A Full Circle to the Plaisterers

08.01.13

The final event at which I represented the Marketors to the rest of the City was the Plaisterers "Masters and Clerks Dinner" in their Hall at One London Wall. The elegance of this modern hall was summed up by the Mistress when we first saw it over a year ago. At that time she she suggested that all lady diners should be required to wear crinolines when attending the Plaisterers. This delightful and spacious venue played host about 270 guests from over 50 companies. This was the ideal setting for my last formal event outside the Marketors, in that it was where I had my Installation Dinner almost a year ago, hence the full circle. It is also the site of our office and so the location of our Business Court Meetings which I have chaired  throughout the year.

As would be expected of the Plaisterers the four course meal was excellent as were the accompanying wines, etc. To complement these there were speeches from the Master, Gary Morley, with a response on behalf of the guests from the Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths' Company, The Lord Sutherland of Houndwood who chose the topic of education. We were also entertained by the jazz ensemble the Dunachie Quartet. However it was the toast to the Company by the Plaisterers Clerk, Nigel Bamping, which stole the show.

Being surrounded at the table by a Plaisterer, a Baker, a Cooper, an Actuary, a Silver Wyre Drawer and a Master Mariner the conversation flowed as did, at the end, the port. However, on leaving the Hall there was a sadness on my part knowing that this was the last time I would represent the Marketors at such an event. But then there was the thought of things to come in 2013 which lifted me on my walk home past the Guildhall, the Bank of England, the Monument and then over London Bridge .

John Flynn
Master Marketor