A Charter and the Olympians

10.09.12

And so the year lifts off again with four events this week. Two for me, one for the Mistress and one for both of us. The first is the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, Royal Charter Banquet at The Guildhall. Amonst the 530 guests at this magnificent events were just seven Company Masters and so I was double honoured to be invited to represent the Marketors.

The Pikemen & Musketeers, Honourable Artillery Company were in attendance in their splendid regalia while the Royal Yeomanry Band accompanies the whole event from the balcony of this magnificent hall which dates back 800 years, the current building having been erected in 1411.

As we Marketors now know, receiving a Royal Charter is a great occasion for a Worshipful Company and so its presentation by the Lord Mayor, David Wooton, to Chartered Accountants was a moving moment. This was not the Lord Mayors only speech at the Guildhall that day. He had, in the morning, greeted our Olympic athletes prior to their parade through London which started at the Mansion House and ended at Buckingham Palace. Apparently the streets were lined with over a million well wishers, a figure I can well believe having been near Charing Cross in the morning when they passed by. For those who know Villiers Street, the crowd were half way down it so about thirty deep at that point. Fortunately my destination was a theatre about half way up the street, but I did get a glimps of the athletes.

As always the company at the table in the evening was delightful with, on this occasion, the familiar faces of such as Murrey Craig the Clerk of the Chamberlains Court, and Hew Dundas the Master Arbitrator. By coincidence Hew is the host of tomorrows Modern Livery Dinner. But more of that in the next blog.

John Flynn
Master Marketor