Court of Livery Dinner – 11 March 2010
On 11 March 2010, the Master decided to break with tradition and hold our Spring Court of Livery meeting and Dinner at the National Liberal Club in Pall Mall.
The Chaplain to the Company, the Reverend Paul Hunt, was the current Chairman of the National Liberal Club and it was by his permission that the Joiners were able to use the club. The National Liberal Club combines a masterpiece of Victorian design, with the grandeur of a London landmark and the friendly ambience of a London club and is open to both ladies and gentlemen. We were lucky enough to be able to use the Lady Violet Room for our meeting and the splendid Lloyd George room for our dinner.
At the Court of Livery meeting the Master had the enormous pleasure of clothing Christian Steinmann in the Livery. Dr.Christian Steinmann is the immediate Past Zunftmeister of the Zimmerleuton Guild of Zurich. This Swiss Guild has long had close connections with the Joiners and Ceilers Company.
Past Master John Snelling proposed the health of our guests at dinner and provided some interesting background to the Company’s connections with the Zimmerleuton.
Paul Hunt also acted as the principal guest at the dinner and in a very witty speech he both provided some background to his friendship with our Master and talked about the history of the National Liberal Club.
Court Assistant Tony Bown proposed the health of the Master in a very generous speech and he responded with a memorable joke about Winston Churchill (a former prominent Liberal) and joked about the second stage of the Master Joiner’s Walk and Run Charity Challenge by suggesting the Chaplain will be on hand in Hastings for the act of contrition and last rites if all did not go well (in the event the Master completed the run in a creditable 1 hour 50 minutes and 19 seconds – see the separate report).
The evening finished with a very convivial stirrup cup in the Members Bar where a number of Liverymen were seen enquiring about membership.