No, not Lucille Ball (for those old enough to remember her), but a beautiful Holstein dairy cow pictured here in Bakers' Hall Yard last Thursday. Some of the other people in the picture are the Master of the Tobacco Pipe Makers and one of his Wardens (with smoking hats and gold tassles), the Master Actuary (red bonnet) and (in the tricorn hat on the left) the Master of the Environmental Cleaners.
This needs a little explanation!
The Environmental Cleaners organised a charitable walk around the Livery Halls for a party of Masters, accompanied by one of their Wardens or Court Assistants. (This is another of those occasions designed to introduce you to your colleagues in other companies.)
Sounds easy doesn't it? Until you realise that you have 40 halls to visit and the route is 8.5 miles long, all on very hard pavements. But Senior Warden, Jim Surguy, and I didn't let that daunt us. Taking the advice of an old soldier friend, I rubbed vaseline between my toes in the morning and put on two layers of hosiery. We met at Stationers' Hall at 8 to collect our gowns and (obligatory) bonnets. The route march set off from Armourers' Hall at 9 and returned at 5. In between I have to admit that we were regularly fed and watered at some of the halls on the route, for which we give heartfelt thanks.
And what about Lucy? She was a surprise visitor arranged by the Master Farmer, brought up to the City with her handlers in a trailer from Plumpton College, to remind us all where our food really comes from.
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