THE
COOPER SUMMER/ Autumn 2018
The Worshipful Company of Coopers
EXPERIENCE OVER 300 YEARS OF HISTORY AT
Coopers' Hall
Coopers’ Hall is a delightful Pre-Georgian Town House in the heart of the City of London. One of the oldest and most elegant Livery Halls, it issituated close to Liverpool Street Station and creates the perfect setting for your conference or meeting. The Hall is available for hire as a private venue and is the perfect location for exclusive lunches, dinners, meetings, conferences and receptions. As an exquisitely preserved example of its genre, Coopers Hall is very popular with clients wishing to hire an entire house, where their guests are guaranteed the undivided attention of the dedicated staff.
Our hospitality is managed by our friends at 'It's the Agency', who offer a range of themed dining and hospitality experiences. For all booking enquiries, please call 020 7871 0577 or email sales@itavenues.co.uk
MASTER'S LETTER SUMMER/ Autumn 2018 THIS ISSUE'S CONTRIBUTORS: Coopers' Company and Coborn School's Head of Year 11 and Manager of their Duke of Edinburgh's Awards Programme is Freeman Julian Teece.
Freeman Marcus Hodgson joined the Company this year at Common Hall.
He brings a wealth of experience and he shares his passion for beers You can read about the brewed in wooden casks as success of the students and you can read on pages teachers on page 25. 20-22.
The Worshipful Company of Coopers is one of the oldest Livery Companies in London.
In modern times it has evolved into the trustee of six principal charities and a social and charitable enterprise that retains an identity focused on the ancient craft of cask making. We welcome members to enjoy a fellowship around our shared values and an interest in the history, culture and charitable endeavours that our company has pursued for the last 500 or so years.
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t gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this summer edition of The Cooper. We start our Company year with a positive lift as we welcomed a large number of new members at Common Hall.
PHOTOGRAPHS: GERALD SHARP PHOTOGRAPHY; GETTY/ CHIYACAT
The National Cooperage Federation has reported a continued rise in trade apprenticeships which we can only believe is a positive sign for the craft. With another Master Cooper soon to join our infamous 'England's only Master Cooper', we as a Company will continue, with the help of our members, to offer our support and establish ourselves as a keystone between the public and the trade.
Anthony Behrens Master 2018-19
Clothed in the Livery
(L-R) Angus Campbell Thomas Hartley Mike Adams Nicola Fyfe Ruth Butler Neil Mather Harold Campbell
Admitted to Freedom
We also welcome Mark Edwards MBE Primrose Stark Marcus Hodgson (below) who joined in June Richmal Hardinge (L-R)
Julian Teece Susan Hay Emma-Jane Hampshier Gill Charles Anslow Wilson Sally Wells Helena Cooke Tim Rogers Alan Wilkinson 4 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
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EDUCATION EVENINGS TO INFORM AND INSPIRE POTENTIAL MEMBERS
All three of this year's Education Evenings were well attended by potential members and members alike. Once again we were joined by Liveryman and Master Cooper Alastair Simms and Liveryman Pamela Maryfield (right) who, in conjunction with the Clerk over three evenings in January, February, and March, entertained and informed those wishing to join the Company about the heritage of the craft, the history of the Company, and it's future and position within a modern world. Interviews for potential freemen took place at Coopers' Hall in April and those who were successful gained their freedoms at Common Hall in front of over 100 Company members. We are very pleased to report that 11 candidates took their freedom with 7 Freemen taking their Livery at Common Hall. The lists to the left name them all. Company members, and in particular Liverymen are encouraged to make recommendations to the Clerk for possible new members at their earliest convenience. Each candidate will require two sponsors who are already members of the Company. Application forms are available on request from the Clerk's office. Education Evenings, Coopers' Hall, EC2M 4TH, 28 January, 25 February, 25 March 2019. Email clerk@coopers-hall.co.uk for more information. Icon made by Icon Pond from www.flaticon.com
SOCIAL
What's going on...
The Worshipful Company of Coopers 13 Devonshire Square, London, EC2M 4TH
1. CCCS Students win Bronze. 26 students of Company of Coopers' and Coborn School passed their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze awards with the support of Freeman Julian Teece, Mr. Bain, Miss Gibson, Mr. O'Brien, Mrs Lay, Mr. Barrington and Miss Wood.
1 2. Upper Beadle Peter McGowran becomes Chief Yeoman Warder for the Tower of London. July 1st saw our Upper Beadle promoted from Yeoman Gaoler to Chief Yeoman Warder. Peter has worked at the Tower since 2009 after serving in the RAF for 25 years.
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Peter has been with the Company since 2011 serving as Under Beadle until Liveryman and former Chief Yeoman Warder Alan Kingshott MVO's retirement last year. We are very proud to have Peter take such an active role within the Company and we congratulate him on his recent promotion.
THANKS TO JANE SIMPSON
We encourage you to create, or use your Twitter account to follow us (@CoopersCompany), to keep up to date with our news and events.
@CoopersCompany
DAVID SANTA OLALLA
In addition, we have had a growing number of members keep us up to speed with their activities and we are pleased to report back those that we feel were outstanding enough to garner your interest.
www.coopers-hall.co.uk clerk@coopers-hall.co.uk
@JULIANZAPSTER
Online and in person, the Company and Master have had a very full calendar of events to attend and host. There has also been an increasing number of bookings for Coopers' Hall from corporate bodies which provides a positive impact on our finances.
Our membership contains a wealth of individuals from a variety of backgrounds that we follow with keen interest. Here we share with you some of the more notable activities that you may find of interest.
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3. Ajax to be drafted in Preliminary plans are afoot hoof to welcome Ajax, who at the age of 12 is technically not eligible to join comes with the blessing of Freeman Alan Roberts. Ajax will help the Company promote the history and heritage of the craft. More to follow. 5 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
ROY CAMPBELL MASTER 2017-18 Fellow Coopers,
Not all the liveries are fortunate to have a hall and ours is a gem. Maintaining the seventeenth century hall doesn’t come cheaply and much work is put in by the Clerks' office and the Hall and Heritage Committee.
Last year, you placed your trust in me, and elected me Master. It has been my privilege and great pleasure to be Master of this wonderful Livery Company and to be able to work with the Court and Committees. As I pass the baton to the Visitors to the Hall comment on the intimacy and Master Elect, Anthony Behrens, I am very character it portrays and It is worth so much more confident that he will have a successful year. to us than its mere commercial value and is perhaps our greatest asset. Just what makes the Coopers' different? The finances have needed bolstering over several We know that the Coopers' are a warm hearted years as we progress to a desired break-even open-church company, and having now been to position and one would always want to progress visit many other Liveries, I certainly noticed how faster. We have limited sources of much high esteem is income. The leases on the top attached to us. two floors of the hall and now what was the Museum coupled We still have a trade. Many with the catering contract with of the Liveries have lost their CH&Co. are important and trade whereas the ability to Quarterage also plays a make water-tight casks by significant part. hand and not machine is still with us as is evident given the workloads of cooperages in the UK and Ireland.
Given that the Museum space is now let out, the hall has been showered with displayed artefacts and arguably there are more We have direct connection visible signs of our historic past than hitherto, with the Coopers' and Coborn School and largely through the good work of our Honorary Strodes College and the funds bequested hundreds of years ago still fulfil the original wishes Curator Don Lyons. Through the work of Patrick Beet, our Archivist, we have also moved many of to provide good education to those who might the written records from the cellar to the London otherwise not have access to it. Metropolitan Archives. We have very strong links with our parallel trade in Scotland, the Incorporation of Coopers of My thanks go to Past Master Peter Timms for his Scotland, and other Liveries who are starting to work as Treasurer who has been doing it for explore how they may connect with their longer than he ever bargained for; as well as to respective counterparts. the Assistant Clerk who apart from the constant We are the first Livery company to entertain the new Lord Mayor at our Mansion House Banquet and we know that the Mayoral party always looks forward to this occasion. 6 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
upkeep of the hall has undertaken the migration of all the accounts and data onto a new platform which will then make administration much easier for the Clerks' office going forward.
We are very pleased to welcome Air Cdre Simon Edwards MA RAF to the Court.
In the last two years we have admitted 41 new freemen and 20 new liverymen with more in the pipeline. I urge Liverymen to monitor your new freemen and if the circumstances are right, encourage them to proceed to the Livery. Today has seen another 11 new freemen admitted with 7 new liverymen and I am so pleased to see them here at Common Hall.
Glasgow continues to be at the centre of the Company’s calendar, although the ‘Beast from the East’ managed to upset the plans to visit in March, although it was re-enacted last month without further mishap. Pastmaster Keith Brown finished his year as the Deacon Convener of the Trades House of Glasgow, the Third Citizen of Glasgow in October. His energy and enthusiasm was infectious and As always, the proposers and his work was much admired. In seconders need to remember to go out of their way to mentor and addition the annual golf match between London and Glasgow encourage participation in the takes place in early June and Company. allows those interested to play on Charity continues to play a large some of the magnificent courses part in the Company’s business in Scotland such as Troon & and I know that many members Prestwick. contribute to the Coopers'CIO or If I was to leave you with one donate your time to visiting the remaining thought, it would be organisations and grantees we Coopers’ Hall. It’s a gem of a support so thank you. Your building and people know it, love contributions are most welcome it so it’s up to us as a Company and appreciated. to keep it fit for purpose. It Left: The Master at Common Hall. Above: The Master with his wife Celia and his sons Angus, Colin, and Harold
embodies the Coopers’ Company and I have been very proud to represent it and you over the last year.
Simon commanded the Company’s affiliated 99 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton in 2008, and also served as Station Commander there (The RAF’s largest base) in 2014. He has also commanded in Afghanistan and has worked widely in the Ministry of Defence and Whitehall. A recent graduate of both the Royal College of Defence Studies and the Higher Command and Staff Course he now works at Headquarters Air Command, responsible for the delivery of major military capability programmes. Simon is married to Becki and they have two sons. He is also a qualified FA Referee and occupies his spare time with RAF football. We are honoured to have Simon lend his experience and skills to the Company as he joins the Court this year.
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MASTER 2018-2019
Anthony Behrens As a former investment manager for charities with farming roots in Yorkshire, our Master for the new year has much to offer the Company.
Before I talk about the year ahead, I thought I would say how I joined the Company. As you have read, I was a stockbroker and the firm I was with managed the Coopers' investments. When the then manager retired, I was asked to take on the role with the understanding that as the Coopers' was a Livery Company there would be no fee. I am happy to say that this carried on until I retired. In those days the investment committee met after a Court Lunch, which, it has to be said, probably influenced the decision making. It appeared, from my perspective, that the committee members were incapable of making any decisions, even allowing that they were awake, and therefore made none. This has now changed and hopefully alcohol 8 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
has less of an influence on the outcome. I was asked if I would join the Company which I willingly did. it was one of my better decisions. I have made many friends and the strong fellowship within the Company is a talking point among other liveries. The Company's significant charitable giving, especially on the educational front is one that gives me special pleasure. I am a firm believer in providing opportunities for as many as possible. As many of you will remember, the Company developed a property, 44 Southampton Row, which became available to let just after the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York. Due to the subsequent fall in the economy the Company was unable to let the building and was forced to sell it at a significant loss.
"I feel both humbled and delighted at being elected Master and am looking forward to the year ahead. As you may well imagine, I am grateful to the Court for nominating me and for having the confidence to trust me with the Mastership. I will do my very best to justify that confidence." Master's Response to Election at Common Hall Master Anthony Behrens, Renter Warden Perry Bousfield (top right) Upper Warden Graham Foulis Brown. (bottom right) Under Warden FelipĂŠ Gorsuch-Brown, Mistress Cooper Lindsey Behrens (left)
Since then the Company has been trying to rebuild its finances. Reluctantly quarterage has been increased. This year we have let the rooms which housed the Museum. Much of the display can now been seen in other parts of the building and our thanks should go to Don Lyons, our Curator, for the immense effort he has put into the project.
"The strength and heart of this Company is our membership who are the lifeblood for our future." Our Hall is pretty fundamental to our future and distinguishes us from those Companies without one. The geographical importance of Devonshire Square is increasing. There has been a big growth in tower blocks nearby over the last 10 years. The Gherkin, the 'Cheese Grater', the Heron Tower, 100 Bishopsgate, and soon the Pan Pacific Hotel and the 'Can of Ham'; when combined with Crosslink at Liverpool Street, it will hopefully increase the future commercial value of the Hall.
became fully apparent. Subsequently the company was running a significant deficit and due to his diligent work, we have just about returned to break-even, which is a major achievement. Another aspect of Adrian's time here has been establishing the close relationship we have developed with the Services, and with RAF 99 Squadron in particular. As you know Assistant Clare Hughes who was Commandant of HMS President now sits on the Court. All these deeper relationships have resulted in a great deal more work for Adrian and yet he has continued to manage his growing list of responsibilities. His will be a very hard act to follow. In addition to finding a replacement for Adrian, the Court has set up a committee to look at our future objectives for the next five to 10 years. The Development Plan is a strategic review of the Company's activities, and we aim to complete a draft by the end of the year in order that it can be published in 2019.
The Company's relationship with The Coopers' Company and Coborn School (CCCS) as well as Strodes College have been an integral part of Over the next 18 months the headlines will be our collective history. There have been dominated by Brexit, but it is unlikely to have significant changes with Strode's since it's much effect on the Company. However, there partnership with the Windsor Forrest Colleges are two aspects which will dominate my year Group. It is important that we develop an ahead which will have serious longer-term ongoing relationship with this new entity. consequences. Similarly, there have been challenges with the My one year as Master may not have much direction of CCCS which have now been importance when looked at over the Company's resolved. Now it is important that our Education 517 year history, but it will be relevant over the Committee builds a strong relationship for the coming decade. Adrian, our Clerk, has decided future using the lessons learned from the past. to retire in June 2019. Over the coming year I The strength and heart of this Company is our am sure you will hear much about Adrian and let membership who are the lifeblood for our future. me take this opportunity to mention a little about Their enthusiasm and talent needs to be him. I am probably the wrong person to speak at encouraged and nurtured which makes it a this stage because I am told you only appreciate primary aim for the coming year. Like all how much Adrian achieves once you have been relationships, it is two-way, so if you feel the Master. Company could, or should, be doing things He is available to the Master at all times and in addition he has to run the Company, arrange all the committee meetings, and generally keep the Company in its strong position and good name. Adrian started 17 years ago, before the financial aspects of the failed property development 10 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
which we aren't yet, please do let me know. I am here to listen. I am sure that I speak for everyone when I say that we are most grateful to our outgoing Master and my fellow Wardens for all you have done for the Company in the last year.
Court 2018-2019 Master: Anthony Behrens Upper Warden: Revd Canon Graham Foulis Brown, JP Under Warden: Felipe Gorsuch-Browne Renter Warden: Perry Bousfield
Pastmasters George Prescott
Paul Godfrey
Peter Timms
Bryan Michael Dr. Ian Pickering Zuckerman Frood
Vivian Alderman Roy Ian Bairstow Campbell Luder
Court Assistants The Master is elected annually by the Livery at Common Hall in May and takes office at the Installation Court Meeting in June. He presides at all formal and social occasions of the Company and is ex-officio member of all the Committees. The Court Assistants and those in officially appointed positions assist in supporting the Master and the Company in whatever capacity is required of them. See pages 18-19 for examples of this.
Bill Scott
Terry Dansey
Michael Clare Hughes Lightowler OBE
Company Officers and Appointments
John Fahy
Leigh Simon Johnson Edwards
CLERK ASSISTANT BEADLE UNDER Adrian BEADLE Peter CLERK Carroll McGowran Stephen Mark Stein McMenamy
HONORARY TREASURER Peter CHAPLAIN Timms Revd Canon Roger Hall MBE
WINE HONORARY COMPANY WARDEN CURATOR ARCHIVIST Michael Patrick Don Zuckerman Beet Lyons
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HONORARY CURATOR
Celebrating our Hall Heritage
Our Halls have played an integral part of Company life offering a place for Court meetings, social functions and office space for the Clerk to operate from. In recent times, Coopers' Hall is a prominent resident in Devonshire Square and only a short walk from Liverpool Street Station. However, as our fourth Hall it follows three other very special Halls that feature in our Company History and this year we celebrate our third hall which we moved into 150 years ago. Honorary Curator and Liveryman Don Lyons explains more about this fascinating Hall at 71 Basinghall Street.
Our long history as a Company and earlier fraternity affords many opportunities to focus on the anniversaries of events that have forged what we have become today. In writing of anniversaries in February 2018, the first that immediately comes to mind is that of 1918 and the terrible tragedies that continued to unfold during this last year of the First World War. That excellent book, ‘Coopers’ Boys and Coborn Girls: Their part in the Great War’, by Freeman Karen Pack is a stark reminder of the terrible events experienced by just one part of the extended Coopers’ Company Family.
Tuesday the 7th of January 1868. Once built, contemporary Coopers often referred to it as the ‘New Hall’ - it was to be our last on the site that was originally bequeathed by John Baker who died in 1490. To set the scene, 1868 was the year in which William Gladstone was elected Prime Minister for the first time, the first Trades Union Congress was held in Manchester and the British Expeditionary Force was sent to Abyssinia to rescue captives. That same year, London witnessed the opening of Smithfield Market, the installation of the first traffic lights (in Parliament Square) and also the last public hanging - that of the Fenian bomber, Michael Barret, who was hanged at Newgate for his part in the ‘Clerkenwell explosion’.
It is pleasing to note that 1918 provides happier The protracted anniversaries: on negotiations and rapid th February 6 1918, Royal construction at 71 The crest once capped the Hall and may be seen at the top of the building in the photo assent was given to the Basinghall Street above. Representation of the (completed in 1868) are People Act and well documented in detail The stone was restored as a gift to the Company by G.C. Sutton (Master 2005) and is displayed extended suffrage to by our current historian in the basement of our current Hall, women over the age of Liveryman Pamela 30 and to most men. Maryfield. I strongly That same year the recommend her scholarly Coopers’ Company elected William Foster, and most readable account in ‘Love as one of our noted Company historians, to Brethren’ and also that of Sir William Foster his first term of office as Master and, of in his ‘A short history of the Worshipful th course, on November 11 hostilities Company of Coopers of London’. ceased in the ‘War to end all wars’. The following illustrations and captions may It is tempting to digress to our many other assist those readers who are unable to visit anniversaries, but the purpose of this article our present Hall to see some of our related is to focus on the one hundred and fiftieth artefacts and documents. anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of our third purpose-built hall on
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1 COOPERS' HALL
"The purpose of this article is to focus on the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of our third purpose-built hall on Tuesday the 7th of January 1868." Honorary Curator and Liveryman Don Lyons The London City Press of Saturday 11th January reported that ‘The ceremony on Tuesday was attended by ‘a large number of ladies and gentlemen’.
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2. The keys to the strong room. 3. The staircase and landing. The table in the foreground was destroyed as a result of the incendiary bombing of the City on the night of Sunday 29th December, 1940.
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The article concluded with the following paragraph ‘The event was celebrated in the evening by a dinner at the London Tavern, to which about fifty gentlemen sat down. The Master presided. The Lord Mayor, Mr. Alderman and Sheriff Stone*, Mr Under-Sheriff Roche, Mr. R. Stapleton (Chairman of the City Lands Committee), and
several other visitors honoured the Company with their presence.’ As we all know the ‘War to end all wars’ proved not to be. Our last purpose built Hall was severely damaged and many treasures lost as a result of the incendiary bombing of the City of London on the night of Sunday 29th December, 1940. It is thought that the uncontrollable fire first reached the roof and the housekeeper’s quarters on the top floor at about midnight. (Continued on page 15)
1. A relic of the second Hall, this mantelpiece was installed in the Clerk’s Office on the ground floor. The mantelpiece and the arms of Charles II above it were destroyed as a result of the incendiary bombing of the City on the night of Sunday 29th December, 1940.
4. The Dining Room c.1900 Wash and ink by William Luker, jnr. (1867 – 1951)
Above: These Coins were recovered from the Hall and are believed to have been deposited there as part of the foundation laying ceremony. We have a note of November 1872 by Henry Capel that states ‘the Master deposited in a glass bottle sundry silver and copper coins, a list of the Court members and the Times Newspaper of the day - all in a cavity in the lower stone’. The coins remain in the Company’s possession.
Our last purpose built Hall was severely damaged and many treasures lost as a result of the incendiary bombing of the City of London on the night of Sunday 29th December, 1940. (Continued from page 14)
The fire spread down through the building causing severe damage. It is as well that the surviving contents were removed as the site was hit again in 1941 and yet again during the later V1 and V2 rocket campaign towards the end of World War II. *Alderman David Henry Stone (Bassishaw Ward) joined the Company in 1868 and became Master in 1874 and again in 1875. He was elected Lord Mayor at Michaelmas in 1874.
Coopers’ Boys and Coborn Girls: Their part in the Great War’, by Freewoman Karen Pack. (2015). ‘Love as Brethren’ by Liverywoman Pamela Maryfield. (2000) ‘A Short History of the Worshipful Company of Coopers of London’ by Sir William Foster C.I.E. (1944 and 1961). Historical Memoranda of the Coopers’ Company by Henry Capel, November 1872. The London City Press of Saturday 11th January, 1868.
The photograph above was taken after completion of the Hall. One of our historians, George Elkington J.P., (Master 1931) wrote ‘The building is well and conveniently planned considering the obvious difficulties of a cramped site The style is Mid- Victorian. We will let it go at that’. Another of our historians, Sir Wm. Foster C.I.E. (Master 1918 and 1935) also a contemporary familiar with the
Hall was even more sparing when, he wrote before 1939 ‘it is unnecessary here to describe the new Hall since it will be fresh in the memory of most of my readers and a full account of it and its contents have been given by Mr Elkington’.
Rapid construction (at an approximate cost of £52,000) enabled the establishment of a temporary space for Common Hall on 25th May 1868. The Court Room was first used on 6th October, 1868. (Capel).
Foster later included a postscript when his book was first printed in 1944 that provides a little more detail of the interior.
George Elkington also reports that the telephone was installed in 1908 and electric lighting in 1913. The photo may be seen in our Court Room
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ARTEFACTS FROM THE HALL 1. The trowel used in the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone by the Master G. J. Chadwin. He was assisted by the Wardens, Mr. Bristow and Mr. Edwin Smith C.C, the Renter Warden Mr. H. Capel and the Architect and Company Surveyor, Mr. G.B.Williams. Mr Chadwin’s grandson, Mr D.G. Baker (Master 1971), donated the trowel to the Company in 1971.
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2. The ‘Poor Box’ bearing the brass inscription indicated ‘made out of a table from Coopers’ Hall to replace the poor box lost in the fire when London was burned by the Germans’. The box is a gift of 1942 from Griffin Harold Jnr. (Master 1949).
3. The Court Room occupied most of the first floor.
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4. This is our portrait of Henry Capel (Master later in 1868) and Renter Warden at the foundation ceremony. Henry Capel oversaw most of the completion of the Hall and was, both an historian of the Company and an active member of the Court. He took a strong interest in the welfare of the Coopers’ School at Ratcliffe. The portrait was donated by Percy M. Whellock (Capel’s Grandson) in October, 1936.
INSTALLATION SERVICE & RECEPTION The inaugural service at the Chapel was held in 2010 by kind permission of the Constable of the Tower. Already it has become a major event in the Company calendar and it is hoped that it will continue to do so. Although the event does not technically mark the handover of Masters, the service is within a week of the Court meeting which marks the end of the current Master’s tenure and the start of the incoming one.
Above: Guests enjoy their dinner at the Sergeant's Mess Left: The Reverend Neil Jeffers, Chaplain of Pangbourne College Below: Guests head into the Chapel. Above Left: Past Master Roy Campbell with his apprentice Above Right: Under Beadle Steve McMenamy
Above: Honorary Chaplain Reverend Canon Roger Hall MBE provides a little background to the Chapel. 17 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
COMPANY COMMITTEES We have a number of Committees that meet through the year to discuss matters relating to the Company. From the maintenance of the Hall, to developing member ideas for the development of the Company, each Committee is in place to provide advice, guidance and recommendations to the Court. Whilst we have the standard Committees listed to the right, the Court is able to create special Committees to support particular projects such as a the Development Plan.
Advisory Group Role: To provide advice to the Court on Company strategy and potential candidates for the Court. Ex Officio: Master, 3x Immediate Pastmasters, Renter Warden, Clerk. Elected: 4x Court Members
Ex Officio: Master, Upper and Renter Wardens, the Chairman of the Charities Committee and Clerk Elected: 4x Court Members (2 of whom should be Pastmasters) 18 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
Role: To annually Audit the Company Accounts. Ex Officio: Chairman (appointed by the Court), Upper, Under and Renter Wardens. In attendance: The Master, Immediate Pastmaster Treasurer, Wine Warden, Clerk, Hon Curator, Assistant Clerk & Beadle when requested.
Hall & Heritage Role: Maintenance and development of the Hall, other Company properties and the property and artefacts owned with successor trades and third parties. Ex Officio: The Master, Upper, Under and Renter Warden, Immediate Pastmaster, Treasurer, Court Member (Chairman), Vice President of the Society,Honorary Curator, Clerk 3x Liverymen elected for 3 years (rotating members), coopted members (as required)
Icons made by freepik and Icon Pond from www.flaticon.com
Freedom & Livery Role: To recommend potential candidates for admission to the Freedom and Livery of the Company, overseeing the induction of newly admitted Freemen and Liverymen and organise information/ educational events for new as well as existing members.
Audit
Charities Role: To dispense funds to the Company's nominated charitable organisations and grantees.
Education
Finance Role: Responsible for the overall finances and budget of the Company and the management of the investment portfolio on behalf of the Company and Charities.
Role: TBC
Ex Officio: Master, Upper, Under and Renter Warden, Treasurer and Clerk.
Ex Officio: Master, Treasurer, Immediate Pastmaster, Renter Warden.
Elected: 2x Pastmasters, 2x Court Assistants, 3x Liverymen.
Elected: 3x Court Members Sub committees: Investments, Renumeration
Investment Role: To manage the corporate and charitable investment portfolios, which may have holdings in realty as well as in stocks and shares.
Development Role: To create a Development Plan that underpins Company strategy. In attendance: The Master, 2x Pastmaster, 5x Court Assistants, and Clerk.
Clerk Replacement Role: To help advertise and successfully recruit an individual to the role of Clerk for June 2019. In attendance: The Master, Renter Warden, 1x Pastmaster, 2x Court Assistants, and Clerk.
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SPORT Get Involved
GOOD NEWS Celebrating our members
Coopers win the Vintners Ski trophy for the second year. 1st Freeman Angus Campbell 2nd Liveryman Colin Campbell 3rd Freeman Harold Campbell.
The Coopers of London Golf Society took a trip up to Scotland to play the Coopers of Glasgow at Gailes Links Golf Course and won comfortably by two and a half matches.
Many congratulations to our Court Assistant Clare Hughes who has been awarded an OBE for services to the Armed Forces and to the Administration of Justice. in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2018.
You might not be a keen golfer or skier but there are plenty of other sporting activities you might like to get involved in on behalf of the Company. Here are just a few to whet your appetite: Swimming, Bridge*, Clay Shooting, Sailing, Real Tennis, Sheep driving*, and pancake racing*. If you would like to find out how you can be more involved, please email the Clerk at clerk@coopers-hall.co.uk.
We are always looking to celebrate the talent and achievements of our members so don't be backwards in coming forwards to tell us your good news! Email the Clerk with your news (no matter how big or small) and we will share it in the Winter/Spring issue of the magazine as well as on our Twitter feed for our every growing number of followers to read. 20 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
We are pleased to share with you the news that Rebecca Silverman has completed her Masters at the Royal College of Music in London. She is preparing for a career as an opera singer under the tutelage of the celebrated soprano, Patricia Rozario, OBE and we wish her the very best. *not strictly sports but always good to get involved.
Connections
news
The Company is proud of its connections with its affiliated organisations and here we share their good news. Icons made by Vectors Market from www.flaticon.com
ENHAM TRUST: Cassandra & Ross are celebrating two years of marriage this year after moving on from Enham Trust's residential training at Coopers' Chase, they're living independently as husband and wife. Cooper’s Chase was opened in 2011 to give disabled people a place to live while participating in a life-changing, residential work and learning programme.
DORIS PEAT MBE After 43 years of service to the school, staff past and present came together for afternoon tea and speeches to wish Doris (front row, middle) the very best as she retired from her work at the Coopers' and Coborn School. Those present included Past Master Ian Frood (back row, second from left) and Deputy Head and Freeman Sue Hay (back row, right) who were there to show their support for this remarkable individual. The Company presented Doris with a commemorative scroll to mark the occasion.
HEADLINES Our affiliated organisations have been busy this past year and we've put together a handful of snippets to show you some of the things they've been up to.
Members of 99 Squadron rode 380 miles to raise over ÂŁ2,500 for charity.
The Chancellor of the The Surrey Army Exchequer visited Cadets met at Strode's College for Redcross Way SE1 to celebrate the work a Q&A session with students. of Octavia Hill.
HMS President celebrated the 30th anniversary of their move to St. Katharine Dock.
21 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
WOOD IS GOOD MARCUS HODGSON
Freeman Marcus shares his insight into the growing demand of barrel-aged beer that brings hope for the coopering craft. What is not to like about wood? When there is beer inside a raised cask from a cooper, that’s been cultured and nurtured by the brewer then matured over time by them and or the landlord there isn’t anything in my eyes. The warm texture over the cold exterior of a metal cask, or the brittle texture of plastic. Then there’s the taste, what you drink from does affect it, and Master Cooper and Liveryman Alastair Simms will always say where you can’t escape metal and plastic tasting that way, wood mellows and flavours the feeling in your mouth. Now let us see what all this means and why there is a resurgence and if I may be so bold “a need to be in wood” from the brewers and drinkers perspective.
traditional way. My family of seafarers and ships engineers and builders fall into this bracket and grew up working with my hands on the job. But after a time at sea which I still miss and get out on the briny when I can, I have changed tacks and been involved in the armed forces, working with young people in selfdevelopment and in finance as an economist/strategist. Very different but all have relevance to casks and beer/wine in the wood. For example, in the days of yore all ships had coopers to upkeep the casks of water and rum, both very important to the ships health and minds for morale.
As a relatively new disciple to beers in the wood, I have been a long-term follower of the arts where tradesmen use their hands in a Right: The bar I built for our winter beer festival in February. We had eight different breweries beers in the wood on the bar. It all went in two days and raised over £200 for the RNLI as well as making a good profit to fund the York SPBW activities.
aspect has gone down extremely well. Now we are on the verge of having one wood cask always having beer in the wood on the bar at The Gillygate in York, like The Grapes at Sligsby. This is a massive transformation and one that is benefitting all involved and having both a talking point and reflection on how the taste can be enhanced and transformed. From a little hard work in setting this up, we now have at our disposal eight pins, one half Anker, eleven firkins, one metric firkin and soon to be raised Anker. We are really having positive impact on drinkers as there are the breweries that own their own for both serving such as York, Sunbeam, Brass Castle and Bad Co and maturing such as Rudgate in response to demand. Both Tony and Lee have matured beer for both relatively short and long periods and have been inundated with requests for these to be on the bars. Top Left: Liveryman and Master Cooper Alastair Simms at work
Eighteen months ago, I joined the Aboe: A selection of wooden casks National Society Right: Co-owners of Brew York Lee of Preservation of Graham and Wayne Smith being presented with a certificate for pub of the Beers from the Wood (SPBW). Autumn season for their tap room. Alone one night on a yacht becalmed in the Andaman Sea surfing the web on my SAT phone I saw a write-up online regarding aging and maturing beer in wood casks. On an online search I found that England’s only Master Cooper had a workshop but still known as a berth, again due to the nature of seamanship terminology, was only ten miles from my house in York. So once returned I set about seeking the White Rose Cooperage out. A trip to Thorpe Arch and was smitten both with the Cooperage and Alastair’s enormous knowledge. A year ago, when I took hold of a firkin, metric firkin, and a half Anker, the York Branch of SPBW was born. We now have just short of thirty members mostly in York but also across the North Riding. In this short time, we have worked with pubs and ourselves to host four festivals all serving at least seven different beers from the wood. Some pub crawls around York and most of all landlords contact me to say they want to have beers in wood casks on their bars! This last
When you have large craft breweries such as Abbeydale, Northern Monk and even Cloudwater looking into aging and serving then you can see that this is no blip but a S curve on the recurring upwards direction/trend. I believe with positive influence of ourselves, the Coopers' Company and brewers, creating and fulfilling demand can be sustained for the mid to long term. Nationally we have positioned ourselves to promote and establish more tradition with the wood casks at the core. To thrive more, we have had our first Woodfest last July at the home of beers from the wood at The Junction, Castleford, West Riding. Which incidentally has now reached cult status with Neil Midgley and Maureen Shaw making the best pubs in the world, like a bucket list, tis is high honour. Fifty beers from every county in the UK was represented. Robin Shacklock has been instrumental in this resurgence too by delivering such a success last year and now organising this years in North Shields, Northumberland at The Exchange 5th -7th July 2018 where there will be up to seventy present. He has also taken the profits to get Alastair to raise two casks that are in use in London with such prestigious breweries such as Gipsy Hill. This aspect is so important having wood casks in the capital. 23 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
To progress we must also look at what are the challenges we face, one important factor is that there are few Coopers in England and Wales, the Scottish Coopers are predominately on whisky casks this is where we need to focus our energy and creatively try to get apprentices into the workplace. Both Theakston’s and Sam Smiths are near to appointing a journeyman cooper and we will have two more Master Coopers. But this is not enough to further the industry and supply the trade.
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Examples of brewers using coopered casks: 3 Kings Abbeydale Bad Co Bad Seed Brass Castle Brew York Brick Cheshire Brewhouse Cloud Water Elland Fierce Fullers Gypsy Hill Hadrian Border Half Moon Hambleton Harrogate big lamp
Hook Norton Hop Studio Kirkstal North Riding Northern Monk Northern Whisper Rudgate Samual Smiths Stancil Tarn Hows Theakstons Tiger Tops Turning Point Wishbone Brewery York brewery Yorkshire Brewery (Hull)
25th July Annual Dogget Race Thames 31st August Golf Match vs. Distillers' Company West Kent GC 21st September Company Golf Day Tyrrells Wood GC 22nd September Southend trip (see page 26) 26th September Court Ladies' Lunch Coopers' Hall 1st October Election of Lord Mayor Guildhall London 10th October Cloker Service St. Botolph w/o Bishopsgate 10th November Lord Mayor's Procession Society of Livery Lunch Coopers' Hall
MASTER COOPER JOHN NEILLY It is with sadness that we report the death of one of Ireland's Master Coopers John Neilly of Kilbeggan Cooperage who passed away in May 2018. He was Master to brothers and coopers Darren and Ian Leonard.
16th November Annual Livery Banquet Mansion House 14th December Carol Service St. Botolph w/o Bishopsgate
Photo of John by Advertiser.ie
One of my personal aims in trying to find a right fit of an apprentice for Alastair, but we also need to move the focus south. We are too north heavy with our Coopers. An influence that Company members could assist with is London had a wealth and we should strive to try and re-establish this. Another factor is the cost, in that metal casks are half the price and plastic a third the cost of wood. We need to try to educate that casks made of wood are an investment as they will both last and beer can keep longer.
So, with the assistance of Liveryman, Freeman and our dutiful Coopers and Company we can all help ride this wave of good fortune that we are experiencing in wood cask revival and take it to the next level, so search out beers in the wood, attend Alastair’s talk in January at Coopers Hall and if you are in the neighbourhood of the Cooperage you're welcome to a demonstration on 14th July 2018 where four branches of SPBW will be present.
DIARY DATES
I could list the breweries that are using wood casks but to be honest there isn’t many who haven’t and those that have not when approached are more than keen to get on board the good ship. But is it tradition? Is it a cool trend? To be seen doing it? Jumping on the bandwagon? Well I believe it’s a case of all these plus the heightened awareness and brewer's love experimenting, encourage exploration, like sailors going on an adventure. The need to find out how it will taste by adding this, by tweaking that. The discussion afterwards while tasting the rewards of the labour of love. This is where it will strengthen the art of Cooperage, beer in the wood.
STUDENT SUCCESS JULIAN TEECE
and as a result we were able to accept 90 students last year. This gave us a greater opportunity to encourage inclusive student development and fully realise the school motto.
Freeman Julian is Coopers' Company We are exceptionally proud of the two and Coborn School's Head of Year 11 participants who successfully completed their and Duke of Edinburgh Programme. Gold award; Jessica Ward and Ryan Pinkney who have completed all three levels of their The Coopers’ Company and Coborn school award at Coopers’. In May of this year Jessica went to Buckingham Palace to receive her has been participating in the DofE award award, a very special day. since 2012 when Mr Threadgold, the then Deputy Head, started delivering it with the help of a grant from the Company. A group of dedicated staff aslo volunteered their time to deliver the Bronze award and run the expedition for 30 students. With the help of Mrs Phillips and Mrs Hill we expanded it to include the Silver award with another 20 students. I took over managing the programme In 2014 when Mr Threadgold retired and we ran Bronze and Silver awards for several years with nearly 90% of participants completing them; much higher than the national average. Consequently the popularity of the DofE award increased and we were having over 70 students apply to start their Bronze award. A number of factors still constrained us: developing a team of teaching staff to become qualified in leading expeditions and also the cost of expedition equipment meant we could only accept 32 students at each level. This meant that students were denied the opportunity to participate and although they were directed towards other local providers, this never felt right and was definitely not “Love as Brethren”.
We are really pleased that we currently have 203 students participating in DofE; 14 Gold students in Year 13 due to complete their expedition in July, 11 Gold students in Year 12 who are in the second term of their award, 90 Year 10 students completing their Bronze award and 88 Year 9 students who have just started their Bronze. I hope that as cohorts develop, more Bronze students will start their Gold award when they join the Sixth form. Many will not realise that the DofE award has a strong focus on the volunteering. Every student at Bronze level has to help for one hour a week for over a 3-6 month period; with Gold being longer. The students have become involved in many different communities: helping within school with a sports club/team or with an academic activity for younger pupils; helping in the local community in a charity shop, with a Beavers, Brownies, Cubs pack, or at a local church and one student has even helped at a soup kitchen for the unemployed and homeless.
With 203 students currently participating they will have given up at least 3,331 hours helping others this year. This hugely beneficial to the In 2016 we offered the Gold award to Sixth Form people concerned, but I hope it embeds a vital students and seven became participants. Their personal ethos in our students which that they expedition took them to areas that were deemed will continue to use during their time at Coopers’ “wild country” and we made the decision to enter as well as in the rest of their adult lives. into a partnership with Sam Sykes Ltd based in the Lake District. This proved to be an excellent I am really proud of our team of dedicated staff who offer the DofE award to so many students. It decision as the students had an incredible enables our students to become more rounded experience as they experienced wilderness camping up in the hills by the side of a small lake people, and has improved their transferable “soft” skills that will enable them to be better with no one else for company. citizens and make a real difference to the We also remodelled our delivery method for the community around them, thus truly making them Bronze award since entering into this partnership “Love as Brethren”. 25 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
Assistant Clerk Mark Stein shares the story of Delores, one of the grantees to the Company's Charity and how she's benefited from it.
Each year volunteers and members of the Charities Committee take the residents and staff of Coopers' Court to the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend to enjoy a fish & chip lunch and a day at the seaside. Whilst we get a healthy number of volunteers we are always looking for more as it really is an enjoyable day for everyone involved. The Charities Committee is always looking for volunteers for a number of other projects too so if you would like to offer your support please email the assistant clerk at asstclerk@coopershall.co.uk
Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com
VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED
Dolores became a grantee of the Company in 2013 following a request in assistance toward purchasing an adjustable carers bed which the Charities Committee were happy to do so when they had been made aware of her condition. Following a visit to ascertain the exact requirements, a recommendation was also made for Dolores to join our list of company grantees. At a young age, Dolores suffered from polio, a serious viral infection, for which there is no cure. It can be prevented by vaccination and the cases of polio fell dramatically in the 1950s when routine vaccination was introduced, there has been no new cases of polio in the UK since the mid-90s. Dolores was able to keep in full time employment until some 16 years ago when she was diagnosed with postpolio syndrome that only affects people who have had polio. She has suffered almost the full range of symptoms including persistent fatigue, muscle weakness, shrinking muscles, muscle & joint pain and sleep apnoea. Her condition is such that Dolores is now wheelchair bound and has
had to have her house fitted with specialist equipment. Despite all this, Dolores is strong willed and is supported by her partner Martin, her two sons Jamie & Martin and her daughter Pamela. She is well aware of her condition and that her health will progressively deteriorate over the years. Nevertheless, she and her family are making the best of the situation they now find themselves in. Dolores has agreed to an article in the Cooper magazine to be written and she would like to thank each every one of you, and in particular Amanda Burke, for the support and kindness she has been shown since becoming a member on our grantee list.
Top right: The Charities Committee members and Company volunteers with residents and staff of Coopers' Court at the Cliffs Pavillion in Southend. Bottom right: Music students such as Gemma Hawkins and Rebecca Silverman (pictured) have been recipients of support by the Company as they continue their studies. 26 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
Below: Christmas presents packed and ready to be delivered by Company members on behalf of students and staff at Coopers' Company & Coborn School. Below: Past Master Vivian Bairstow stands with Cooper apprentices and their Coopers as they receive their indentures.
The Coopers' Company itself is not a Charity but the Master, Wardens, and Court of Assistants are the Trustees of the Coopers' Charity which is registered as Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). It is an amalgamation of five former charitable trusts of varying ages of foundation which have derived their income from bequests made throughout the Company's History. The distribution of this income is governed by the Charity's constitution. The bequests we have received in recent times have helped some of the individuals featured on this page as well as others and we take this opportunity to remind members to consider including the Company as part of any bequests made in their wills. 27 | The Cooper | Summer/ Autumn 2018
The Company Calendar 1. Common Hall May One of the most important events in our Company Calendar is Common Hall at which the Master and two Wardens for the ensing year are elected. Only Liverymen are invited to attend although it has become the practice for Freemen admitted by the Court earlier that day to be invited to attend, but not vote. Guests of Liverymen are also invited to the dinner that follows.
3. The Henry Cloker Thanksgiving Service October Every year at the Church of St. Botolph Without Bishopsgate, the Clerk reads the 1573 Will of Henry Cloker who left the Company some property. The service has been expanded to include Thanksgiving for the lives of other benefactors of the Company and is followed by a supper to continue the celebration of our heritage.
VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED
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2. Installation Service & Reception June The Installation of the new Master for the forthcoming Company year is a very special occasion as it is celebrated within the grounds of the Tower of London at the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula and followed by supper beside the Thames.
4. Annual Livery Banquet 5. Education Evenings November January - March The highlight of the Company's year as we are privileged to be the first Company to dine at Mansion House with the Lord Mayor following his accession.
These evenings are the threshold for potential new members to come along and understand more about our history, the craft, and our future as a Company.
Those who have witnessed past If you have someone who could be interested in joining, we encourage banquets will know what a special event it is with a mixture you to contact the Clerk so that we of formality but with the warmth can book them in for next year so that they can join at Common Hall. of the Company.
We are looking for members who would like to be part of a voluntary group that will support our Honorary Curator and Archivist to assist in their continued research into the Company and associated activities. Supported by our Hall and Heritage Committee, the concept is that the group will be advised of a specific subject and whomever can commit to undertaking the investigation in a timely fashion would be invited to undertake the task. The results would be shared within the group by email and, where appropriate, published with suitable credits in ‘The Cooper’ magazine. All information captured will be stored for future reference and serve as a supplement to our excellent published histories.Whilst some research and support will be undertaken remotely, it is anticipated that some would require the resources held at City of London Guildhall and the London Metropolitan Archives, so some travel may be involved should the situation present itself. Anyone willing to help or interested in finding out more should contact us at curator@coopershall.co.uk and we will respond promptly. We look forward to hearing from you and welcoming you to the team. Don Lyons Patrick Beet Honorary Curator Honorary Archivist