Luncheon Club Thank You!

It has been a pleasure to be Chairman of the Luncheon Club for so many years and a considerable pleasure to be given a gift by members when I stood down at the luncheon on 30th March.  I thanked those present but I write now to thank all members for their generosity and good wishes.
The Paviors Company has changed greatly since I became a member in 1972.  At that time getting to know many fellow Liverymen was a very slow process, and the formation of the Luncheon Club was promoted by that situation.  In the early days I proposed it should be for members only, fearing that the presence of guests would defeat

the original purpose, but over the years, since the Club's formation in 1973 a modus operandi has evolved and a balance struck.

From comments made over the years it appears to have fulfilled its objectives and there is no longer the need for any new member of the Company to feel isolated.  Of course the Luncheon Club is not the only vehicle by which greater fellowship has been developed but I believe it has been, and will continue to be a major contributor.

The members of the Committee have been supportive and helpful and for that I offer my thanks.  I also thank Keith White for looking after the shop for the year I was Master and I thank Andrew Panter for taking on the role and wish him, and the Club well for the future.

Finally, a special thank you for Louise who has provided me and the Club with excellent secretarial support.  It is she who does most of the work.

The gift which I was given was a Hogarth print of the populace complaining about the Rump Parliament formed following the death of Oliver Cromwell by burning rumps of meat in the street by Temple Bar.  The view is apposite bearing in mind my dealing with the Temple Bar project on behalf of the Company.  The etching is one of a series illustrating a satirical political poem written by Samuel Butler in Chaucerian couplets.  I conclude with a few lines in a not dissimilar style (see box).

John Mills

Day in the Country

The "Day in the Country" has become a well established event in the Luncheon Club's calendar.  It started as a "Day in Another Country" with a visit, jointly with the Wine Circle, to Hesdin in 2002 the then location of the Wine Society's shop.  Whilst this visit was hailed as a great success and the four hour lunch something to be remembered (if you could remember anything!) the experience has not been repeated mainly due to the logistics of getting there and back in one day.  Since then we have been to Hartwell House near

Aylesbury, Squerryes Court in Westerham and this year Avington Park near Winchester.
After weeks of poor or indifferent weather Tuesday the 7^th of June was probably one of the finest days of the year and it came as a great relief to the organiser as the event was over booked and some of the 42 people attending were going to have to eat outdoors come rain or shine.  As it happened the outdoor places were in demand over the Paxton style conservatory.  Such was the take up of places for this event that some people had to be turned away.  Our guide for the day was excellent and her knowledge and love of the place brought this historic building to life.  One could feel the presence of philandering kings of England and their mistresses in the magnificent state rooms and yet above all it is still very much a family home and we felt privileged to be part of it for a day.

Philip Anderson

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