Issue Number 21                                                                                           December 2005

Inside this Issue

    Master's Message

I suspect that it comes as a surprise to most Masters to discover that the entries in their diaries concerning the Company's affairs are outnumbered by events at which they are privileged, as Master, to represent the Company in the life of the City and its many parts.  It certainly surprised me.  Perhaps not so surprising is my wife's experience, as Mistress Pavior.  So far this year she has been to eight Paviors' events and twenty others.

The calendar is naturally dominated by the major events in the City's life, to

which all Masters are invited.  Our year started with the Lord Mayor's banquet.  The Mansion House at its glittering best, white tie, military uniforms and long dresses.  Next day we attended  the United Guilds Service, when the Paviors' have a tradition in which the Master and the Wardens walk from the Cutlers' Hall to St Paul's preceded by the Beadle and often followed by Past Masters.  This was followed by a joint lunch with the Court of the Cutlers Company and their ladies.
The annual Livery weekend at Ironbridge provides an opportunity to meet most of the other Masters and their Mistresses.  This is a 48 hour endurance course covering visits to 6 museums, a dinner and a dinner dance!  The election of the Sheriffs and the Lord Mayor are very big formal occasions which fill the Guildhall, both preceeded by breakfasts in Livery Halls.  By contrast the Lady Mayoress 'at home' is more relaxed.  The City's own remembrance service takes place in early November; each Master plants a cross in the memorial garden at St Paul's.  The Silent Ceremony at which the new Lord Mayor is installed is an extraordinary experience, long established rituals, full of symbolism, carried out without a word spoken.  We have just enjoyed the Lord Mayor's show and the ride with the Wardens on the Paviors' float.

In addition to these regular events there are others, unique to the year, to which all Masters are invited, some are initiated by the Lord Mayor in support of his charities, others are national events such as the recent service at St Paul's to mark the 60^th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations or the 125 years since the creation by the Corporation of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Interlivery events such as the Swimathon and the Clay Pigeon competition provide opportunities to support Paviors' teams.  Interwoven amongst these events are the invitations reflecting the return of hospitality by other Livery Companies whose Masters we regularly entertain and the concerts, lectures and church services of a number of charities whom we support, such as the annual concert of the Construction Youth Trust in Carpenters' Hall.

I hope this gives a flavour of the Master's year, enormous fun and very varied.

Thank you all for your support during our year.  I hope to see many of you at the Christmas dinner of the Luncheon Club.  For those I do not see I wish a happy Christmas to you and your families

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