Welcome
The Master
Cover photo: James Brockman’s binding of ‘The Halls of the Livery Companies of the City of London’
Unusually in modern times, I am the third Master in a row whose family roots have been in textiles. My family firm, started in 1830, was the first ready-made clothiers in the world; I did a textiles degree at Leeds University, and for a number of years I worked in textiles – for Courtaulds, Fenwicks and then running my own business. So it was particularly fitting that one of my first duties as Master was to go to the Texprint private view at Chelsea College of Art and Design to talk to the finalists of this textile design competition, which the Clothworkers have been a major supporter of for a number of years. You can read more about the competition, and how one of our Liverymen, Scarlet Oliver, helps the charity by being a Council member, on page 6. In early October I shall be representing the Foundation at the opening of the new Clothworkers’ Centre for the Study and Conservation of Textiles and Fashion at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Without our grant of £1 million, this project would not have happened. I think we can all be very proud of the support the Clothworkers provide to textile projects whether in design, technology, heritage or conservation. We are one of the major philanthropic funders of textiles in the UK, and have made grants in excess of £8 million over the past ten years. Most people join the Company through a family connection; however, there is a significant
2 | THE CLOTHWORKER | Summer 2013
minority who have become Clothworkers by Redemption, a number of whom have gone on to be Master. I was one such individual, having been introduced to the Clothworkers in 1969 by Kenneth Hargreaves, Master 1969/70. The Court believes that it is good policy to ‘refresh the gene pool’ from time to time by admitting some talented people from outside of the Company, without in any way doing away with the family feel of the Clothworkers. This is why my predecessor, Robin Booth, wrote to the younger Livery a few months ago asking them to think of friends or colleagues who might be potential candidates for membership. For those who did not respond to that letter, I would encourage you to give the matter some thought and let the Clerk know.
I am very much looking forward to my year. I think I may be the first Master who lives abroad, having moved from the Scottish Borders to La Rochelle on the west coast of France a few years ago. This will not prevent me making the most of my year and, thanks to the wonders of easyJet and the Clothworkers’ forward planning, I will be spending much of the time based at Dunster Court. I have invited some interesting speakers to the main Livery Dinners and hope that these, along with our other events, will be well supported. My wife Jacqui and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Hall during the year.
Christopher G McLean May Master