SOCIETIES

There are several societies within the Paviors Company open to liverymen. Each has its own calendar of events. The Luncheon Club provides an excellent opportunity to meet other Paviors in an informal atmosphere. There are normally four lunches each year at various venues in London. In the summer, the Club organizes a summer day out, with guests, at a notable venue within easy reach of London. Members can attend the Gala Evening at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The year’s climax is the ever-popular Christmas Dinner at Cutlers’ Hall. The Golfing Society allows liverymen and their guests to play four times a year on outstanding courses, such as Swinley Forest, St George’s Hill and Tandridge. The Society also participates in inter-livery competitions. Golfers of any handicap are welcome. The Ski Group participates in the Inter-Livery Ski Championships in Morzine. The Paviors’ Wine Circle was initially formed to advise the Company on wines to lay down for enjoyment at future Livery dinners. In addition, the Circle meets several times a year for wine tastings by its members at various wine merchants’ cellars.

LUNCHEON CLUB

The Luncheon Club has a membership of around 120 people. As its name implies, it is a social club (although it does not only do lunches) and, by its very nature, it provides a good opportunity for Paviors to mix socially and get to know each other better. When attending the Company’s formal functions, the opportunity for mixing with fellow Paviors is generally limited, with priority to looking after guests. The Luncheon Club gatherings are less expensive and less formal.

There are normally four luncheons each year at various venues in London (not necessarily the City) in January, March September and November. These start at 12.30pm for 1.00pm, and normally finish by 2.30pm. Members with a busy work schedule may come late and leave early without embarrassment.

In addition, the Club organizes a summer day out in June at a notable venue normally within easy reach of London, although it has been known to venture further afield, including across the Channel. There is also an evening Gala Night in July at the Guildhall School of Drama and Music. In October, an informal evening dinner event is held. The Luncheon Club also organizes the very popular Christmas Dinner at Stationers’ Hall. Partners and guests are very welcome at all of these events and they provide an opportunity for the wider Pavior family to get to know each other.

There is an annual subscription of £25, payable in the first January after joining. After paying their subscription, new members enjoy their first luncheon free of charge.

A few weeks before each function, the Luncheon Club’s Administrator sends out a notice to all members, which they return stating whether or not they wish to attend.

Liverymen can contact the Luncheon Club via the Members’ Area of the website. Others seeking more information on the Luncheon Club should contact the Clerk. ​

WINE CIRCLE

The Wine Circle was set up in 2001. Its prime purpose is to encourage liverymen to increase their appreciation of wine. No special knowledge is required as the emphasis is on enjoying wine in a social atmosphere. Each year a series of tastings and wine-related dinners are organized. The tastings, normally on specific themes, take place in a London Club or in various wine merchants’ cellars. The tastings are usually conducted by guest expert speakers. Recent examples are New Zealand or Chilean wines at the Club, claret at Berry Brothers and Spanish wines at Corney and Barrow.

The Circle is run by a small committee, which includes the current Master, a representative of the Luncheon Club and the Paviors’ Cellarer. There is a small membership fee and an annual subscription. Both these charges are waived to new liverymen in their first year. Guests are normally allowed, depending upon numbers.

The Wine Circle committee’s other purpose is to advise the Company’s Cellarer on his responsibilities for buying wines to lay down for future livery functions and managing the Company’s cellar. Due in part to not having its own livery hall and partly to financial considerations, wine had previously been chosen on an ad-hoc basis to match the food at each event. But a few years ago, it was realized that if the Company began to lay down some well chosen bottles, liverymen could benefit in future years from drinking mature wines from the Company’s own cellar at an affordable cost. Since 1998, this policy has enabled the Circle to acquire, both by Company purchase and also through generous gifts from retiring Masters, a number of good clarets, red and white burgundies and ports that will be shown in the years to come. The Court each year authorizes a sum of money for continuing expenditure. Details of expenditure on the wines chosen by the Cellarer and management of the cellar are given to the Company at the annual Common Hall.

The Wine Circle wants to promote the essential fun and delight in tasting, drinking and appreciating wine. It also allows liverymen to get to know each other on a more personal basis than can often be attained in the more formal events held by the Company.

Liverymen can contact the Wine Circle via the Members’ Area of the website. Others seeking more information on the Wine Circle should contact the Clerk.

GOLFING SOCIETY

The Golfing Society provides the opportunity for golfers of any handicap to play at some outstanding courses. Guests are welcome on all occasions. The meetings are usually arranged to have the serious competition in the morning, followed by an excellent lunch. Suitably refreshed, the arrangement for the afternoon is usually a part-round in a relaxed format. Prize-giving follows at the end of play.

The Society was founded in 1927 in response to a call to enter a team in a newly formed inter-livery competition named ‘The Prince Arthur Cup’. It faltered during the Second World War, but was restarted in 1949, holding its first meeting at Sunningdale. In present day form, the Society meets four times a year as well as entering two pairs in The Prince Arthur Cup. The Society has played at some outstanding courses, including Swinley Forest, St George’s Hill and Tandridge.

There is a spring meeting, where members play for the McAlpine Cup. The summer meeting is at a course of the Captain’s choice, where competition is for the Bridgewater Bowl. At the autumn event, competition is for the Past Master’s Salver. The final event of the year is the winter meeting, where competition is for the Jubilee Trophy. There are separate prizes for the guests. There is also a very popular annual charity golf day.

Informal matches are also arranged between livery companies from time to time. The Society is managed by a committee comprising the Captain, Vice-Captain, the Secretary/Treasurer, and two other members. It reports to the annual general meeting in February and is immediately followed by the annual dinner – which keeps the AGM short!

There is an annual subscription, and golf days and the annual dinner (where guests are also welcome) are subject to a separate charge.

For those unsure about whether to join, please contact the Secretary and arrange to play with a member. You will find that this is a very friendly society, with members enjoying the company and usually the golf!

Liverymen can contact the Golfing Society via the Members’ Area of the website. Others seeking more information on the Golfing Society should contact the Clerk.

SHOOTING SECTION

The Shooting Section of the Paviors was formed in 2001 following the entry of a team in the Inter-Livery Clay-Pigeon Shoot for a number of years, and to meet the demand within the Livery for this activity.

Many of the members of the Livery are keen on this sport, and the Shooting Section tries to give the opportunity to the keen shots for a practice shoot at the appropriate time in the season. The Section also gives complete novices the chance of trying out the sport in the company of their fellow Paviors. The events are carefully considered to enable all levels of ability to take part and to learn the sport.

The Section usually holds three or four events each year, currently at one of the premier shooting grounds in the country, Holland and Holland in Northwood Middlesex. The events start at around mid-day (to allow even the busiest to clear up the work!), with a welcome coffee and safety induction. Participants then split into groups of four or five for a 60-bird practice session, with full help and tuition given by the very best instructors in the country. After a short break, the competition commences, adjusted for ability, and is rounded off with a ‘flurry’ of 60 or 70 birds shot as a team. After the exertions of the day, a three-course meal is laid on for the participants in the Lodge House, during which time the Shoot Captain attempts (by way of fines and any other means) to relieve the diners of as much money as possible on behalf of the Master’s chosen charity for the year.

During May each year, the Paviors enter two or three teams of four in the Inter-Livery Shoot, also held at Holland and Holland. The day usually raises over £6,000 for charity.

Liverymen can contact the Shooting Section via the Members’ Area of the website. Others seeking more information on the Shooting Section should contact the Clerk.