Jo-An Price, the wife of Past Master Graham Price, charts the journey that has enabled the Cooks to join the 20th century – if not quite the 21st
The Cooks really did venture into Virgin territory last November when Virginia Bond was crowned the Company’s first Lady Master. Now fast forward six months and according to Virginia: “It has been exciting, challenging, rewarding and educational plus I must have eaten my body weight in fabulous food.”
Although there have been Lady Masters in other City Liveries and Guilds since 1983 when Miss Sylvia Tutt enjoyed the distinction of becoming the very first Lady Master to be elected in the City of London (The Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators) it took time for others to follow in her footsteps and achieve the number there are today when nearly forty years later there are currently 31 Lady Masters including Virginia. In fact, it took almost two decades for the Cooks to see its Master donned in robes and a bonnet – a sight some members certainly never expected to see.
As recently as 1997, it was not looking inevitable – far from it. My own personal slant on this was during the year my husband Graham Price was Master (1997-98) when he raised this thorny issue in his Inaugural Speech. He announced: “The time has come to bring women into the Cooks” and he vividly remembers the reaction to this suggestion was “ a sharp intake of breath followed by a hushed silence”. His next step was to put it on the Court Agenda where it was defeated.
Then came an opportunity not to be missed or so I thought. I decided as The Mistress to add my voice to the debate in my speech at the June Court Ladies Dinner.
I began by saying: “You all thought that when Princess Anne agreed to be guest of honour at the recent Armed Services Dinner she had come to lecture you – The Cooks – on allowing women into your Company. Well she didn’t but I am going to give it a try”. However, it still took another six years for this to become a reality in 2003-4 under then Master Rolfe Hammerton when five freemaidens were brought into Company , one of them being Virginia.
Trailblazing
It could be said the rest is history or to be more accurate history was slowly but surely being made. I asked Virginia if she saw her election in this light – a trailblazing moment for women generally and not just for those who were members of Livery Companies. “To be elected not only Master but the first Lady Master of The Worshipful Company of Cooks of London is an enormous privilege and honour. When I joined the Company it was not something that was possible and I never dreamt I would be in this position. I have to admit, not being a cook, working in The City or a member of the Armed Services I did feel rather out of my depth.
“I spent nine years ‘doing my homework’ as I progressed upwards through the Court. I visited many organisations, beneficiaries and affiliations of the Cooks. I went to ‘extra curricular activities’ laid on by my predecessor, attended all committees to learn the workings of the Company and got to know as many members as I could. I fully immersed myself as far as possible to make sure when I sat in the big chair I had as good an understanding of the whole Company as I could. I felt I was as prepared as I could be”
On that note, where does Virginia go for moral support and advice bearing in mind the Livery Companies are still very much a man’s world. “Although there is an increasing awareness and inclusion of women in the Livery world it really does just take time. Fortunately, there is a Lady Masters Association where lady officers ate invited to attend to be given advice and then, once they become Masters, they can join the Association. Tips are generally how to manage in a man’s world as quite often we are the only female on the Court and there is a vault of experience and friendly advice on tap – ranging from dress codes to moral support.”
Support and Love
“It has been reassuring and comforting to know the Cooks were ready for a lady to be Master and encouraged me to step up onto the Court with the knowledge I would be ‘subject to election’ at some point to become Master. Within the Cooks I receive friendly advice and can always pick up the phone to any member and they are always willing to help me and share experiences.
“The fact that I am a lady in the Cooks has made absolutely no difference. I receive the same respect, consideration, support and love as any Master Cook before me.”
Determined to make the most of her year – not just for herself but every member of the Cooks Company – Virginia has an extensive ‘to-do list’. High on this list of aims is her determination to incorporate events and activities for all members and to encourage everyone to play their part however big or small be it up-front of behind the scenes.
There will be plenty of opportunities throughout the year for all members and their families to enjoy the privilege of being part of the Cooks. Without a doubt one of the highlights of Virginia’s year was the Cook’s family May day out at Hampton Court Palace. Very well attended, the private tours Virginia had organised were a big hit even for those who had visited Hampton Court many times before.
One area where Virginia has upped her game and made an impact is her weekly reports – illustrated extensively and to quote Virginia “with a LOT of photos because it brings the report to life and is much more interesting than a page of text.” With her diary and days so full she wants to report as much as possible and she explains her thought process as “I want everyone to feel part of this spectacular journey and this is my way of sharing it ie: detailed reports well illustrated!” On suggesting to her that she will end up with enough material to write a book she admitted “It’s certainly a thought and you never know.”
On a personal note Virginia and her husband Neil are very much involved in village life where they live round the corner from West Horsley Place in Surrey which was also home to the TV personality Bamber Gascoigne who died earlier this year .
Virginia said: “I had agreed to contribute some trees before Bamber died and now it has become much more memorable as forty trees will be gifted, ten of which will be donated by the Cooks Company and the other thirty will be in the name of the Bond family. The Fruiterers Company set up a ‘Treebilee’ as a celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and in recognition of planting trees for Her Jubilee Canopy. There is a plaque noting the donation from both the Cooks Company and The Bond family.”
One of Virginia’s passions is the cookery part of the Cooks. “I am very much focusing on food. I am very involved in choosing the ingredients and ideas for all the dishes on my menus but I leave the creativity and making it a reality to the excellent experience of the chefs. All my menus include a piece about the main protein and its provenance and I have big focus on herbs. Every menu focuses on one herb which includes a little blurb about it on the menu card. The Clink have been most generous in their support of this from their gardens where they are grown.”
Pink napkins
Virginia is also becoming known for adding little quirky elements such as pink napkins and macaroons at her installation dinner plus herb filled planters – all of which were on display at the tea party at Hampton Court. “I was very grateful to liveryman Dr Anne Pierce donating the hand-made planters” said Virginia “and I want everyone attending the summer court dinner in June to know that the pots of flowers down the centre of the tables will not only be table decorations with a nod to the initiative of ‘Pollinating London Together’ but are gifts to take home. It is an example of making the most of what we use and always having a purpose behind our decision making.”
As Virginia is very keen to point out she is constantly working on “inclusion, diversity, fellowship, maintaining tradition, supporting our raison d’etre – this extends to promoting and actually DOING”.
“Sometimes it may only be a small way such as sleeping out in Guildhall yard supporting the Lady Mayoress in raising money for the homeless In other ways it is ‘huge’ such as the launch of the Level4 Chef Management Development programme. All the while I keep coming up with and carrying out activities to raise money for The Cooks Charity with raffles and the Online Auction, donations in memory of my father Liveryman Ted Horne as well as anything and everything in between.”
One thing is for certain, this year with a lady at its helm it is looking to be a year like no other. Virginia is the first to admit “the one thing I can do is TALK. I am regarding this as one of my useful talents – in addition to having been an occupational therapist at home and abroad and not least a mother of two for 24 years – and I am jumping in at the deep end every day to try and connect people by joining the dots and resources all – hopefully – for the greater good. I am already exhausted but I am having an absolute blast.”
So here’s to the second half of Virginia’s reign and long may the blast last!
