The Clothworker No.4

Summer 2010 • No 4

Clothworker The

I very much hope that as many

The Master

Liverymen as are able will attend the Meeting and the Election Dinner

The past few months have been

afterwards. For those who are not

a busy period, with a number of

able to come, and indeed for any

formal dinners around the City

members of the Freedom who would

and with fellow companies and

like to provide input on the subject

guilds in Bristol, Exeter and

of the Livery Fund, I would be very

Edinburgh. I have also been

pleased to hear from you.

It seems barely credible that my

fortunate to visit a number of

year as Master is nearly over. Anthea

charities which have a close connection with the Clothworkers,

income has meant that our charitable

and I have greatly enjoyed the exp-

including Treloars, Christ’s Hospital

giving was down in 2009. However, we

erience and have been honoured to

and the Jubilee Sailing Trust.

are budgeting for a higher level of

represent the Company and Found-

grants this year, including a major

ation at the many events we have

This edition includes summary fin-

£1m commitment to the Victoria &

attended.

ancial information on the Company

Albert Museum, details of which are

and Foundation for 2009. As you

covered elsewhere in this edition.

I would like to thank all Clothworkers for their great support and

know, the Company does not publish

I encourage all members, both

fellowship, and the staff at the Hall

its accounts and thus this informat-

Liverymen and Freemen, to take the

for making everything happen like

ion is not in the public domain. How-

time to read the piece on our plans to

clockwork.

ever, the Court is keen that members

refine the workings of the Livery Fund.

I am sure that Richard and Tina

have an opportunity to understand

This is a very important aspect of our

Jonas will derive as much pleasure

our overall financial position.

membership of the Company and we

and satisfaction from their year as

In summary, despite the econom-

will be devoting much of the Annual

Anthea and I have done.

ic downturn, our finances are sound,

Meeting of the Livery on 9th June to

although the reduction in investment

this topic.

NEIL FOSTER Master

Trusteeship The three seminars co-hosted at the Hall with New Philanthropy Capital have all been over-subscribed.

A number of members are attending, alongside trustees of a wide range of charities.

The breakfast seminars cover how trustees can make their charities more effective, how boards can maximise their own contribution, and what trustees need to know about impact.

Cover photo: St Thomas’ Eve Freedom lunch, December 2009

Master’s Gift The Master, Neil Foster, has gener-

dinners, in continuance of the Com-

ously given the Company a fine

pany’s tradition of preserving histor-

leather-bound Great Twelve visitors’

ical dinner records.

book. Every year, each of the Great

This novel and interest-

Twelve Companies entertains the

ing gift, the Company’s

Masters, Prime Wardens and Clerks of

first comprehensive series

the other eleven Companies to dinner

of original illustrations of

at their Hall. The book will be signed

the making of cloth, will

by attendees at the Clothworkers’

be displayed at future

dinner over the next ten years.

Livery dinners.

Alongside specially-commissioned original pen and ink and colourwash illustrations of the cloth-making cycle

by William Rowsell, the book will also include the menus from each of the

2

| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010

An illustration of sheep shearing from the Visitors’ Book

Social Events We were pleased to welcome to the April dinner the Lord Mayor, Alderman Nick Anstee, the Sheriffs and their ladies, and other members of the Civic party. Despite having to leave the Hall during the evening to officiate

at

an Aldermanic

election, the Lord Mayor returned in ample time for the speeches. Dan Jago proposed the Civic toast.

The Master hosted a Young Livery Dinner at the end of January. This is a less formal occasion and provides a great opportunity for Liverymen to get to know their peers.

On the sporting front, the annual match against the Dyers was played in perfect weather at the Berkshire Golf Club in Ascot. Del Bousfield won the Britten Salver, with David

Bousfield

and

Justin

Roberts coming equal second.

The Mathieson tankards were won by Andrew Wates and Justin, with David Hutchins and David Bousfield coming second.

The Great Twelve golf day was held a few days later at Tandridge, with the Clothworker team comprising David Bousfield, Tim Bousfield, Richard Hill and Justin Roberts.

We came a very commendable fourth with the winners being the Mercers. Continuing thanks to Richard Saunders for captaining the team.

Charlie Houston has corralled sufficient members to field three teams in this year’s Interlivery Shoot to be held at the Holland & Holland ground in Ruislip on 19th May. Brian Wright has put together three teams to enter the Great Twelve Sailing Challenge on 18th June at Seaview on the Isle of Wight.

Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER |

3

Master-elect Senior Partner from 1992 to 2003.

Richard Jonas is the son of Philip

He has served on the Council of

Jonas, Assistant, and grandson of Harold Driver Jonas, Master 1949-50.

Roedean School and is currently a

The Driver connection with the

Director of Babraham Bioscience

Clothworkers goes back to 1742.

Technologies Ltd and a Governor of

Richard was educated at

Sutton’s Hospital in Charterhouse.

Charterhouse and, after starting as a

He lives near Cambridge with his

land agent, became a Chartered

wife Tina. Their two daughters,

Surveyor and worked for Cluttons for

Vanessa and Annabel, are both

thirty years, culminating in being

Liverymen.

Assistants Andrewjohn Clarke is the son

Philip Portal

of Robert Clarke, Liveryman and

is the son of

grandson of Colonel Sir Ralph

Sir Francis

Stephenson Clarke, Master

Portal, Master

1962-3. Educated at Eton, King’s

1970-1.

College London and London Business School, he is an IT

Educated at Radley and Durham University,

specialist and consultant. He is involved with charity and

he has worked in the investment industry

pro-bono work, being a trustee of Borde Hill Garden,

for twenty five years, and is currently a

Sussex and a family trust in the Isle of Wight, and Finance

managing partner of a Zurich-based

Director of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness.

discretionary portfolio management company. He lives in Cascais, Portugal.

Livery Henry

Sam

Joanna

Amy

Adams

Dewhurst

Dodd

McVittie

is son of

was

was

is the

Christopher

educated

educated

daughter

Adams,

at Rugby

at Roedean

of John

Liveryman.

School,

and Oxford,

McVittie,

Educated at

Durham

where she

retired

St Edward’s Oxford, UCL and

University and King’s College

was a Clothworkers’ Exhibit-

Liveryman. She studied at

Cambridge, he has degrees

London. After a short service

ioner. She is a founding

St Paul’s Girls’ school and

in Neuroscience and Social

commission with the Queen’s

partner of a public relations

graduated from Manchester

and Political Science, and

Own Hussars, he worked in

company, Lawson Dodd. She

University with a Masters in

was a rowing Blue at

recruitment prior to

joined the Company by

mechanical engineering.

Cambridge. He teaches

qualifying as a teacher in

Redemption in 2009.

She currently works as a

biology at St Paul’s School.

2002. He is a Housemaster

programme manager for

and Classics teacher at

Yahoo.

Uppingham School. He joined the Company by Redemption in February 2010.

4

| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010

Elections 2010-2011 Wardens

First

Second

Third

Fourth

John Stoddart-Scott

Robin Booth

Peter Langley

John Wake

is Chairman of The

is a Chartered Accountant.

is a retired solicitor. He

is a Director at Barclays

Clothworkers’ Foundation.

After sixteen years with the

acted for twenty years as

Capital, where he specialises

He is a dairy farmer and

Rea Brothers private

the Company’s legal

in insurance markets.

landowner in Yorkshire and

banking group he became

adviser prior to his

Son-in-law of the late

served as High Sheriff, West

Finance Director of the

retirement from Slaughter

Jeremy Latham, Master

Yorkshire 2001-2002. He is

London Chamber of

and May in 1999. As Chair-

1994-5, he splits his time

also on the Court and

Commerce in 1990, retiring

man of the Works of Art

between the City and his

Council of Leeds University.

in 2008. His family’s in-

Sub-Committee, he is a

wife’s family farm in

volvement in cloth manu-

keen proponent of the

Nottinghamshire.

facturing dates back to

Company’s efforts to

1806. He joined the

support fine bookbinding.

Company by Redemption.

Ed

Tom

Tom

Mark

Stoddart-

Stoddart-

Tibbits

Young

Scott

Scott is

is son of

was

is son of

son of John

Caroline

educated

John

Stoddart-

Tibbits,

at Radley

Stoddart-

Scott,

Free-

and

Scott,

Assistant.

woman.

Durham

Assistant. He was educated

Educated at Harrow and

He went to school at

University. He is a founding

at Harrow and Imperial

Reading University, where

Winchester and obtained

partner of Oriel Securities, a

College, where he obtained

he read Land Management,

his PhD in high efficiency

UK institutional stockbroker,

a degree in biology. He is

and qualified as a Chartered

multijunction solar cells at

specialising in the

joint owner of a landscap-

Surveyor in 2003. He

Imperial College. He is the

commercial property

ing business, The London

recently joined Hanover

Product Engineering

sector. He joined the

Gardening Company.

Private Office as Associate

Director of a spin-out

Company by Redemption

Director, having previously

company, QuantaSol, in the

in 2009.

worked in the West End

solar renewable energy

property market with GVA

field.

Saxon Law and Cluttons.

Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER |

5

Livery Fund The Next Phase In my editorial in the last edition of the Clothworker I

more important than the

trailed our thinking on increasing the level of participation

amount. Many people may find

in the Livery Fund. Although the headline numbers we

it easiest to set up a monthly

have achieved are impressive from a standing start,

standing order, rather than a

currently only 30% of the Livery contribute to the Fund.

lump sum and it would certainly be helpful if members

The Court is keen to encourage as many Liverymen as poss-

can make a regular comm-

ible to donate, not least as a reflection of the significant

itment, rather than relying on their memory or needing to be

benefits that membership of our Company brings. In order

chased!

to give a clear lead, every member of the Court has agreed to give to the Fund this year and in the future.

It may be helpful to give an idea of the levels of contributions received so far. In 2009, the average amount given

Given the low proportion of the membership contributing

by Liverymen was £230 and by Court members £410.

to the Livery Fund so far, last year the Court considered

However, I would again emphasise, these numbers are for

introducing quarterage (effectively an annual subscription).

information and are not expectations; any donations are

Eventually it rejected this in the hope that we could instead

welcome, regardless of amount.

achieve a greater level of participation in the Fund.

In the last few years, we have been explicit with members

Accordingly, the Court asked a strategy committee to look

of the Freedom seeking election to the Livery that there is a

at a number of aspects of member involvement, including

clear expectation that they should contribute to the Livery

member contributions. The committee was asked to come

Fund according to their means.

up with proposals to revamp the Livery Fund to make it more

As stated earlier, every member of the Court has signed

attractive to those members who do not currently contribute.

up to be an annual contributor to the Fund and I very much

A number of options have been considered over the past

hope that this lead will now be followed by the Livery in

nine months and at its last meeting, the Court agreed a set

significant numbers.

of proposals which will be launched at the Annual Meeting

Whilst lifetime giving is very important, so too are bequests.

in June. The current approach will continue for donations

Legacies are a very tax efficient way of leaving money to the

received in 2010, and the new arrangements are intended to

Clothworkers. We launched a legacy campaign a few years ago,

be introduced for 2011.

and plan to come back to this topic later in the year.

These proposals are designed to address the concerns of

I urge you to read the detail of the proposals for the Livery

Liverymen who have not felt able to contribute to date,

Fund carefully. We will be allocating a good portion of the time

whilst avoiding excessive administration.

available at the Annual Meeting to discuss this important

Details of the proposals are set out on page 10. I very

initiative. I look forward to seeing as many Liverymen as possible

much hope that this new approach will encourage more

at the meeting and, of course, at the Election Dinner afterwards.

Liverymen, and indeed Freemen, to participate in the Fund.

There is no minimum or suggested contribution – people should give according to their means. The principle is almost

NEIL FOSTER Master

Livery Fund – The First Five Years 2005 Eastside Young Leaders Academy £11,000 IT equipment for disaffected young Afro-Caribbean boys in East London

2006 Railway Children £11,000 Emergency shelter and long-term support for street children in India

2007 Action Space £20,000 Visual arts workshops for people with profound learning difficulties

Coram Family £17,500 Development of tools to help children with estranged parents

Demelza House Children’s Hospice £17,800 Respite care for one year for a child with a life-limiting condition

Youth at Risk £15,000 Learning programme for ‘at risk’ young people in Leicestershire

IMPACT £17,500 Camps in India to treat children with potentially disabling conditions

Friends United Network £16,500 Befriending scheme supporting disadvantaged children in London Eastside Young Leaders Academy £8,000 IT training to support young AfroCaribbean boys in East London

8

| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010

£24,000 Hope for Tomorrow Mobile chemotherapy assessment unit

Concept of the Fund

Background

When we set up the Livery Fund in 2005, we tried to keep The Livery Fund was launched in 2005 to allow

the concept simple. Members were encouraged to donate

members, particularly Liverymen, to participate in the

and complete a Gift Aid declaration (which allows us to

charitable activity of the Clothworkers and put

claim a further 28% from the tax man).

something back.

The Livery Fund is a segregated sub-fund of The Cloth-

Since then, the Fund has distributed £265,000 to a

workers’ Foundation (which obviated the need to set up a

number of very worthy causes. So it has been a success,

new charity), and all donations received are distributed in the

making a difference to a significant number of less

same year.

fortunate members of society, with 115 Clothworkers contributing regularly. The Court now wishes to build on this success and engage more Liverymen in giving to the Fund.

The Company matches all member donations (including Gift Aid) as an additional incentive to donors.

The grant-making expertise of the Foundation is used to ensure that the charities and projects funded are of good

The wealth of the Company, and the establishment

quality and financially viable.

of the Foundation, has been built on the generosity of

A Committee comprising five Liverymen (plus a member

previous generations of Clothworkers, helped by jud-

of Court who is a Trustee) is charged with selecting causes,

icious management of our assets over the centuries.

charities and projects to receive grants.

However, in modern times the practice of giving to the Company has largely dried up. We are not alone in this phenomenon, and most of the other Great Twelve Companies would have reported a similar story.

However, expectations in society are changing, and many Livery Companies are responding to this shift.

For example, in 2006, the Haberdashers set up a Foundation to which 177 donors have given or pledged almost £500,000, and sixteen legacy pledges in excess of £200,000 have been received. In addition, they levy

Membership of the Committee rotates and to date 11 Liverymen have served.

The process currently employed is as follows: ■ The Committee meets to agree three or four areas of charitable activity as themes for the year, ensuring that they will have broad appeal ■ Foundation staff research charities operating in each category and produce a list ■ The Committee reviews these and selects a shortlist of three charities in each category ■ The short-listed charities are invited to submit bids to the

£50 per annum quarterage.

The Merchant Taylors receive £100,000 a year from

Fund

their members into the Company’s charity; at the

■ The Committee receives presentations from each charity

Salters, Liverymen are encouraged to donate £35 per

and decides which of them should receive a grant;

head for Livery dinners to their charity, and 99% do so.

The Skinners, who had some financial pressures a number of years ago, have raised over £1m from their

generally, three or four grants are made each year ■ Recipients tend to be small or medium-sized charities where our grant will make a difference

members in the past five years and have chosen to

■ One charity each year is invited to use the Hall free of

continue paying for dinners, although there is no

charge for a fundraising event, in the expectation that

longer any financial imperative to do so.

they will be able to leverage significant additional funds for their cause.

2008 Charlie Waller Memorial Trust £20,000 Pilot masterclass for school staff to support mental wellbeing in secondary schools 3H Fund £15,000 Holiday breaks for fifty low income families with a disabled dependant £11,000 Contact the Elderly Outings for isolated elderly people in East London

2009 Beating Eating Disorders £20,000 Mentoring programme to support young people recovering from an eating disorder £20,000 CHICKS Respite breaks in the West Country for disadvantaged inner-city children

Annual Distributions 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

£46,000 £53,000 £59,000 £51,000 £56,000

£16,000 City & Hackney Carers Respite breaks for carers of disabled relatives

Brandon Centre £5,000 Bereavement counselling project

Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER | 9

The New Livery Fund

Member Involvement

From 2011, we will run the Fund in a different way, design-

The Livery Fund is one of a number of ways in which we are

ed to give members a greater say in suggesting and

seeking to engage Liverymen more in the activities of the

selecting charities to receive grants.

Company and Foundation.

Each September, we will invite Liverymen to submit suggest-

In the last few years, we have been able to draw on the skills

ions of a charity they wish to be considered for receipt of a

and enthusiasm amongst our members in assisting with the assessment of grant applications. Over 70 Liverymen are

grant.

There will be some broad criteria (eg UK registered

involved in visiting charities seeking money from the Found-

charities only) and those members who wish to submit a bid

ation, resulting in better-informed decisions. We will shortly

will be asked to complete a one page form giving brief details

be extending the programme to include follow up visits once

and the rationale.

the project we have funded is up and running. A number of

The Livery Charity Committee, with support from Foun-

visitors were recently able to join the Court in hosting the

dation staff, will review the suggestions and shortlist six

annual Charities lunch, where recipients of grants are

charities.

thanked for their efforts, learn more about the Foundation

In January, we will write to all members with the shortlist and ask them to vote for three charities to receive a grant.

and network with their peers.

More Liverymen are now involved on Committees; we

We will circulate details of the successful three charities

currently have 22 members co-opted onto a number of

in March. Members can then decide how they wish to

Committees, including wine, textiles, property and invest-

allocate their donation for the year or split it equally. If they

ment and finance. In addition to the Livery Charity Comm-

do not wish their contributions to go to any of the charities,

ittee, we also have a Livery Activities Committee made up

they can elect to direct their funds to the endowment of the

of five Liverymen and chaired by a Court member; this group

Foundation or the Company.

looks at how we can engage more of our members in Company

At the end of the year, grants are distributed to the chosen charities.

activities.

On the social front, we are endeavouring to respond to

The Company will continue to match members’ contrib-

members’ wishes within the inevitable budgetary const-

utions (including Gift Aid) and we will offer free use of the

raints. In the last few years, we have added several new

Hall to each of the three charities for a fundraising event.

events to the calendar – a drinks reception for younger

We hope that most members will contribute by Standing

Freemen to get to know each other, an informal dinner for

Orders (which can also be made from CAF accounts), but

Liverymen under 45 with the same objective, as well as ad

will also be making arrangements to accept payment

hoc outings to places of interest.

through one of the established web-based intermediaries.

Our military affiliations also provide an opportunity for

We will use electronic communication to the extent

Liverymen to get involved, whether going on board HMS

possible, but will of course respect individuals’ preferences

Dauntless, hosting Scots Guards Officers at dinner or playing

in this regard.

them at croquet.

We may also mount our own

And all this is, of course, in addition to our normal cycle

fundraising event for one of the

of dinners where Liverymen are able to entertain their guests

charities to boost the amount

in wonderful surroundings to our usual high standard.

they receive, effectively making it our ‘Charity of the Year’.

Members can, of course, submit their suggestion again in

Participation in the Livery Fund should be an integral part of being a Clothworker, in addition to the fellowship and hospitality enjoyed at the Hall and the commitment of time involved in visiting charities and serving on committees.

a subsequent year if ‘their’

Our embryonic trusteeship initiative will provide further

charity is not successful first

opportunities for Liverymen to get involved with the Com-

time around.

pany and support its mission which, like all Livery Companies, is essentially charitable and philanthropic.

10

| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010

Textiles

Photographing a quilt at Blythe House

Victoria & Albert Museum The V&A has one of the best textiles and fashion collections in the world, and certainly the best in the UK. Much of the collection is not on display and the current arrangements for access by students, designers and academics are severely restricted.

As part of the museum’s development strategy, all the collection is to be housed at Blythe House, a Grade II-listed building by Kensington Olympia, which used to be the headquarters of the old Post Office Savings Bank.

The V&A uses the building, along with the Science Mus-

Cluttered storage

eum and British Museum, for storage and it is not open to the public. As can be seen from the photos, current storage is not fit for purpose.

Cluttered storage

As part of its FuturePlan, the museum plans to create a worldleading resource in Blythe House for the study of fashion and dress, alongside state-of-the-art stores and conservation facilities.

The Textiles and Fashion Study and Conservation Centre will include a study room and seminar room, and have the museum’s first dedicated and fully-equipped spaces for the study of textiles. The conservation facilities will include a large studio, mounting and upholstery rooms, and dyeing and washing areas.

The Trustees felt this was a very important textiles project which warranted a significant grant. Accordingly, we have committed £1m towards the total £3m cost and, in recognition of

Blythe House

this critical initial support, the V&A have agreed that it will be called The Clothworkers’ Centre.

Textile Conservation Centre The Foundation has supported the TCC

conservation centre is to be estab-

for many years, not least in its reloc-

lished at the University of Glasgow,

ation from Hampton Court to Win-

with the first cohort of MA students

chester in 1998 with a £500,000 grant.

starting this September.

Accordingly, when we learnt that

The Foundation has agreed to prov-

the Centre was under threat of closure

ide £50,000 towards the fit-out costs of

by the University of Southampton we

the new centre, together with a stud-

in her efforts to secure the future of

were keen to assist in it finding a new

ent bursary of £12,000.

textile conservation in the UK. We

home.

We are delighted that a new textile

Nell Hoare, who was Director of the TCC for 18 years, has been unstinting

were very pleased to make Nell an Honorary Liveryman last year.

Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER |

11

Brenda Gourley, Vice Chancellor of the Open University, and Michael Howell

The City and Guilds of London Institute

teen Livery Companies, including the Clothworkers, the City and Guilds of London Institute came into being in

The City and Guilds of London Institute is Britain’s largest vocational awarding

1878 and received its Royal Charter

body, concerned with equipping people of all ages for better jobs. The Cloth-

in 1900. Its Engineering College became

workers’ Company has had a close association with the Institute since it was

part of Imperial College in 1907 and

first founded to establish a national system of technical education at a time

the Clothworkers continued to

when there was none.

support this offshoot until 2003.

Today, it offers more than five

By the mid-nineteenth century,

Company had, in 1874, given its first

hundred different vocational qualif-

Britain’s trading and manufacturing

financial support to the newly-estab-

ications from construction and

powers had ebbed. The Industrial

lished Yorkshire College of Science

engineering, to hairdressing and dog

Revolution had earlier positioned the

[later The University of Leeds], and

grooming. It awards a total of 1.5

nation at the forefront of industrial

was also supporting technical educ-

million certificates annually and

expansion; however, this transform-

ation at the Bristol College of Science.

ation could not be maintained – the

The Clothworkers

there are nearly 20 million certificate holders world-

growth of the factory system had

combined with the

spelled the end of the apprenticeship

Drapers and seized

system and the means by which

the initiative,

workers at all levels could receive

organising what

ed by Further

effective technical instruction. Other

are now regard-

Education coll-

industrial nations had emerged,

ed as imp-

eges and priv-

realising that high level technical

ortant early

ate training

training was fundamental to

formative

providers, by

engineering success; Britain was

meetings with

companies and

losing its edge.

representatives

the armed

In 1875 the Prime Minister, Glad-

from other Livery

wide, of whom 90% are in the UK. Its courses are offer-

services.

stone, asked the Livery Companies to

Companies and

consider whether they could help in

the Corporation of

the strategy for regaining the coun-

the City of London.

try’s lost powers by fulfilling the

It is in recognition of the

training purposes which, as appren-

influence of the Clothworkers and

been members, with Michael Howell

ticeship, had been central to their

the Drapers that the Institute bears a

now in his second three-year term.

foundation.

spotted griffin and unicorn as supp-

The Clothworkers and City & Guilds

orters in its coat of arms.

jointly provide bursaries in stone and

His approach was timely. A similar appeal had been made by the Lord Mayor of London in 1872 and the

12

| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010

With financial support from the City of London Corporation and six-

There is still a close link with the Clothworkers – three of the last five Chairmen have

wood conservation at the City & Guilds Art School in Kennington.

Art Library Bridgeman

Apex Hotel One of the Company’s freeholds in the City of London is 7-9 Copthall Avenue, which abuts Northgate House, the JPM Cazenove head office on Moorgate, which is also in our portfolio.

In 2009, this office building was converted into a boutique hotel.

We agreed a 99 year lease to the hotel operator which will produce £135,000 rent per year rising with inflation, in place of the £10,000 annual fixed rent received before.

Knicker Shock Our archives sometimes yield the most unlikely gems.

A recent find was a learned exchange with the Professor of Textile Industries at Leeds back in the 1960s.

The Clerk had sought his advice on the problem of female employees encountering electric shocks at the Hall.

The Professor’s diagnosis was that the shocks were caused by the friction created by the ladies’ nylon stockings and underwear rubbing on each other. Although in a surgical operating theatre this could risk static sparks igniting ether vapour, this was unlikely to apply at the Hall (other than perhaps from a decanter of brandy!)

As a result, the Clerk advised staff to take appropriate cautionary measures and avoid wearing nylon undergarments.

Each year the Foundation hosts a lunch for students who have received a bursary in the preceding year.

We make awards in textiles at Leeds and Manchester Universities, in textile design at the Royal College of Art, and in conservation at a number of institutions.

We are also one of the few trusts to support medical students taking a one year intercalated BSc

Student Lunch

as part of their course. We provide bursaries at Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ School of Biomedical Sciences and University College London Medical School.

Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER |

13

Services Affiliations HMS Dauntless

the Bass Rock and then were shown

everyone had a few drinks afterwards.

the ship’s paces (0 knots to 28 knots in

The Dauntless is far more spacious

The Ship is to be commissioned in

four ship lengths!). Following high-

than earlier generations of warships,

Portsmouth on 3rd June, and the

speed turns, there was firing practice

and we enjoyed the comfort of twoberth cabins.

Master and Clerk have been

at 6,000 rounds a

invited to the ceremony.

minute at an infl-

Next morning we awoke with the

atable target and a

Tyne in sight and edged up the river

Several Clothworkers (Tim

dashing retrieval

with a pilot to North Shields. We then

Roberton, Alex Nelson and

of the debris by a

turned round skilfully, aided by tugs

Will Howell) were recently

rib-load of sailors

and moored alongside, facing down-

invited to join the Ship on a

launched by davit

stream. We came ashore just before

trip. They write:

over the side.

lunch, having had a full and very mem-

In the evening,

“We had a wonderful time a

Mess

David Sutcliffe and Susannah Broome

Newcastle overnight on HMS Daunt-

dinner was followed by a quiz, conn-

joined the Captain for drinks on the

less. We were very well looked after by

ected up to all other messes around

bridge and lunch in his cabin whilst

the Ship’s company, as were other

the ship (200 people on board) and

the ship was moored at North Shields.

travelling from Edinburgh to

formal

orable twenty-four hours on board.”

guests, namely the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Newcastle upon Tyne and an ex-MP from that city (Sir Neville ‘Globe’ Trotter). Also on board were affiliated servicemen from the King’s Royal Hussars and 51 Squadron, RAF Waddington.

When we left, we passed under the Forth Bridges with only four metres to spare, dropped our pilot just short of

Scots Guards 1st Battalion is currently deployed on operations in Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick. Some 460 men are in Helmand province carrying out a critical role in this major initiative. Unfortunately, they have suffered several casualties, including one fatality.

In response to a request

Left: Scots

whilst F Company were on Queen’s

Guards Dinner at

Guard. HRH the Duke of Kent, Colonel

St James’ Palace

of the Regiment, was a fellow guest and at the end of the evening, the

from the Regimental Colonel, we have made a

participation in

Master was presented with a Cloth-

grant of £2,500 to purch-

sending ‘buddy boxes’ to

worker March specially composed by

ase forty portable DVD players and a

named Guardsmen out in Afghan-

selection of DVDs to be used by

istan.

sections on operations when resting between missions.

We have also sought the Livery’s

14

| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010

the Pipe Major.

On a sporting front, we intend to

The Master and several Assistants

organise a return croquet match in

were recently guests to dinner at the

the summer, as well as a golf match in

Officers’ Mess at St James’ Palace

the autumn.

Notable Clothworkers Sir Owen Roberts Building upon the legacy of Thomas Massa Alsager’s transformative Mastership in the early nineteenth century, Owen Roberts enabled the Company to put its prosperity to good use, and for this reason is considered one of the Clothworkers’ greatest Clerks. many years, and it was for his services to technical education that he was knighted in 1888.

Old labs at Newnham College

and from the office.

Roberts was dedicated to his work for the Clothworkers, and Livery Com-

During his time as Clerk, the

panies in general, and he drew partic-

Company also first supported the

ular credit for his part in defending

secondary education of girls and

them before the Royal Commission

higher education of women,

into the administration of their affairs

awarding scholarships and grants

in 1880. In the same year, the Court

to Newnham and Girton colleges

commissioned a portrait of Roberts as

Roberts was born in 1835 in Caernar-

in Cambridge, and Somerville and St

a mark of its esteem; the portrait now

von, the son of a land agent. He was

Catherine’s colleges in Oxford. We also

hangs in the Court Room, behind the

one of at least six children, and was

contributed £21 towards the £500 cost

Master’s Chair.

educated at Chester and Jesus College,

of Newnham’s first chemical labor-

Following his retirement in 1907

Oxford.

atory. Roberts’ activities in the field of

Roberts joined the Court, becoming

Following a clerkship at the War

female education extended

Master in 1909. However, it is

Office in Pall Mall, Roberts was called

further, including a close

to the bar in 1865. However, he was a

connection with the

barrister-at-law for just one year; in

Society for Promot-

pany that he is best

1866 he took up an appointment to

ing the Training of

remembered. Upon

the newly-revived post of Assistant

Wo m e n , w h i c h

his death in 1915,

for his tireless activities as Clerk to the Com-

Clerk to The Clothworkers’ Company,

sought to improve

an obituary in the

beating fifteen other applicants. He

training and employ-

City Press fittingly

succeeded to the position of Clerk in

ment opportunities for

noted ‘guildry is imm-

1867, following the resignation of Robert

women. A Clothworker

easurably

Beckwith Towse due to ill health, even

link with the Society still exists,

though Roberts had been at the Com-

as Carolyn Boulter, Assistant, is its

Master,

pany only a year and a day. Roberts

Chairman.

Wardens and

was to remain in the post for forty-one years.

As Clerk to the Company, Roberts presided over the Company’s golden

Roberts’ external interests were wide-ranging, from being a JP to serv-

today by the death of its chief stalwart.’

Roberts (far right) as Clerk

ing as High Sheriff of Caernarvonshire.

Roberts lived at Henley Park in

age, ensuring that it deployed its res-

Surrey, an eighteenth century mans-

ources to good effect. During his ten-

ion near Guildford, with his

ure, the Clothworkers became actively

third wife and his three

involved in the field of technical educ-

daughters, but part

ation, funding two textile departments

of every year was

at what is now the University of Leeds,

spent at the main fam-

in addition to making important grants

ily home in Caernarvon.

to a wide variety of other institutions.

At Clothworkers’ Hall,

Roberts was himself pivotal in the

poorer

Roberts’ flat was conven-

establishment of the City and Guilds

iently accessed through a

of London Institute, serving as one of

mirror in the Drawing Room so

its three Joint Honorary Secretaries for

that he could slip discreetly to Right: Letter conferring Roberts’ knighthood

Summer 2010 | THE CLOTHWORKER |

15

1587 map of the new world from

Bridgeman Art Library

Hakluyt’s Principal Navigations

The Company has recently agreed to

The new edition will be the first fully

sponsor an essay in a forthcoming

annotated edition of Hakluyt’s seminal

companion volume for the new edit-

work, providing key background inform-

ion of Richard Hakluyt’s Principal Navi-

ation, biographical details, maps and

gations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries

illustrations. The companion volume

of the English Nation (published in three

will include an essay exploring Hakluyt’s

volumes between 1598 and 1600), the

links with the Company and thus add

most important collection of travel

significantly to our understanding of

writing in the early modern period.

Hakluyt and his patrons, the internat-

Although not a Clothworker himself,

ional cloth trade and the trading

Hakluyt was a recipient of the Com-

activities of a number of important

pany’s benevolence on a number of

Clothworkers in the sixteenth century.

occasions – he was for example a Cloth-

The edition and companion volume

worker Scholar of Divinity at Christ

is expected to be published by Oxford

Church, Oxford – and a number of

University Press by 2016.

By permission of the Chapter of Bristol Cathedral

The Clothworker | Design by Chris Monk | Printing by Trident Printing | www.tridentprinting.co.uk

Tudor Travelogue

Clothworkers feature in the Principal Navigations.

Image of Hakluyt from Bristol Cathedral

Deaths

Dates for Your Diary

Mary Beachcroft, Freewoman,

Wednesday 9th June

Wednesday 29th September

on 25th January 2010

■ Annual Meeting of the Livery

■ Election of Lord Mayor and

and Election Dinner

Livery Lunch

Erin Smith, Freewoman,

Friday 18th and Saturday 19th June

Wednesday 13th October

on 11th February 2010

■ Great Twelve Sailing Challenge,

■ Court and Livery Dinner

Seaview, Isle of Wight

Saturday 13th November ■ Lord Mayor’s Show and Lunch at

Miranda Lowcock, Freewoman,

Tuesday 22nd June

on 26th March 2010

■ Young Freedom Drinks

Daphne Bousfield, Freewoman,

Thursday 24th June

■ Court and Livery Dinner

on 2nd April 2010

■ Election of Sheriffs and Livery

Monday 20th December

Reception

Lunch Wednesday 30th June ■ Livery Outing to Museum of London

16

| THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2010

Carpenters’ Hall Wednesday 1st December

■ St Thomas’ Eve Lunch