Clothworker Autumn 2014 • No 11
The
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Master’s Welcome Against this background, General Sir Peter Wall, the present Chief of the General Staff, has agreed to speak at our March Masters and Clerks dinner, and our service affiliates will join us at this event.
I am privileged to have been elected Master of this great Company. I am a member of the fifth generation of Howells to have been Clothworkers, the first being Thomas Howell, my great-greatgrandfather, who became free by Servitude in 1823 via the family firm Howell & Hayter, who were military packers.
Civil service The first Howell Clothworker, later Sir Thomas, chose to resign from the Court in 1857 when he was appointed Director-General of Military Contracts. He subsequently rendered more transparent military procurement at the War Office, a task which up to that point had not been undertaken.
Front cover: © Aspire and Hope for Tomorrow. Le Mans charity event at the Hall.
An early priority for any prospective Master is to line up guest speakers for the year’s Livery dinners. The speakers I have invited reflect aspects of my family heritage, and areas of the Company’s activity which I am keen to promote. Afghanistan I have an interest in Afghanistan, and have had a role with several charities who are developing vocational skills in the country, a crucial step in successful economic development of any nation. One of the charities, Afghan Action, which helps young people, including women, to develop skills to secure employment, received a grant from the Livery Fund in 2012. So I have invited Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, former UK Ambassador to Afghanistan, to speak at the October dinner about what has changed in that country over the past 100+ years, and what that country’s priorities should now be. Impact investment We can with some justification be proud of the charitable work carried out by the Foundation. Social investment and impact measurement are very topical subjects in the world of philanthropy, and the Foundation will be mindful of this as it undertakes its usual five-year 2 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2014
review of its grant-making strategy next year. Sir Ronald Cohen, the “father of British venture capital” who led the phenomenal growth of Private Equity investor Apax Partners, is now closely involved in social impact investing in the charitable sector, and I am delighted he has agreed to speak to us at the December Livery Dinner. Service affiliations I am very keen to develop further our links with the armed forces. My father, Tom – Liveryman – rose to Air Vice-Marshal and, post-war, was responsible within the RAF for Britain’s nuclear deterrent. I was thus pleased to play a part in forging the Company’s link with 47 Squadron, an affiliation which has got off to a great start. I also hope we may achieve greater engagement with HMS Dauntless and the FANYs, whilst being conscious that operational demands can sometimes make this a challenge.
The UK has an enviable tradition of individuals who have excelled conspicuously in serving the interests of the nation. Sir Thomas was one example. Another is Dame Deirdre Hutton, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, with past interests in both Food Standards and Financial Services. I have invited her to speak at the July Court Dinner. Trusteeship I have taken over as the champion of this important initiative, and am pleased with progress. However, I very much hope that we will be able to report that during my year more members will have taken on trustee roles. New Members You will see that we have admitted fourteen new Freemen since the last issue. It is very heartening, and critical for our future, that the Company continues to attract new blood, both from families going back ten generations and from individuals starting what we hope will be a similarly long association!
Civic City Vocational skills I served as a trustee of City & Guilds for a number of years, including six as Chairman. This experience made me an ardent advocate of vocational skills, and I am hopeful that the Clothworkers may be able to make a contribution in this area in modern times in the textiles sector, effectively going back to our roots. We started with apprenticeships back in the fifteenth century, and the concept is as valid today in helping to address skills gaps in many industries, including textiles. My year I am looking forward very much to my year and especially to becoming better acquainted with Clothworkers, whether on the Livery or Freedom. Please do say hello at Company events, or write to me at TheMaster@clothworkers. co.uk with your thoughts and suggestions. From the recent contact I have had with many of our younger members, I am very encouraged by the talent available to us and the interest that is shown in the Company. This bodes well for the future. In this coming year, I shall, with the support of Andrew Blessley, our Clerk, do whatever I can to move the organisation forward. Michael Howell Master
Lord Mayor On 29 September, Alderman Alan Yarrow is expected to be elected Lord Mayor for 2014/15. Alan is on the Court of the Fishmongers’ Company and an investment banker, having worked at Dresdner Kleinwort for 37 years, including being Group Vice Chairman. He is currently Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments.
Sheriffs On 24 June 2014 at Common Hall, Alderman Dr Andrew Parmley and Fiona Adler were elected Sheriffs for 2014/15.
Fiona Adler Fiona is a Past Master of the Tobacco Pipe Makers and Tobacco Blenders Company. She spent her career in the tobacco trade, but now works as a neuro-linguistic programme coach helping children to overcome bullying.
Andrew Parmley Andrew is a musician by background and is the Principal of the Harrodian School in West London. He was elected Alderman in 2001 and is Swan Warden of the Vintners’ Company, in addition to being on the Court of several other Livery Companies.
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New Members of the Freedom
Decklun Barker Son of Robert Barker, Freeman, and grandson of Raymond Barker. Decklun is a seventh generation Clothworker. The Barker connection dates back to 1789 when Robert Barker was apprenticed to Benjamin Fuller, a callender [or presser] of cloth in Milk Street. Decklun works in freight forwarding and logistics.
Ionie Broome Daughter of Susannah Broome (née Yonge), Freewoman. Ionie is a fourth generation Clothworker. She is the granddaughter of Nigel Yonge, Master excused service 2002, and Sally Yonge, Freewoman. Ionie has just achieved a first class degree in Natural Science from Durham University.
Fiona Curtis Daughter of Martin Garwood, Freeman. Fiona is a fifth generation Clothworker. The family connection with the Company goes back to 1876 when Robert Garwood, the son of a distiller’s servant of Mile End, was made Free by servitude. A Chartered Accountant, Fiona currently works as a Management Accountant in the NHS.
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Callum Browne Son of Bettina Browne and grandson of Raymond Barker. Cousin of Decklun, Callum is also a seventh generation Clothworker. He obtained a degree in Modern History and Criminology and currently works as a Project Manager for American Express.
Roger Harvey Grandson of Thomas Harvey. Roger is a seventh generation Clothworker. Before retiring, Roger worked for many years as a project manager in the Lloyd’s of London insurance market.
Eleanor Brown Daughter of Richard Brown, Liveryman. Eleanor is a fourth generation Clothworker. Her great-grandfather was Major Walter Pothecary, Clerk to the Company 1933-1950. She has recently graduated from Southampton University in Physiotherapy. She works as a musculoskeletal and orthopaedic physiotherapist.
Christopher Judge Son of Alderman and Sheriff Sir Paul Judge, Honorary Assistant. Christopher has recently left the Army having been commissioned into the Royal Engineers after graduating from St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge. He is now working as a civil engineer for Sir Robert McAlpine, managing the construction of the new US London Embassy.
Jeremy Lloyd Son of Paul Lloyd, Liveryman. Jeremy’s father entered the Company by Redemption in 1980; however he is related, through marriage, to the Angells, one of the Company’s oldest families, thus making him a tenth generation Clothworker. Jeremy is an IT consultant at Risual.
Giles Malyon Son of Michael Malyon, Master excused service 2014. Giles is a fourth generation Clothworker. The Malyon connection began in 1931 when Herbert Malyon was made Free by Redemption. Giles’ grandfather, Brian Malyon, was Master 198182. Giles was educated at RAC Cirencester. He is in farming partnership and is a trainee estate agent.
Wendy Morgan Wendy is a fifth generation Clothworker. Great granddaughter of Cecil Adams and daughter of Jill Hicks. She obtained a BA in Business and an MA in Marketing. She is currently working as a Management Consultant and is director/owner of a property business, and governor of a local Bristol school.
Rachel Mowll Daughter of David Mowll, Liveryman. Rachel is a third generation Clothworker and the granddaughter of Christopher Mowll, Clerk to the Company 19781992. She has just graduated from University of Sheffield with a Masters in Chemistry and has been accepted there for a PhD.
Jane O’Callaghan Great granddaughter of Cecil Adams and daughter of Jill Hicks. Jane is a consultant psychiatrist specialising in neuropsychiatry and perinatal psychiatry, having trained at London and Leicester Universities. She has a special interest in sleep disorders and has published research in this area.
Louis Portal Son of Philip Portal, Assistant. Louis is a third generation Clothworker. The connection dates back to 1928 when Louis’ grandfather, Sir Francis Portal Bt, Master 1970, was made Free by Redemption. Louis is a freelance musician studying at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague.
Joseph Winkley A graduate of Oxford University, he has joined by Redemption. Joe started his career as a lawyer with Slaughter and May, before switching to corporate finance at Dresdner Kleinwort and subsequently UBS. He is currently Head of Corporate Finance at Winterflood Securities Ltd.
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Hiring the Hall We have a large Livery Hall which can comfortably seat up to 220 people at a dinner. However, we only have six or so big Livery functions each year which require such a large space. art audio visual communications capability.
Accordingly, the Court agreed a few years ago that we should be more active in letting the Hall to third parties as a way of generating additional revenue to offset the considerable cost of maintaining the Hall. New catering partnership As part of this process, we put our catering contract out to tender four years ago, and an important consideration was the bidders’ ability to market the Hall. As a result we awarded the contract (initially for three years, but since extended) to Chester Boyd. They have a significant marketing capability through ItsTheAgency, their sales arm, and as part of the arrangement they have a General Manager and catering staff based at the Hall, in addition to sales staff who show prospective clients around the venue. Over the period we have upgraded our facilities, including a new conference suite with state of the
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City clients The Hall is now used for a wide range of corporate functions, from roadshows and presentations (for the likes of Citibank, Barclays and Credit Suisse) to insurance company client events (since we are based at the heart of the insurance market) for organisations like Mercers and AIG. We also host Royal Geographical Society lectures and New Philanthropy Capital trusteeship seminars during the year, as well as giving the three Livery Fund charities free use of the Hall for an event. A number of fellow Livery Companies without Halls hold dinners at Clothworkers’ Hall, often preceded by a Court meeting, and the Cordwainers, whose offices are at the Hall, hold most of their functions at our Hall. ItsTheAgency promote the Hall widely. A profitable market we would like to grow is wedding receptions, where two celebrations have been held to date at the Hall. The arrangement with Chester Boyd is a mutually beneficial one. We no longer have responsibility
for employing staff in catering or event origination, and get a share of the food and beverage revenue as well as a Hall hire fee. The net result is that we have been able to give £200,000 more each year to charities through the Foundation, as well as opening up our Hall to many more people.
We also make the Hall available to charities, at a reduced rate, generally for fundraising dinners. Aspire, the charity which supports people living with spinal cord injuries, and Hope for Tomorrow, a charity which provides mobile chemotherapy units, partnered up recently to hold a successful Le Mans race-themed event during which some impressive racing cars were parked in the courtyard. Over £25,000 was raised.
performance. The job can be time consuming and challenging and governors as well as the rest of the school are subject to regulation by Ofsted; however, it is immensely rewarding.
Robin Jones, Liveryman
There are over 300,000 school governors in the UK who volunteer their time to support the governance and strategic oversight of their schools. We asked two members to talk about their experience of being a governor:
Clare Evelyn, Liveryman I have been a member of The Clothworkers’ Company since 1994 and joined the Livery in 2003. My father (John McVittie) and grandfather were Clothworkers before me and our family connection with the Company comes through the Bousfield family. The school A year ago I joined the governing body of Surrey Hills Church of England Primary School. The school educates 300 4 to 11 year olds at two sites (one of which is in the village in which I live) in the Surrey Hills and was formed from the amalgamation of two separate village infant schools three years ago. Last summer the school appointed a new headmistress following the retirement of the previous head. I was keen to join the governing body of the school as I had previously been the chair of the
local village nursery school committee which had ignited my interest in education. As my children became older, I relinquished my role at the nursery and my focus shifted onto primary education so I looked for a way to continue to be involved in education in some way. The role Being a school governor requires you to work with the school in three broad ways: firstly to help with the strategic direction; secondly to hold the headteacher to account for teaching standards and the quality of the education that is delivered; and finally to oversee the financial management of the school. This is achieved in a variety of ways: governors observe lessons, attend school functions, assess pupil performance data, review and set budgets and meet regularly with each other and the school senior leadership team to review the schools overall
The school Harris Academy Bermondsey is a girls’ school in the heart of London, very near where I live. Over 800 students attend the school, which is part of the wider Harris Federation of 27 Academies in and around London. The school puts a huge emphasis on supporting and motivating the girls to succeed, including a very effective business mentoring scheme where employees from City firms regularly spend time with the students helping with subject tuition and guidance on their future options. School Governor One Stop Shop I got involved after hearing about the opportunities to become a governor from both my employer and the Clothworkers. It was early days for the Company’s trusteeship initiative but I contacted the School Governor One Stop Shop (SGOSS) and put in an application.
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Being a School Governor
I joined the Livery five years ago and there are many other Joneses who are part of the Company, including my sister, a recent Livery joiner.
For more information about being a school governor please visit http://www.nga.org.uk/ and http://www.sgoss.org.uk/
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I expected to have to wait some months to find a local school but the Harris Federation got in touch almost immediately. I was open about my desire to both put something back into the local community, hopefully using some of my skills, and to broaden out my experiences beyond that of financial services regulation. Challenges Once I joined the governing body the first challenge was to understand all of the new acronyms and language of the education system and to get to know the school. As a governing body we work together with the school leaders to oversee the
development of the school. That means ensuring the students receive a quality education but also taking a wider view of the school finances and staffing. Ultimately we are the ‘critical friend’ of the school and I hope that we are constructive and supportive in the questions that we ask and the recognition we provide. That is the biggest challenge, but also opportunity, for me – understanding and being able to ask the right, helpful, questions. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the school through visits, sitting in on lessons and talking to students and participating in the governors
meetings. My role as Chair of Governors really starts now and I’ll be at the school to help them at the beginning of the new academic year. Exciting times This is an exciting time for the school with a relatively new Principal in place and the likelihood of an Ofsted visit very soon! I’ve found the role so far fascinating, challenging and, as always, it is something I could spend a lot more time doing. But hopefully as a governor I, and my fellow governors, can strike the right balance between being both critical and supportive of the school as it develops further.
8-10 Moorgate A formal ceremony was held in June to celebrate the completion of the new building at 8–10 Moorgate. Amongst the guests were the Japanese Ambassador, and senior representatives from the headlessee Mitsui Fudosan, the developer Stanhope, the major contractor Mace and the tenant ING Bank. As part of the
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proceedings, there was the traditional Japanese sake barrel ceremony or ‘kagami-biraki’. This is performed on special occasions to beseech the gods to grant good fortune, and involves breaking the lid of the sake barrel with a wooden mallet, following which sake is served to all those present. Melville Haggard (second from right),
Chairman of the Property Committee, participated in the ceremony – and managed to stay dry! This is an important property transaction for the Company since once ING move in and pay rent, our income will increase from a fixed £7,500 to over £400,000 a year.
Bookplate Competition The Works of Art Committee recently organised a competition open to City and Guilds of London Art School students to design a new bookplate for our collection. Bookplates are small printed or decorative labels, pasted inside the cover of a book, typically bearing the name, motto or coat of arms of the owner. They provide important evidence of provenance but contemporary examples can also make striking enhancements to books and bindings. Revival An armorial bookplate had been used for the Company’s Library until the 1990s; but the traditional design began to look dated and out of kilter with our practice of acquiring
important works for our bookbinding commissions and general Library collection. As such the Works of Art Committee tasked art students at the City and Guilds of London Art School to come up with a new design in a bid to revive the practice. Winning design The brief was to produce a modern, bold, creative and eye catching bookplate and Helena Crabtree has been selected as the winner. In a
Helena Crabtree’s winning design clean break from heraldic motifs, Helena has produced an elegant watercolour piece adorned with two small addorsed ‘Cs’ to indicate The Clothworkers’ Company. Helena will receive a £750 cheque from the Company and her design will now go into production for use in new Library books.
A previous bookplate
War Memorial 2014 marks the centenary of the commencement of the Great War and the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Second World War and a number of events are planned across the UK to commemorate those who fell in battle. Given the significance of the year, the Court has commissioned a memorial to honour the nineteen Liverymen and other members of the Company who fought and lost their lives in both conflicts. A simple yet poignant plaque will be carved in slate and engraved by the artist and letter cutter Lucy
Haugh, who recently completed the memorial panel for the Peter Turner monument in our guild church, St Olave, Hart Street. It is planned to install the memorial by the main entrance
Lucy Haugh at work to St Olave’s in November, so that we may remember our Clothworker forebears on Armistice Day.
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Mary Datchelor School The Clothworkers’ Company has a tradition of supporting education and our very first recorded charitable grant, in 1551, was to fund a poor scholar at Christ Church, Oxford. In addition to our longstanding involvement in technical education – most evident through our support of the University of Leeds and the City and Guilds of London Institute – we have also been a keen supporter of female education. In the nineteenth century, we funded a number of university exhibitions for young women and made capital grants to the new female colleges at Oxbridge. It was at this time that we also began our long connection with Mary Datchelor Girls’ School in Camberwell. Legacy The school was named after Mistress Mary Datchelor, of Threadneedle Street in the City of London, who died unmarried in 1725 and was buried in the church of St Andrew Undershaft. Following her wishes, her two surviving sisters left property for various charitable purposes, including apprenticing poor boys of the parish. The church faithfully discharged this trust for over a century, but when the Threadneedle Street property was sold in 1863, the residue for the poor was considered excessive. Accordingly, in 1871, the Church Commissioners empowered the churchwardens to found a middle class day school with the greater part of the proceeds of sale. Two houses were purchased in Grove Lane, Camberwell and in 1877, Mary Datchelor Girls’ School opened with just 30 pupils. It grew quickly, soon overwhelming its governors’ limited expertise, and The Clothworkers’ Company was asked to take over its entire administration in 1894.
Grove Lane original building
Managing the school From this time onwards the Company took a very active interest in its new charge, attending regular prize days and visits and using corporate funds to greatly enhance and expand the School’s buildings and facilities, such as new laboratories, a gym and, its most popular gift amongst schoolgirls and mistresses alike – a large swimming pool – provided in 1937 to mark the School’s diamond jubilee. There were just four head-mistresses in post during the School’s long history and each left an indelible mark upon their students. Dame Dorothy Brock in particular was instrumental in developing the school’s curriculum, placing her complete trust in her teachers, allowing them the freedom to introduce new aspects to their teaching. Music was encouraged at all levels and the methods and strength of teaching in this sphere were widely lauded. An impressive number of Datchelor girls went on to achieve Licentiate status of the Royal Academy of Music whilst still at the School, and particular
innovations included lunchtime appreciation sessions and a proper focus given to composition – with the Fitch prize (endowed by Frederick George Fitch, Master 1911-1912) instituted in 1911, more than a decade before the Board of Education’s efforts to bring composing into the classroom. Past students are fiercely proud of the School and always speak warmly of the nurturing environment and sense of community it provided, surviving the long war years in Llanelli intact and strengthened.
Kindergarten singing 10 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2014
Stained glass of Mary Datchelor
Education in 2004 and then into The Clothworkers’ Foundation in 2013. The funds provide bursaries and internships for postgraduates, principally in textiles related subjects.
Visits to Clothworkers’ Hall also provided particular excitement – sixteen double decker buses were commissioned to bring all 600 pupils to Mincing Lane for a Strawberry Tea Party in 1927 to mark the School’s fiftieth anniversary. A similar trip in 1957 required a police escort! Closure Despite its strong academic record, and after protracted negotiations, including a direct appeal to the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to step in, the School closed in 1981 after the Inner London Education Authority took the decision to cease maintaining it. The school premises were initially sold to the Save the Children fund and the proceeds of sale of the site, buildings and other assets of the School and the trust funds associated with it were directed into the Mary Datchelor Trust, of which the The Clothworkers’ Foundation were Trustees. It was established to benefit persons under the age of 25 resident in Greater London in need of financial assistance to continue their education, with a preference to former pupils of the School.
Fittingly, the annual lunch each February to which all our students and interns are invited is now known as the Mary Datchelor Lunch, in order to perpetuate the memory of the original benefactor.
Datchelor Old Girls Club tea party at the Hall Stained glass Similarly, Mary Datchelor is remembered in a set of beautiful Victorian stained glass windows
from the School’s Hall, containing portraits of a number of pioneering figures in the history of female education. The windows were commissioned by the Company as one of its first acts as Governor in 1894 and their design was directed by the noted artist Nathaniel Westlake for the firm Lavers and Barraud – Nathaniel Lavers, Master 1893-94 was in fact the first Clothworker Master to preside over a Datchelor prize day. The windows were saved from demolition in 2005 and, after conservation, were gifted to the Girls Day School Trust, whose founder, Maria Grey, is featured in one of the panels. They form an important part of the designs for a new development at Blackheath High School, set to open in 2018. Although the School has long since closed, its legacy and traditions continue – the Datchelor Old Girls Club is still going strong, marking its 125th anniversary with a celebratory tea party at Clothworkers’ Hall earlier this year.
Proposed siting of stained glass at Blackheath High School
Bursaries It was subsequently consolidated into the Clothworkers’ Charity for Autumn 2014 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 11
Before restoration
Conservation Fellowship The Courtauld Institute of Art is one of the world’s leading centres for the study of the history and conservation of art and architecture. Based at Somerset House, it is also an independent college of the University of London. The accompanying Gallery, also based at Somerset House, houses a collection of works of art from the Renaissance period through to the 20th century. Grant The Foundation’s conservation fellowship programme saw the Courtauld awarded £65,000 in 2011 for the conservation and study of the 1501 panel painting by Gerino da Pistoia which it owned. The fellowship award has allowed lecturer Pippa Balch, senior conservator and lecturer in the conservation of easel paintings within the Courtauld’s Department of Conservation and Technology, to focus on the conservation work and technical study of the Gerino panel over a two-year period. The work More than 100 splits were repaired and many reconstructions of lost wood completed, using the method of gluing small, precisely-fitting wedges and blocks of aged poplar into splits and damages. Small bridges were used on the back of the panel in various ways to improve the surface levels on the face of the painting. The panel is still fragile and flexible due to its size and thinness, and so a new auxiliary support was made and fitted, using a sprung system developed in Florence and tailored to the needs of the Gerino. The frame before and after conservation
Collaboration Our grant enabled the Courtauld to also apply for, and secure, a $231,000 grant from the Getty Foundation during this period as part of its Panel Painting Initiative which funded several visits from expert panel conservators. This unique collaboration enabled Italian techniques of panel repair in the Florentine tradition to be learnt and used for the Courtauld panel, and led to a stimulating exchange of ideas and deeper understanding among conservators from different traditions.
St Augustine’s face By the end of 2013, after eighteen months’ work, the structural work to the panel support was completed. This resulted in a renewed structural integrity of the highly damaged wooden panel, but also a much improved aesthetic on the surface of the painting. Attention has now been turned to 12 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2014
the painted surface for the final stages of the treatment and study of the painting. In addition to the structural work, the old layers of yellowed varnish and mis-matched retouching were removed to reveal something of the original vibrancy of the paint. Discovery Technical findings have included the discovery, using x-radiography, of several significant changes to the composition made by the artist before he finished the work and lively underdrawing in the head of St Augustine, made visible using infra-red reflectography. Whilst the completion of the structural conservation is a major step towards making this painting displayable for the first time, there is still much work to do on the front. The further cleaning, filling and inpainting of losses in the paint layer will be continued by Pippa with the assistance of students of the Postgraduate Diploma in Easel Paintings Conservation. The painting does not currently have a frame, and options for this are being considered with the Gallery’s chief conservator and curator. Once finished the painting will go on display at the Courtauld Gallery for the first time since its acquisition in 1966.
Proactive Dramatic Arts Programme The Foundation’s trustees have agreed a new £1.25m five-year proactive programme in the dramatic arts. The initiative has been welcomed by the sector, which has experienced significant public funding cuts in the last few years. It has received good coverage in the sector press. Clothworkers’ Theatre Award The cornerstone of the exciting new programme is the annual Clothworkers’ Theatre Award of up to £150,000 (£750,000 in total over the next five years) to a producing English regional theatre, starting with the South West region for the 2014 award. Four theatres have been invited to apply: Bristol Old Vic, Everyman Cheltenham, Salisbury Playhouse and Plymouth Theatre Royal. Although the winner has already been selected by a judging panel of Clothworkers working in the theatre sector and our own trustees, it is being kept TOP SECRET until 19 October
when it will be announced at the 2014 UK Theatre Awards at Guildhall. This is a major theatre industry event which will ensure that the Clothworkers’ Theatre Award is given a suitably high profile. Interested members will have to wait for the next edition of The Clothworker to find out which theatre has won the 2014 award and to read more about the award ceremony. Support for drama schools The other strand of the Dramatic Arts Programme is support for talented students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds to attend major drama schools. We are supporting the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) and the London Academy of Music and Drama (LAMDA), two of the UK’s leading drama schools with an international reputation for
providing exceptional vocational training to talented individuals, enabling them to become outstanding actors, directors and theatre technicians. Each institution has been awarded £180,000 to provide bursaries to talented young people from low income backgrounds who would otherwise be unable to accept the places offered to them. Research has shown that, for these young people, it is essential that any financial support offered is for the entire two or three year length of the course; we have taken this into account, and the Clothworker bursaries will fund one RADA and one LAMDA student each year for five years (ten students in total) for the duration of their undergraduate degree course in acting or technical theatre studies. Grants for bursaries were also awarded to the National Youth Theatre (£50,000) and to the Society of London Theatre (£37,500 for Clothworkers’ Laurence Olivier Bursaries), again over a five year period to support talented students from low income backgrounds. Autumn 2014 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 13
Affiliations
Amy (front row, second from the left) and other FANY recruits passing out
First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) On 18 June, Melville Haggard, First Warden, attended the passing out parade of the FANYs, one of the Company’s service affiliations. We talked to Amy Tickner, one of the new recruits, about why she became a volunteer: Why did you decide to volunteer? I decided to get involved as my friend passed out last year and she was always telling me about the things she was volunteering for and it sounded great. It sounded very varied which appealed. I also have links to the military as my brother was in the 9/12th Royal Lancers. Are you given training? Yes, there is a 9-month training programme. It is very diverse and covers lots of areas including first aid, military knowledge and FANY history too. Did you fit the training around a job? Yes, I fitted around my job. I work in marketing for Tesco, although currently I am seconded to Euphorium bakery, which has 25 shops in London. It is a very intense and creative job, so I enjoyed the training as it was so different from work. What are the volunteering opportunities? There is a wide range of different things you can get involved in. Each 14 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2014
week there could be up to 15 different events or initiatives that the FANY are looking to support with volunteers. HQ send out an email listing them all so you can put your name forward if you are interested. Your mandatory commitment is to help answer calls at the Casualty Bureau at Bishopsgate Police Station should there be an emergency or disaster in London, but beyond that you are welcome to volunteer for whatever you’d like. What was the passing out parade like? Nerve wracking! We had practised drill for 6 weeks but only in civilian clothing, so it felt different in the heavy service dress that we were given at the start of the event. The FANYs recycle their uniforms; it made me feel proud to be wearing a uniform that was originally worn in 1942. It was a really enjoyable event and nice that my family were there to watch me. What are you looking forward to over the coming year? I am really looking forward to being part of the Royal International Air Tattoo, the
Lord Mayor’s Show and the World War I Commemorations. Each of them will be very different events but all need volunteers like FANYs to make them happen and I am really proud to be a part of that.
Scots Guards painting unveiled The Company contributed towards the commission of a painting of operations in Afghanistan. The Drawdown was painted by Arabella Dorman, the renowned war artist, and was unveiled in the spring. The painting is now hanging in the Officers’ Mess at Catterick, and a group of Liverymen attended the formal unveiling at the Garrison in
Obituary (Robert) Martin Mays-Smith Liveryman Died 25th April 2014, aged 84 Elder son of Robin Mays-Smith (Master excused service 1977-78), Martin was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was a talented oarsman, having the distinction of winning two races at Henley on the same day. He had a successful career in banking, and worked for the Bank of England, Barclays and William Brandt’s before joining Kleinwort Benson in 1972, where he rose to be Director and Head of the Banking Division.
April. The painting will be featured in Arabella’s exhibition ‘Before the Dawn – an Artist’s Journey through Afghanistan’ which takes place at La Galleria Pall Mall, London from 4 - 15 November 2014. You can see all her work on her website www.arabelladorman.com
Upon his retirement in 1995, he took on a number of non-executive roles including Chairman of Empire Stores, First National Finance Corporation, Morland and the Norwich & Peterborough Building Society. Martin was also involved with a number of charitable bodies, being a governor of Ripon College and Mary Hare School for the Deaf, Treasurer of Opportunity International (UK) and Chairman of the Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance, a body with which he was associated for over twenty years.
His extensive business commitments precluded him taking a greater role at the Clothworkers, but he enjoyed attending dinners at the Hall. He is survived by his second wife, Lady Eliza, and his three daughters.
Deaths We are sorry to report the deaths of: Robert Collier Driver, Freeman, in May 2014 Eileen Faithfull, Freewoman, in May 2014
New Designers The winner of this year’s New Designers Clothworkers’ Associate Prize in Printed Textiles is Emily May with her work ‘Beauty Spots’. Liveryman Scarlet Oliver (right) and previous winner Toni Lake (left) judged the entries and presented Emily (centre) with her award and £1,000 prize cheque.
The Drawdown, Scots Guards, Afghanistan 2013 by Arabella Dorman
Autumn 2014 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 15
The e-Clothworker is 1! We have been sending out our monthly e-newsletter ‘The e-Clothworker’ for over a year now and have been pleased with the feedback. We are always looking for members to feature, so if you
are willing to talk about your job, your voluntary commitments or your sporting pursuits then please contact katietapponnier@ clothworkers.co.uk
Staff Sophia Watkins joins as maternity cover for Celina Mwangi, providing event and office support. Sophia previously worked for a business network. We are also pleased to welcome Abdul Ahmed as a new member of the cleaning team.
The Clothworker | Design by Chris Monk | Printing by Trident Printing | www.tridentprinting.co.uk
Sophia Watkins
Abdul Ahmed In October we will be saying goodbye to Abby Wright-Parkes, Membership Communications Officer
and Kathyrn Rooke, maternity cover Archivist. We wish them both well in the future. Katie Tapponnier, currently PA to the Master and Clerk, will move into a part-time role working on membership communications and a replacement PA is being recruited.
Social Events
apher present are events where we have had a photogr Remember that all the pictures from site. ge in the Members’ Area of the web available to download free of char ns by email only. il address as we send event invitatio ema ent curr r you have we sure e Mak events. k if you have any queries about our Contact events@clothworkers.co.u
16 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Autumn 2014