postage. Under the Data Protection Act, we need your consent for this. We are already registered under the Act, and the information that we publish is also published by the Corporation of London in its annual ‘Blue Book’, so we assume that you do not mind this innovation and improvement. However, if you do prefer not to have your details published in this way, please advise our Clerk, who will remove your details from the web list.
From
The
Master
charity the Livery supports is the Cottage Homes at Oadby, Leicester. As Upper Warden it has been my pleasure to chair the Cottage Homes Committee for the past year. It has given me the opportunity to learn more about almshouses and their running but more importantly, I have been able to get to know the residents. They are a unique group of people who are so proud of the Cottage Homes site, who look out for each other, have a great sense of community and generally act so much younger than their years. They have regular outings as well as making use of Corah Hall for many on-site activities. I attended a bingo afternoon but didn’t win with my cards! They have started a knitting group, and if only I didn’t live so far away I would be attending that one.
The Company has a close association with the Framework Knitters Museum in Ruddington, near Nottingham. It really is a little-known treasure. On site there are three buildings: two contain and uncles also supporting me.
It’s family connections rather than knitting that got me involved with the Livery. I joined the Company in 2002 when my father – Brian Smith – was Master, and came on to the Court in 2009. My first speech at a dinner was in 2012, when my brother Graham was Master, and I follow my cousin Liz as another lady to take the helm.
Thank you to Peter and Julia White for their support and guidance in the run-up to the big day. I know both of them have represented the Framework Knitters at many functions and enjoyed themselves
while spreading the word about our friendly Company. Thanks also to our gallant clerk Shaun and his wife Mary for their patience in helping me plan the dinners and keeping me calm as the dates approached. Luckily I do not have to plan the social visits that take place on the Saturdays following the dinners. These are searched out by the Social Committee, who continue to find hidden gems in and around the City of London. My knowledge of City history has been much improved by going on these visits, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of the Social Committee’s expertise by signing up for them. For me, travelling from Yorkshire, it makes the weekend fuller and more worth the train journey.
I have been a member of the Education Committee for a few years now. The rest of the Committee has been very patient with me, teaching me all about different knit constructions, yarn descriptions and good design practice: I now know my rib from my milano! The committee members visit colleges and universities all over the country, from Falmouth to Glasgow, looking for the best of the best knitwear designers. Personally, I have visited universities in Yorkshire, Lancashire and London, and am always amazed by the flair and creativity of the budding designers. We might even spot the next new trend that will be on the high street next season. It is never an easy discussion and decision when we meet to allocate the Bursaries and Awards. We would love to give something to almost everyone who has applied, but even if a candidate does not win a monetary prize, they get the invaluable advice and mentoring from the members of the committee who are still in the industry. The other
knitting machines and one set up as the living space for a family of stockingers and their supervisor. You get the chance to operate a knitting machine for yourself, helped by one of the many enthusiastic volunteers. For the full-frame machine, it’s better to let our apprentice, Holly, show you how it’s done. It was hard work for very little pay for those earning their living this way. There is also a museum at Wigston, Leicester, celebrating the art of framework knitting. Again, it is run by volunteers and has many splendid machines on display. I encourage all of you to take time to visit these establishments.
We might be a small Company but we take pride in attending and taking an active part in many of the Livery functions held in the City. These range from walks and church services to formal banquets. The Company was delighted to endorse Past Master Liz Green in her bid to become a Sheriff of the City of London. We wish Liz every success and will be there on Monday 25th June to give her our support and cast votes in her favour. Good Luck, Liz! If any Liveryman would like details about Liz and her campaign, please go to her website www.lizgreen.co.uk and also see the article later in this newsletter. This is only one of many important dates for Livery events this year. A full list can be found both on the back of this newsletter and on our website. Do have a look and plan your trip, and please tell your friends about the livery and encourage them to join. We are still hovering at just under 200 members and would love to exceed this number soon.
Thank you for your support, and Duncan and I very much look forward to sharing this year with you.
Friday 13th April – usually a day to be superstitious but luckily I’m not – and it proved to be a fantastic day. The dinner at the magnificent Goldsmiths’ Hall lived up to all my expectations. I chose the Goldsmiths as both my brother and father had their Installation Dinners there. It felt very familiar, and was a family affair with my immediate family attending along with cousins, aunts
Published and Promoted by Roger Southam of Apartment 306 Landmark West Tower, London E14 9AF on behalf of the Hon Elizabeth Green of Shire Lane Farmhouse, Cholesbury, HP23 6NA
Support Your Local Sheriff
Pancake-Day Race at the Guildhall
At the Walbrook Ward Club AGM
The jolly “Santa Dash”
With Bursary Winner Caitlin
non-Aldermanic Sheriff and one Alderman standing for election as the Aldermanic Sheriff: the voting is by a show of hands, and postal/proxy/ online voting is not allowed. We need to support Liz all we can! Some points as guidance for those who have not attended before:
• Entrance Card: everyone attending should apply to Shaun for an Entrance Card, as this makes entry much quicker. It is not essential to have a card and if you are able to attend at the last minute, please still come along (with photo ID).
• Timing: the Hall fills up quickly, and you must be in the main hall (near the front if possible) rather than the overflow rooms, as no votes there are counted. Seats cannot be reserved – please arrive at Guildhall by 10.00am. Formal proceedings commence at 11.45am. • Voting protocol: every Liveryman (of at least 12 months standing)
is entitled to cast two votes. Alderman Vincent Keaveny has been chosen by the Court of Aldermen, and the protocol is that he should receive a vote from everyone present. For information about Vincent, please visit his website www.vincentkeaveny.city.
• Lunch: we have booked Insurers’ Hall, just behind Guildhall. Those with work/other commitments are not expected to join us but, for all attending, tea & coffee (plus a coat drop) will be available. Please book either via our website or by email to Shaun to confirm your place as soon as possible (partners and friends are also welcome).
• Second ballot: Monday 9th July. Whilst the hope is that the result will be decided on 25th June, a second ballot may be called. This is ‘polling station style’ i.e. paper voting takes place throughout the day. There is no postal vote – please keep this date free.
• Coach: at present, almost everyone is travelling by car or train. If there is demand for a coach we will arrange one, but you will need to let Shaun know ASAP – it will be an early start, as Monday traffic can be difficult.
Liz’s campaign: Liz has worked tirelessly; and since October she has attended over 140 events with different Livery Companies, Ward Clubs and charities. We need to keep encouraging Liverymen of all companies to support Liz, so please do all you can – Liz’s website is www.lizgreen. co.uk where you can see the events she has attended.
The Shrieval election is steeped in history, and it is the ancient right of all Liverymen to take part. This process has remained essentially unchanged for hundreds of years; and if Liz is successful, she would be the first Framework Knitter to be elected Sheriff since 1934.
As many Liverymen already know, Past Master Liz Green is standing as a candidate for non-Aldermanic Sheriff. The election has been uncontested since 2011, but this year there are three standing for election as the
have stalls to sell their wares to diners in the aid of these fine charities. The Framework Knitters, for the first time, manned a stall full of ‘Made in the UK’ knitted products. Cashmere knitwear and lambswool scarves from Hawick in Scotland; quirky socks from Mansfield; sharp suit socks from Turner & Sons (PM George Turner’s company); and walking socks from Newtonards. John Smedley knitwear (founded in 1784, the same year William Pitt the Younger won the general election!) kindly donated a £500 sales voucher for John Smedley knitwear, for which we sold raffle tickets.
Our Master Peter White, who had been presented to the guest of honour – HRH Princess Eugenie of York – along with other Masters running stalls, seized the opportunity to present her with two pairs of cashmere socks even though her protective entourage had briefed us that she would not be able
to accept any gifts. The softness of the cashmere coupled with the Master’s debonair wit won over the Princess, and she graciously accepted them. Then she turned to a carousel of quirky, multi-coloured socks, and exclaimed that her fiancé – Jack Brooksbank – loved brightly-coloured socks and that she must buy him a pair. In jumped our ‘apprentice sock salesperson’, none other than non-Aldermanic Shrieval candidate PM Liz Green. Liz helped the Princess choose a suitably eye-catching design: will Jack be bold enough to wear these for their wedding? Moreover, we discovered within our midst a supposedly demure super-sales-lady. Time after time the toughest non-buyer was smoothly persuaded by Liveryman Susan Shield to purchase a piece of knitwear or socks. One lady, having already chosen two cashmere sweaters and a cashmere hat, was quickly whisked away by her husband (having already paid) before Susan could weave more of her magic.
Liz’s husband – Peter Green – was invaluable, turning his hand to selling lottery tickets and socks and to fathoming out the intricacies of the PDQ credit-card machine (oh yes, we could take plastic – there was no excuse not to spend your money!), and taking some great photos, even elbowing his way between ‘Fleet Street’s finest’. Many thanks must be given to our UK Manufacturers who kindly donated free-of-charge their products for us to sell for the benefit of The Big Curry Lunch charities: Johnstons Cashmere and The Scarf Factory (both of Hawick, Scotland); Bridgedale Socks (Newtonards, Northern Ireland); Roy’s Boys (Mansfield); John Smedley (Lea Bridge, Derbyshire); and Turner & Sons (Stonebroom, Derbyshire). We virtually sold out; and on the day we raised nearly £1,300 for this honourable cause. Over the last ten years The Big Curry Lunch has raised over £1.7 million; and it was hoped that this 11th event would break through the £2 million barrier. It was a great occasion: the Framework Knitters worked hard as a superb team, but also
had a lot of fun and showed immense enthusiasm. The day after, HRH Princess Eugenie and PM Liz were pictured together discussing quirky design socks, as the “front page” of the Daily Mail’s on-line article about the event.
Assistant Jonathan Pears Editor’s Note: Our thanks also to
Jonathan, who masterminded and coordinated our participation in this event, making it all possible.
The 11th Annual Lord Mayor’s The Big Curry Lunch is an event hosted by the Lord Mayor to generate funds for the armed forces charities: ABF The Soldiers’ Charity; The Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. These charities support current members and veterans of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces. Over 1,000 diners are served an unlimited curry lunch, with beer and wine. Diners pay £100 per ticket, and several Livery Companies
Setting up our stall
Meet our salesforce !!
The Lord Mayor arrives
Another successful sale
At the royal reception
This year’s Winter Dinner was
held in the elegant Painters’ Hall.
The Painter-Stainers’ long history
can be traced via the medieval
Paynters Guild of St. Luke and the
Steyners Guild to their unification
in the sixteenth century to form the
Worshipful Company of
Painter-Stainers, but their lovely Hall is
relatively “modern”. The first Hall
of 1532 was destroyed in the Great
Fire of 1666 and its replacement
was also destroyed by fire – this
time in 1941 during the Blitz –
and the present Hall was opened
in 1961. It proved to be a most fortuitous choice of venue for our
dinner, as it meant that the excellent portrait of the Master in his
robes could be displayed against the backdrop of notable paintings
by artists such as Godfrey Kneller, Joshua Reynolds, Peter Lely,
John Millais, Edwin Lutyens, Hugh Casson (all Liverymen of the
Company) and many others.
We were welcomed into the hall by beautiful harp music played by
the virtuoso harpist, Margaret Watson, before being received in the
Court Room by our Master, Wardens and their consorts. Here we
had the opportunity to admire the Master’s portrait and to meet the
talented young artist – Ellie Harris – who had freely given her time
to paint the Master after he had won it at a silent auction in aid of
the Lord Mayor’s charities.
After drinks, we moved upstairs to the main Hall with its beautiful
ceiling, impressive stained glass window and many works of art
by distinguished liverymen. The Master and his principal guests
processed into
the room and,
following Grace by
the Very Rev. Dr.
Derek Hole, we
enjoyed a delicious
meal accompanied
by
excellently-chosen wines. We
were then treated
to more wonderful
music from Margaret Watson – this time all the
pieces were ones that you don’t expect to hear
on a harp. Margaret, though, made such varied
pieces as “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, “In An
A convivial occasion
Chris Grayling
THE WINTER DINNER – A WORK OF ART
Sergeant Jamie Barrett
Corporal Perry Smith
Major Matthew Webb
Bryars, presented each year to the Liveryman who, in the Master’s judgement, has made a
noteworthy contribution to our Company. This year’s recipient was Matthew Ellis – our Honorary
Treasurer and barbecue chef extraordinaire – and, judging from the acclaim he received on the
night, a very popular choice!
Assistant Elizabeth Fox welcomed the guests, following which the Master’s guest speaker – the
Right Honourable Chris Grayling, MP – spoke about some of the more unexpected aspects of his
rôle as Secretary of State for Transport, making a neat link between the textile trade in general,
and the knitting industry in particular, to the world of transport – be that trains, ships, cars or
air balloons and parachutes.
After presenting him with a history of the Company and the much-coveted matching “his” and
“hers” Framework Knitter socks, the Master addressed us at his last Company Dinner in the
Chair. He thanked the Master Painter-Stainer for his Company’s hospitality, and welcomed
Liveryman Robert Sykes to his first Livery
event after a serious illness. He congratulated
the Upper Warden on becoming Master Elect,
and asked all Liverymen to attend Common
Hall at the Guildhall on 25th May 2018 to vote
for Immediate Past Master Liz Green as the
Non-Aldermanic Sheriff.
He told us about some of the fascinating
events he had attended, and thanked everyone
in the Company and on the Court for their
support and assistance during his year in office,
concluding by inviting us all to join him for a
stirrup cup in the Court Room.
PM Linda Smith
English Country Garden”, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”,
“Tuxedo Junction” and “Chattanooga Choo Choo” sound as
though they must have been written for that instrument,
and also proved that she is an accomplished singer when she
both played and sang “Doe, A Deer”.
This entertainment was followed by the presentation of
several awards. First, Past Master George Turner – Chairman
of the Education Committee – introduced the winner of the
Company’s Bursary for overseas students – Maija Nygren –
to the Master, who presented her with her Bursary Certificate.
Then, Major Matthew Webb – the Commanding Officer of
E Squadron Royal Yeomanry, which includes our affiliated
military unit, the Leicestershire & Derbyshire Yeomanry
– read the citations for the Company’s annual awards
to two Yeomanry members who have made outstanding
contributions during the year. This year’s worthy winners
were Sergeant Jamie Barrett and Corporal Perry Smith, who
then received their awards from the Master.
Continuing the theme of worthy winners, the latter then
announced this year’s Master’s Award in memory of David
Margaret Watson
The Continuing Successes of our Education Committee
Education Bursary & Award Winners
Assistant Julian Ellis inspecting a candidate’s work
Exquisite samples from Alice Beadle, Nottingham Trent
Rachel Wells, from Brighton,
working on colour-blindness Gregg, Heriot Watt UniversityA complete outfit from Rosey
Megan Scott-Jenner at her Derby Lonsdale workstation
Molly Henderson from Bath Spa, complete with a variety
of her latest creations
Here are some of our winners with
examples of their highly original designs.
Each was made by the student themselves, and shows what an exciting range our “examiners” come
across when they visit universities. We’ve also shown one of our assessors examining a sample from a
candidate, along with her tutor: the tutors are not present when candidates are being interviewed, but
we always try to make time to meet the tutors both to discuss individual efforts and – in particular – to
see for ourselves the types of equipment available to students and to judge the nature of the courses.
Many of our readers will be familiar with our Bursary & Award Scheme, where we give one-off payments to final-year and post-graduate knitting students, and some of their work is illustrated here. But the members of
the Education Committee do much more than just tour around the British Isles visiting students on knitting courses and their tutors (although between them they did visit 19 universities and interviewed 58 applicants
this year!). For a start, every interviewee – whether successful or not – is offered the opportunity to become a Freeman of our Company (and we even waive their joining fee) while, for those lucky enough to secure
a Bursary or Award, we also appoint a mentor who not only visits them regularly during the remainder of their academic year but also acts as their conduit into the Company should they seek our help in the future.
However, our wings are spread far wider than that: we have already sponsored one City & Guilds and two National Theatre apprentices (and of course we also have our own Framework Knitting apprentice in the
Ruddington museum). Moreover, for the second year running we played an active part in the Livery Schools Link initiative. This time, we joined 29 other Livery Companies on Tuesday 6th February to greet over
1,200 schoolchildren from 48 schools within London and the Home Counties. Stands were assembled in The Print Room and The Old Library of The Guildhall, and visitors arrived at scheduled times throughout the
day. Although we could not compete with the large model racing-car stand put together by the Coachmakers’ Company, we did attract a great deal of attention thanks to the presence of a Griswold circular knitting
machine. Pupils, their teachers, and even the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress had a go at knitting scarves: we imagined that several parents would have been surprised when their sons and daughters brought home a
scarf that they’d knitted !! They also had an opportunity to see the longer version of our new educational video, which played continuously on a monitor throughout the whole of the event.
The Continuing Successes of our Education Committee
Our National Theatre apprentice
At The Livery Schools Link
she spent the final six months of her apprenticeship. This resulted in her skills growing at such a rate
that the team felt that she was ready for freelance placements where she could contribute confidently
within a costume workroom. Ruby is shown here with two of the costumes that she designed for the
NT’s award-winning production of Pinocchio, a superb combination of actors and puppetry.
2016 to complete an eighteen-month NT apprenticeship. Through a competitive
selection process, Ruby (inset) demonstrated a great flair for art and design, and a
natural skill with textiles. Her apprenticeship was structured in order to give her
a broad overview of a theatre costume department, and covered: the Workroom,
the Dye Shop, Costume Props and Running Wardrobe – this ensured that she was
able to tackle a wide range of projects including fine silk work, beading, corsetry,
and heavy tailoring. Recognising her particular enthusiasm for textiles, however,
the majority of Ruby’s placement took place in Ladies Costume Making, where
Ruby Adamson was
recruited in September
Many of our readers will be familiar with our Bursary & Award Scheme, where we give one-off payments to final-year and post-graduate knitting students, and some of their work is illustrated here. But the members of
the Education Committee do much more than just tour around the British Isles visiting students on knitting courses and their tutors (although between them they did visit 19 universities and interviewed 58 applicants
this year!). For a start, every interviewee – whether successful or not – is offered the opportunity to become a Freeman of our Company (and we even waive their joining fee) while, for those lucky enough to secure
a Bursary or Award, we also appoint a mentor who not only visits them regularly during the remainder of their academic year but also acts as their conduit into the Company should they seek our help in the future.
However, our wings are spread far wider than that: we have already sponsored one City & Guilds and two National Theatre apprentices (and of course we also have our own Framework Knitting apprentice in the
Ruddington museum). Moreover, for the second year running we played an active part in the Livery Schools Link initiative. This time, we joined 29 other Livery Companies on Tuesday 6th February to greet over
1,200 schoolchildren from 48 schools within London and the Home Counties. Stands were assembled in The Print Room and The Old Library of The Guildhall, and visitors arrived at scheduled times throughout the
day. Although we could not compete with the large model racing-car stand put together by the Coachmakers’ Company, we did attract a great deal of attention thanks to the presence of a Griswold circular knitting
machine. Pupils, their teachers, and even the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress had a go at knitting scarves: we imagined that several parents would have been surprised when their sons and daughters brought home a
scarf that they’d knitted !! They also had an opportunity to see the longer version of our new educational video, which played continuously on a monitor throughout the whole of the event.
So, all in all, we play a very active rôle in supporting the younger generations, all thanks to the generous contributions by Liverymen to our Education Committee charity.
The Lord Mayor & Lady Mayoress
Our Team – ready to meet & greet
At the restaurant – can lunch be far away ??
The Annual Consorts’ Luncheon
were asked to bring pieces of jewellery with them for discussion. Accordingly, 27 ladies from the
Livery and their guests assembled for pre-lunch drinks before moving into a private room for
the meal, which was chosen individually from a pre-set menu. The Mistress thanked everyone
for coming and welcomed her guest – Mrs Mary Mackaness, the Clerk’s wife – as thanks for
all the hard work she had done to assist the Master and herself with their year of office. She
also thanked everyone for their overwhelming support since joining the Livery, when she and
her husband knew only one couple. Instead of a gift to each person, she gave us a Marie Curie
Foundation pin and had sent a donation to the charity, of which we all thoroughly approved.
Lindy gave us a very interesting talk, suggesting various rules to follow to make decisions on
keeping, selling or re-designing inherited jewellery, and also gave us advice on cleaning and
selling at auction. She said that quite often, the old-fashioned cut of a diamond can be re-done
to enhance the brilliance and improve the value, even though a small amount of weight was
sacrificed. Lindy was able to examine and measure with her equipment some of the jewellery
brought to the luncheon, and several possible surprises in value were made. One guest asked
if it would be possible to convert a pretty, gold, circular brooch, which she thought might have
come from a Christmas cracker, into a pendant? Lindy told her, after examining it, that it was
very possible that the pearl in the centre was a natural one and thus the item could be quite
valuable – much to the owner’s surprise!
However, to our disappointment, the restaurant failed to rise to the occasion this time, and
made a number of mistakes with the food and service. The manageress apologised very sincerely
and said that she would not charge us for anything that day. Those present were asked if
they wanted a ticket refund or for the money to go to the Marie Curie Foundation; and it was
unanimously agreed that the charity would benefit. A sum of over £1,200 would be sent by the
Mistress to the charity. Diane Miller gave the vote of thanks to the Mistress for organising the
lunch and advised us that ‘when things don’t turn out as you expect, it is the way that you deal
with them that counts’ and so, in spite of the various problems, we had had a very good time.
She also thanked Lindy Silk for such an interesting talk and for bringing her subject to life.
Liveryman Susan Shield
T
he Mistress – Mrs Julia White
– hosted a Ladies’ Luncheon on
Thursday 16th November 2017
at a restaurant near St. Paul’s
Cathedral, London, as the Livery had
successfully used this restaurant,
or its predecessor on the same
site, on several occasions before.
The Mistress was her usual
well-organised and cheerful self, having
confirmed the event in meticulous
detail.
The guest speaker was
soon-to-be-Liveryman Mrs Lindy Silk of Silks of
London with the subject of ‘What to
Kingston-on-Thames. So it was relatively easy for me to attend sittings and to meet her. She had donated her artist’s time free to the Lord Mayor’s Charity, which enabled my bid value to be added directly to the charity’s total. So, we thank Ellie for her generosity, helping the then Lord Mayor to raise £1.2 million in total for his charities during his year of office. Ellie was one of our guests of honour at our Winter Banquet – most appropriately held in Painters’ Hall – where she unveiled and displayed the portrait for the first time and received a generous ovation from the diners. I heard the Painter-Stainers Company is interested in adding Ellie to its list of Portrait Painters, and Ellie is considering joining the Art Scholars’ Company. We wish her every success in her future career.
IPM Peter White
Portrait of a Master
The story began at Ascot Racecourse on 3rd May 2017, when Julia and I attended a Fundraising Event as Master of the Framework Knitters Company to support the Lord Mayor’s Charity Appeal. Because I got over-enthusiastic as well as too excited (well, I had had a good lunch) during the silent bidding, I won the Silent Auction to have my portrait painted. The Master Mariner’s consort, sitting next to me, won a painting of her pet. Unfortunately for her, the painter was living in Glasgow and expecting to paint a small animal like a dog or a cat. Complicating the drama further, her pet to be painted was a horse. I look forward to hearing how that story ended !
My prize was to be painted by the brilliant portrait artist Ms Ellie Harris, who luckily lived nearby in
Matthew is on the Finance & General Purposes Committee and has also represented the Company in golf matches through the years. He is an ever-present supporter of our Dinners and other Company social events.
Matthew is a family man and a business man; and with Annette and two children Max and Sophie, I do not know how he finds the time to support the Framework Knitters so vigorously. Thank you, Matthew.
IPM Peter White This is awarded annually for considerable services
to the Company over several years, and this year, Matthew Ellis deservedly won the award.
Not only has he been our Honorary Treasurer for the last seven years, Matthew has also coordinated the on-going refurbishment of our Cottage Homes, liaising with the project manager to improve the quality of the homes and make them more comfortable for the residents. The updating of the fabric of the homes is a continuous task. Matthew has attended the Cottage Homes Committee for the last eight years, reporting regularly on the building progress and the financial aspects for the Committee.
He has been a very diligent barbecue chef, ably assisted by his brother-in-law Peter Corah, catering for our needs and cooking the Leicester Weekend barbecue for more than twenty years continuously. He is taking a well-earned rest from that job, and we thank
him for doing it.
Matthew collects his Award
It was Sam Wanamaker who, seeing what
he considered the rather unimpressive sign
on a modern building indicating the original
site of the Globe, was inspired to plan the
reconstruction, and although he did not live
to see it through to completion, his dream had
largely been realised when he died.
A hardy group of Framework Knitters and
their guests embarked on a tour of the Globe the
morning after the January Dinner. Although it
was chilly and damp, most of the theatre tour
was under cover, and we learned much about
how the plays were staged, how the audience
where we saw what were Elizabeth I’s favourite pastimes and
began to understand better the geography of the area.
Over a delicious Greek meze lunch at “The Real Greek”
afterwards, there was general agreement that we had had an
excellent guide for the tour of the theatre and that we would
need to return to the exhibition to complete our education.
It would also be good to visit the comparatively new Sam
Wanamaker Theatre within the Globe complex (there had
been a performance taking place on the morning of our visit) –
a fitting tribute to the man who had made it all possible.
Assistant Elizabeth Fox
behaved and the origin of the expression “box office”. We were then encouraged to visit the
separate exhibition in the relatively new Visitors Centre (which was very much under cover),
the two Elizabethan Ages is the Globe Theatre: the original theatre where William Shakespeare
put on his plays in the 16th century and the reconstruction of that largely open, round building
a short distance from the original site and where once again Shakespeare’s plays are being
performed.
In Elizabethan times, one went to the South
Bank for entertainment, to go to the theatre or
perhaps to visit the bear pit and to participate
in the other sports and leisure activities of
that era. Queen Elizabeth I herself used to
cross the Thames in search of relaxation and
enjoyment.
These days the expression “The South Bank”
still conjures up the thought of entertainment
and enjoyment, with the National Theatre,
the Royal Festival Hall and Tate Modern – to
name but three of the venues on offer. Linking
Learning all about the history
The stage, ready for the next performance
Lunch at “The Real Greek”
On a brisk Saturday 12th December, the residents and members of the Livery met at Corah Hall
to enjoy a Christmas Lunch. We were all greeted with a glass of sherry or orange juice.
Everyone was dressed in their best suit or outfit, with the then Master – Peter White –
supplementing his suit with a cheery Christmas hat. The residents had decorated Corah Hall with
tinsel, lights and bunting. After mingling over drinks and wishing each other season’s greetings,
we took our places for lunch.
There were three long tables, with the Master, Upper Warden and Under Warden each at the end
of one of them. The feast started with soup and then moved on to a traditional Christmas meal –
turkey, roast potatoes, stuffing and various vegetables, obviously including sprouts! My favourite
was the spiced red cabbage. For those with room, there was Christmas pudding to follow.
After the meal, the Master gave a short speech
wishing everyone a Happy Christmas, and then
made presentations to Administrator Helen
Meek and all-round maintenance guru Karl
Whatsize. In return, the residents had a gift for
the Master and his Mistress.
Finally, Under Warden Ian Grundy led
the singing of traditional Christmas carols.
Everyone left feeling full of Christmas spirit.
The Master
On a bitterly cold day in December 2017,
members of our Livery Company, other Livery
Companies and guests made their way to the
church of St. Martin-within-Ludgate on Ludgate
Hill in the City of London for a Christmas Carol
Service conducted by the Chaplain, The Rt. Revd.
Dr. Stephen Platten, at the invitation of the
Stationers’ Company. The church is under the
operational control of the Stationers’ Company,
whose hall is nearby.
St. Martin-within-Ludgate was restored with a lofty ceiling, Corinthian columns, dark wood-carved
panelling and pews, a splendid organ and a large gilded altar in 1684 by Sir Christopher Wren after
the Great Fire of London. William Penn was married here in 1643, and later founded Pennsylvania in
the USA. The Church has a bread shelf dating from the 17th century where the wealthy left bread for
the poorer members of the congregation. The traditional Carol Service with well-known carols was
accompanied by a choir singing descants. At the end of the service we made our way to the adjoining
Stationers’ Hall (a Grade 1 listed building dating from 1673) for pre-lunch drinks, and then to the main
hall, arranged with round tables, for lunch and speeches of welcome from our hosts. Altogether, an
excellent way to celebrate the Christmas season.
Liveryman Susan Shield
The Under Warden in full flow
Our Christmas Carol Service
Ian Grundy finishing
Our Gallant Team
Battered but unbowed on Pancake Day
On a miserable wet morning, IPM Liz Green, Upper Warden Sheila Turner, her Consort
Duncan King and I gathered in the Guildhall Yard for the 14th Annual Inter-Livery Pancake
races organised by the Poulters’ Company, an event which raises money for the Lord Mayor’s
Appeal each year. Our Clerk – Shaun Mackaness – was also there to support the team, and
several other Liverymen were spotted in the Yard enjoying the spectacle despite the blustery
conditions. In view of the inclement weather, racing for the day was abandoned on health &
safety grounds; and instead, we were asked to participate in a “pancake tossing” competition!
The idea was to see how many pancakes could be tossed in one minute – although after a few
heats, this was reduced to thirty seconds owing to the number of pancakes being dropped or
destroyed by over-enthusiastic tossing! Participants were provided with a white apron, and
During lunch, presentations were made to the winners of each
section of the event – unfortunately, none coming our way this
time!
Owing to the weather, there were no promotions nor
demotions for this year, and so everyone will be invited back
to participate in the 15th Annual Inter-Livery Pancake Race
next year and I, for one, look forward to a day of fun whilst
raising money for the Lord Mayor’s chosen charities.
The Upper Warden (Ian Grundy)
The Lady Mayoress judged the Fancy Dress competition, and it was obvious that a lot of effort
had gone into all the outfits worn – the idea being either to promote one’s own Livery Company
or the charities being supported this year by the Lord Mayor (The Samaritans, Place2Be and
OnSide). The prize for best costume went to the WC of Furniture Makers. Duncan wore an
outfit designed by Upper Warden Sheila, and did the Company proud!
After all events had finished, we made our way down to the crypts in the Guildhall and were
greeted with a lovely warming soup in souvenir mugs, followed by a delicious buffet lunch.
had to be fully gowned-up in Livery regalia and also wear a
chef’s hat and gloves.
All participants and supporters were welcomed to the event
by the Chief Commoner. The Lady Mayoress – Samantha
Bowman – also thanked those at the event and, together with
the Sheriffs’ Consorts, attempted tossing pancakes too. The
Lady Mayoress then started the event by the firing of a small
but very loud cannon.
IPM Liz was first up for the FWK to represent the Master,
then it was me in the Liveryman’s section, followed by Upper
Warden Sheila in the Ladies competition, and finally Duncan
in the fancy-dress event. We all had great fun in tossing
our pancakes – some more successful than others – and all
participants came away with a smile on their face despite the
weather. The Master of the WC of Poulters tossed the most
pancakes from any of the heats.
Company members and their guests
The Arab Hall
The Narcissus Hall
Enjoying lunch at the Princess Victoria
The day after our new Master’s Installation, a
party of twenty liverymen and their guests set
off for Leighton House Museum, a wonderful
treasure-trove of artefacts mostly executed,
and all collected, by the former owner Victorian
artist Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896) –
one of the most famous artists of his time, with
Queen Victoria buying his first major painting
in 1855; while in 1878 he reached the pinnacle
of his profession, becoming the President of the
accent, which he tried to change. Indeed, it is
said that that story was George Bernard Shaw’s
inspiration for Pygmalion; and moreover, that
her wish was to be known as a “Mayfair Lady”
– but, because of her accent, it came out as “My
Fair Lady” !!
After an all-too-short tour, we repaired to the
Queen Victoria – a tapas pub – where, in our
private upstairs room, manager Susie Pacheco
served us dish after dish of a varied and tasty
selection of tapas dishes.
drawing the nude figure and then “draped” that outline in the required garments. Hilde painted
an exotic scenario where, from time to time, the house would be host to a number of naked models.
But his main muse, whom he met aged 49 when she was 19, was Ada Pullan, later to change her
name to Dorothy Dene as she had aspirations to become an actress despite her strong cockney
Royal Academy of Arts. Just before his death from heart failure
in 1896, he was ennobled, becoming Frederic, Lord Leighton,
Baron of Stretton. He is the only British artist to have been
awarded this honour, and is buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Set at the edge of Holland Park, the museum is the only
purpose-built studio-house open to the public in the United Kingdom: it’s
one of the most remarkable buildings of the nineteenth century,
containing a fascinating collection of paintings and sculpture by
Leighton and his contemporaries. There are also stylish features
brought from abroad, such as the Narcissus and Arab halls
illustrated here, the latter sporting a fountain in the middle,
Islamic tiles on the walls, and stained-glass windows above.
We were met by our Guide – Hilde Johnston – who turned
out (as is so often the case) to be herself a treasure-trove of
knowledge and enthusiasm about the house in general and
Frederic Leighton in particular. Starting with the history of how
Frederic planned and developed the original house, turning it
into a magnificent building complete with a large light and airy
studio, she went on to explain his method of drawing people.
In essence, he rejected the Pre-Raphaelite school in favour of
the technique used by Michelangelo: that is to say, he started by
Dates for your diary
2018
11th to 13th May The Master’s Weekend in Yorkshire
A number of different events have been planned for this weekend
– please enquire for further details The Master
15th May Festival of the Sons and Friends of the Clergy, St. Paul’s Cathedral The Clerk
22nd -24th May Pewter Live Exhibition at Pewterers’ Hall The Clerk
25th May Brigantes Breakfast, Royal Armouries, Leeds The Clerk
22nd June Summer Dinner at Armoury House The Clerk
23rd June Visit to Lambeth Palace Garden Museum The Social Committee
25th June Common Hall for the Election of Sheriffs The Clerk
The Leicester Weekend; 7th to 9th September:
7th September Golf Match & Golf Dinner, Leicestershire Golf Club Liveryman Adrian Keene 8th September Morning: Visit to The Framework Brewery, plus luncheon The Social Committee 8th September Morning: Ceremony of the Socks at Wigston Framework Knitters Museum The Clerk 8th September Evening: Livery Dinner, Leicestershire County Cricket Club The Clerk 9th September Annual Church Service, followed by lunch at the Cottage Homes The Clerk 27th September Livery Companies’ Reception, National Army Museum The Clerk
1st October Common Hall for the election of the Lord Mayor The Clerk
19th October Livery Banquet, Mansion House The Clerk
20th October Visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral The Social Committee
5th November Festival of Remembrance, St. Paul’s Cathedral The Clerk
9th November Silent Ceremony to install The Lord Mayor, Guildhall The Clerk
10th November The Lord Mayor’s Show The Clerk
2019
18th January Winter Dinner, Saddlers’ Hall The Clerk
19th January Post-dinner outing – venue to be decided The Social Committee
5th March Inter-Livery Pancake Race, Guildhall Yard The Clerk
12th April Installation Dinner, Clothworkers’ Hall The Clerk
13th April Post-dinner outing – venue to be decided The Social Committee
28th June Summer Dinner, Barber-Surgeons’ Hall The Clerk
29th June Post-dinner outing – venue to be decided The Social Committee
The Leicester Weekend: 6th to 8th September Details to follow
25th October Livery Banquet, Guildhall Old Library The Clerk
26th October Post-dinner outing – venue to be decided The Social Committee
Please remember that further details of most of the above events – and more – can be found in the Members’ section of our website.
And more importantly, most can (and should, if possible) be booked through the website too: this not only ensures that your booking is recorded but will also give you an emailed confirmation of your booking for your records.
Do you know of an event that’s not shown above that you think might interest your fellow Liverymen? Or are you thinking of organising an event yourself? Perhaps there’s an event that you’d like to see in the future?
If any of the above applies to you, do get in touch with the Social Committee, who are always delighted to receive suggestions for the diary.
