Members
Emma Cleugh
After 20 years as a Freemaiden, Emma has stepped up to join the Livery and we welcome her as a Liveryman.
Jemima Brimacombe
Jemima Brimacombe joins the freedom through patrimony, her father being Court Assistant, David Brimacombe.
Richard Lakin
As Head of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, Richard Larkin has stepped into the big shoes of the late Sara Jayne Stanes and joined the Freedom through Redemption.
Marie McWhinney
Maria completed her four
year Cooks’ Apprenticeship at Westminster Kingsway College and has joined the Freedom.
James Cracknell
James completed his four year Cooks’ Apprenticeship at
Westminster Kingsway College and has joined the Freedom.
Tracey Wilkinson
In recognition of her work as the Assistant Clerk to outgoing Clerk, husband Peter, Mrs Tracey Wilkinson is appointed an Honorary Freeman.
Officers
The new officers were elected in September and ‘installed’ at the Court meeting preceding the Associated Companies and Confirmation Dinner on 16th November. At the meeting, the new officers were disrobed, removed their medals and moved around the table to assume their new positions. They were then all sworn in. At the dinner, the crowning ceremony was held and each officer was ‘crowned’ and took an oath to serve the company well, finally drinking a toast with the Late Master, Virginia Bond.
The Master
Keith Powell
The Second Master
Paul Galpin
The Warden
Peter Kenyon
The Renter Warden
John Bennett
Late Master
Virginia Bond
Past Master
David Smith
Clerk
James Stopford
The Crowning Ceremony is an ancient tradition that we know dates back to at least the 16th century. During the 18th century it was a lavish affair with dinner starting at 4pm, followed by a ball with dancing into the early hours. Then, sometime in the 1800s, it was abandoned and not reintroduced until 1930 for the crowning of Master John Herbert Bishop. The original crowns were repaired for the purpose, but later replaced with the crowns we use today following a generous bequest from Past Master Sidney Bishop in 1995.
