SYF Chairman, Georgina Hajdu, with the SYF President, Alderman & Sheriff David Wootton and the Master Plumber, David Hamilton
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Guest Speaker and Master Draper, Professor Graham Zellick CBE with the SYF Loving Cup in the foreground
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Guests during the Drinks Reception
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Great support at the Dinner from Past Chairmen, including Rob Scriven, Jason McCreanney and Sally Anne Hill
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Private Tour of the Old Bailey 20th April 2010
On 20th April, a large group of SYF Members and guests teamed up with the Young Solicitors for a private evening tour of the Old Bailey – also known as the Central Criminal Court.
Charles Henty, the Secondary, took us on a remarkable tour. Sitting in the infamous Court Number 1, Charles told us all about the history of the Old Bailey, regaled us with tales of old and recounted unbelieveable stories of the present. We then had the “opportunity” to stand in the dock that has accommodated such criminals as the Kray Brothers.
Going through the back door of the Court we found ourselves in the main Entrance Hall, a highly impressive and ornate area which was in stark contrast to the cells in the basement, the next stop on the tour. We were shown the lowest category of cells and Charles explained the procedure for bringing criminals in out of the Courts. It is all highly convoluted and meticulously planned – not surprising considering the nature of the alleged crimes.
Following the tour, we all enjoyed a few glasses of wine and some nibbles in the Judges Dining Room where the buzz from the tour was quite evident!
With sincere thanks to Sheriff David Wootton for making it all possible and to Charles Henty for a fantastic tour.
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Circa @ Barbican Theatre 11th March 2010
A gathering of SYF members, friends and family met at the Barbican not entirely sure of what they were in store for. Outside the theatre
was a poster for Circa simply featuring a woman in large red high heeled shoes standing improbably on top of a man’s shoulders ... one
thing was for sure, this wasn’t going to be your standard Thursday night! Circa features a group of Australian contemporary circus
performers under the direction of Yaron Lifschitz with a modern show of acrobatics and human movement set to music.
The opening five minutes set the tone for what was to follow as we witnessed each of the performers demonstrate a frankly unnatural
demonstration of flexibility and strength. By the end of the evening everyone had their favourite part of a remarkable and engaging
show. However, undeniable standouts included a woman standing upright on a man’s arm, hula hoop dancing, oh and of course the
aforementioned red shoes. In the programme, the creator of the show, Yaron Lifschitz, described the show in 5 words which truly capture
what it was: Savage, Funny, Lyrical, Pure and Challenging!
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Some of the group totally amazed by what they had just seen!
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Wine and Woffle Social with the Worshipful Company of Plumbers and New Members’ Evening 11th February 2010
On Thursday 11th February we met with the Worshipful Company of
Plumbers for an evening of wine and woffle in the function room at
Balls Brothers. On arriving we all received a warm welcome from the
Clerk of the Plumbers who eagerly thrust a glass of wine into our
hands.
We enjoyed a welcoming address from the current Master of the Plumbers
followed closely by a few words from Georgina.
During the address we learnt that the Chair of our Society becomes,
during their year in office, an honorary member of the Worshipful
Company of Plumbers and Georgina proudly sported the Plumbers’ pin
throughout the evening.
Both the SYF and the Plumbers turned out in good numbers and in no
time at all the woffling was in full swing, interrupted only by the
odd swig of a wine glass and a brief debate as to which of the canapés
should be sampled next.
From our discussions with some of the members of the Company we learnt
that the Plumbers are currently raising funds to commission a statue
of an apprentice to be located on the site of their former hall, which
was compulsory purchased some years ago to make way for the extension
to Cannon Street station. The original statue of the apprentice is now
long lost and we wish the Plumbers well in their fundraising
endeavours.
The Plumbers are a self-confessed friendly, outgoing and social Company and we all very much enjoyed the convivial atmosphere in which
the evening was conducted.
After the more formal proceedings had finished, members of the SYF retired to the bar to convene our New Members’ Evening. This was a perfect opportunity for new and prospective
members to discuss the Society on an informal basis and to get to know everyone involved.
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The Master of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers and the Chairman of the SYF welcome everyone to a great evening
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Past Chairman of the SYF and current Liveryman of the WCP, Michael Cooper, with the current Society Chairman and two potential members
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Tour of Haberdashers Hall 14th January 2010
In January after the weeks of New Year snow had gone, we had a wonderful visit to Haberdasher's Hall in Smithfield. The Hall, the Company's 4th, only opened in 2002. Although modern in style, it turned out to be a hidden gem, nestled in a courtyard opposite St. Bart's Hospital and surrounded by existing office blocks. Once through the entrance it was like walking into a garden of tranquillity away from the bustle of the street, with the trickle of a fountain the only sound in a pretty, cloistered garden.
The effect was one of mixing the old of the Mediaeval cloister with the new of the modern sculptures dotted around. We later found out from the archivist who showed us round that this was a recurrent theme, at the heart of the design of both the exterior and interior of the new Hall. There have been three previous Hall before this one. The first was established in what is now Gresham Street in 1459. Like for so many Livery Halls, The Great Fire and World War II took their toll on the first two and the third was acquired for development in 1996.
The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers dates back to 1371 and received its Royal Charter in 1448. It was responsible for the trade of haberdashery which, unlike the cottons and threads we are familiar with today, related more to the sale of "small wares" such as ribbons, beads, purses, gloves, pins, caps, toys and later hats. Traders were often itinerant, travelling round the country and spreading fashions as they went. London's population explosion meant that by as early as 1650 the Company was no longer able to control the trade and thus it turned to the charitable and education work we know today.
From 1594 onwards four of the members of the Company had left bequests of land and money to establish schools and in 1690 Robert Aske, founded the well known Haberdashers' Aske' Schools . There are now nine schools in total spread around the country, a mixture of private and State, many of which we were told had moved locations several times over the years.
The Hall had many treats in store, interesting artefacts mixed with modern art, including some stunning works by pupils from the Company's schools. Of particular note were an almost life size carved figurehead of St Catherine, the Company's patron Saint, that used to sit ahead the Company's barge and a wonderful oak panelled room that had been brought piece by piece from an earlier Hall. We were told that whilst the Hall is now rightly very popular with private hires, the effect of a stray flipchart had recently left one of the historic paintings with a large tare and so now all were covered in very discrete Perspex for their own protection, From that we took our cue that our drinks to round off the evening would be best consumed at a local hostelry, just in case we put any more of the artefacts at risk!
Our thanks go to the archivist for taking us on a very special tour.
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The Beautiful Courtyard
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The Tour Begins
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Carol Singing 17th December 2009
We started the evening with an unpredented number of SYF members and friends singing carols to the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress at Mansion House. We were made to feel extremely welcome and also had the unexpected pleasure of seeing our President, Sheriff David Wootton, who joined the musical throng.
After a round of strong mulled wine and mince pies, we set off into the snowy night to raise money for Pitch Perfect, the Lord Mayor's Appeal. The first stop was Ye Olde Watling where we received a very warm welcome from all the patrons and made a great start to the collection. After another round of Dutch courage, we continued up Watling Street to the Pavilion End, which of course had a great connection with this year's Appeal. From there we continued on to three more pubs with a splinter group gaining unexpected funds from their Livery Company - thank you Laurence and Dave!
All in all, it was a great night and a highly successful one at that! We collected £180 for the Lord Mayor's Appeal. We are also thrilled that Geoffrey Bond, Chairman of the Livery Committee, kindly offered to double our money so a grand total of £360 was raised for this very worthy cause.
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SYF Members and friends with the Lord Mayor, the Lady Mayoress, and Sheriff David Wooton
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Carol Service 10th December 2009
Members of the Society were brought together for the annual Christmas Service of Lessons and Carols. The service was held at St Martin-within-Ludgate in conjunction with the Guild of Freemen. An array of traditional hymns was sung, accompanied by the City of London Freemen's School Camerata. A series of lessons traditionally taken from St. Luke were then read by various Guild members including the Master, Sir Gavin Arthur and our very own Chairman, Georgina Hajdu. An abundance of mulled wine and mince pies made for a truly heart-warming evening, thoroughly enjoyed by all present.
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Wine Tasting 25th November 2009
On 25th November, in the grand splendour of Tallow Chandlers Hall, the Society of Young Freemen held their wine-tasting event in conjunction with the Guild of Freemen. This year the wines were all from Hungary and were accompanied by a charming and knowledgeable man who was to guide us through the large selection we were to sample.
After a short introduction and a welcome to Her Excellency the Hungarian Ambassador, who was the guest of honour, Georgina was given a special mention due to her being of Hungarian descent. As the tasting began, an excited buzz infiltrated the room; so much so that the Master's hammer for silence was used on more than one occasion!
Throughout the tasting, murmurs of 'light', 'deep', 'oaky' and 'fruity' could be heard as we all attempted to identify the flavours in the wines. With all of our allocated places taken and people on the waiting list, this was a very popular event and a great deal of fun was had by all!
A great day and incredible experience for all involved. The SYF boasts a great calendar of events every year, but it really is easy to see why it's the case that, for many members, this event will always be the highlight!
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Her Excellency, the Ambassador of Hungary with the Master of the Guild of Freemen and the SYF Chairman
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Two past chairmen enjoying the evening!
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Lord Mayor's Show 14th November 2009
Members and associates of the SYF gathered for another year to welcome the new Lord Mayor of London, Nick Anstee, by participating in The Lord Mayor's Show.
The weather in the morning was a frightening combination of thunder, lightening and lashing rain. Any fears, however, that the hostile climate would discourage the historically excellent attendance of the SYF were unfounded. New members and Lord Mayor Show veterans, alike, gathered at the London Wall rendezvous point in their dozens. Suited up in the regulation SYF jackets, we made our way to our designated parade section. We were delighted to be joined once again by the proud soldiers of the 100 Regiment Royal Artillery (volunteers) without whose help we would not have been able to achieve another fantastic and successfully executed involvement.
The SYF has the honourable duty of escorting the imposing figures of Gog and Magog through the streets of the Square Mile, much to the evident appreciation of the crowds of onlookers and well wishers. It was a duty that, as always, the ladies and gentlemen (and children; a committee member brought some of his school pupils along for the fun!) of the SYF tackled with gusto. The crowd were also favoured with cheers, frantic hand waving and even, at times, high-fiving from the enthusiastic members.
The five members of the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers who actually made Gog and Magog also braved the winds to join us. They kept a close eye on their creations, occasionally reminding the members to "Watch out for his arms!" or "Be careful down this hill!" ... perfectly understandable given the nine months and in excess of a thousand man-hours that it took to design, build and bring to life these stunning figures. They were not let down by the SYF, and the two guardians of The City were returned safely to their current home at The Guildhall unscathed, if a little damp.
A great day and incredible experience for all involved. The SYF boasts a great calendar of events every year, but it really is easy to see why it's the case that, for many members, this event will always be the highlight!
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Getting Ready for the off!
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Lloyd's - insuring the world since 1688 22nd October 2009
The SYF can take you to some pretty interesting places, but among interesting places, Lloyd's is really quite something.
Whether you look at the building, the history or what goes on today, you can't help but be fascinated. Unique among institutions - inimitable - Lloyd's stands in Lime Street Ward as a testament to 1970s architecture; an inside-out building designed for maximum space and, inevitably, resulting in maximum impact.
The tour itself took us into the heart of Lloyd's, through the massive expanse of building through the galleries, to meeting rooms up the famous glass lifts and into the spectacular dining room. Led by Martin, Lloyd's dedicated tour guide, we heard about the history of Lloyd's and its present operations.
We also heard about the scale and diversity of risk, with a compelling insight into the insurance world. From Hurricane Katrina and 9/11 to some of the more unusual risks that Lloyd's has insured ? including the water safety of a celebrity pink waterskiing elephant!
Lloyd's has come a long way since Edward Lloyd's coffee house of the 1600s. But despite the considerable demand of the group members, we ducked Starbucks of Lime Street and ended our evening over a drink or two in the magnificent Counting House. An excellent evening was had by all.
Special thanks must go to Georgina for organising the trip and to Martin and John of Lloyd's for what was an exceptional tour.
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The famous Lutine Bell within the Atrium
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The Board Room - a hidden treasure within the building
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Treasure Hunt 26th September 2009
A trip to the City on a Saturday is not something most of us would
contemplate, but the chance to spend some time in such a great setting without the usual workers was an opportunity not to be missed as the SYF and The Society of the Coopers Company held a joint treasure hunt. Having deposited the car, I met up with the rest of my team and was informed that a man wearing a red furry suit had been there to wish the teams well. Checking with my youngest daughter that she hadn't seen Father Christmas, it became apparent that The Lord Mayor himself had been there to start the event off.
There were around fifty clues to find the answers to and these were divided between the Bank area, Leadenhall Market, the roads in between and down to the finish line at HMS President in St Katherine's Dock. The great thing about this was that clues could be solved by adults and children and photographic evidence of various items was needed. The children particularly enjoyed finding all the unusual objects such as grasshoppers, blue birds and flags, and performing the more unusual tasks such as handstands. The next hour was spent running around a particularly busy Bank area as it became apparent that all the other people there were also in the treasure hunt - nearly 100. When the four youngest members of the team became a little worn out, a nearby coffee shop became a refuge as the two dads sped around the area trying to find answers to the clues. It is amazing how much you don't notice when you walk around Bank on a normal day. There is so much history there that you just take for granted or don't even notice.
One of the highlights for the children was the 'how many people can you get in a phone box' question. We managed eight, much to the
amusement of the tourists who took a picture on our camera for us. They also took one on their camera ... I'd like to hear their
explanation when they get home and show people their holiday snaps!
With time running out we headed off to HMS President via Leadenhall Market. This HMS President is the Navy's London reserve training centre and has a wonderful view of Tower Bridge from the terrace. A great lunch was enjoyed by all the teams before the answers were shared and the winners announced. With half our team under the age of 8, I felt we did rather well to come second to last, and we were of course delighted that the winning team was led by an SYF member. A very enjoyable day for everyone!
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How many people can you get into a phone box?
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The Winning Team at HMS President
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Summer Social - Old Thameside Inn 4th August 2009
The first SYF Summer Social was held on Tuesday 4th August 2009.
It was a warm evening so the Old Thameside Inn was a perfect venue for the event as we were able to drink outside on the terrace overlooking the River.
It was very well attended by both old and new members and many of us drank until last orders moved us on. |
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Enyoing seeing old and new friends over a drink on the banks of the River Thames.
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Private Tour Of Mansion House 17th July 2009
The Mansion House experience provided an opportunity for the group in attendance to have a look at the colourful history and past of this wonderful monument. Words cannot describe the beauty and magnificent façade of such a glorious building. Mansion House is a rare surviving Georgian town palace in London. With its magnificent interiors and elegant furniture, the Mansion House provides the Lord Mayor of the City of London with living, working and entertainment space. Built in the age of Hogarth, the Mansion House, then as now, is a symbol of the City of London as the world's leading international financial and trading centre.
The current Lord Mayor, Ian Luder, and his wife, Lady Mayoress Lin Luder, were kind enough to provide a tour of the House by one of their stewards. The steward took us through some of the rooms in the mansion, with each one used at different points to highlight the variety of engagements the Lord Mayor undertakes in his daily grind for the term. We were shown rooms such as the home to one of the largest and finest gold and silver plate collections in the world and which houses pieces given as gifts or acquired by the Mayoralty and the City of London Corporation. The Plate Collection is in constant use for ceremonial occasions, as ornament and as table decoration throughout the house for events.
We were taken to the huge dining room on the 1st floor, with seats in excess of 150+, where the windows are covered with bomb proof curtains and there is a replica of a church glass stain window which has 3 fables from the bible. After a quick tour, we were taken to the Guest rooms, where members of royalty (Princess Anne being the latest) have come to change and also rest prior to the engagements that they undertake in the City of London. After the tour, we were given a few glasses of tipple. The group mingled with the Lady Mayoress and we were shortly joined by the Lord Mayor for a quick chat about the cricket, the Wards in London and the new games which the Mayors office has sponsored for the tenure of his term
The group is captivated on this unique occassion
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