27. The Master’s Lady’s tour of the Middle Temple 21 October

Middle Temple Hall is probably the finest example of an Elizabethan Hall in London, with construction starting in 1562. Our guided tour started on the 1574 carved wooden screen, which had been carefully repaired after severe bomb damage in 1940. From here there was a magnificent view of the Hall - 101 feet long and 41 feet wide, and spanned by a rare double hammer-beam roof.
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night was said to have been first performed here on 2 February 1602, at Candlemas, the formal end of Christmastide in the year's calendar.

Our guide described the stained glass windows, the coats of arms, and the paintings which decorated the Hall. At the front were painting of the Stuarts – Charles I (left), Charles II and James II. The tour extended to the beautiful side rooms.

 The Hall still functions as a place of education for the legal profession, just as it has for 600 years. The Masters of the Bench, or Benchers, are responsible for the governance of the Inn. Masters are elected by their peers. The tour concluded with luncheon in Hall. Many thanks to Georgina for arranging the visit.

26. Hafan Marj dedication

On 19 October Georgina and I were invited to join Ivor and David Richards at the ceremonial opening of Hafan Marj, an outdoor classroom for children at Ysgol y Gogarth in Llandudno.

Funding for the classroom came from Marj Richards’ many friends in Ruthin and elsewhere. The classroom will be used for instruction and as a place of solace.



Seen here, inside the classroom, are (l to r): Headteacher Jonathan Morgan, Ivor Richards, me, and our contact, Jon Goodwin.


Ivor introduced the Company to Gogarth School nearly a decade ago and, since then, the Water Conservation Trust has supported education initiatives (under his supervision) both in the School, and outside, where students carry out gardening in the community.


Ysgol-y-Gogarth is a day and residential Special School catering for approximately 200 pupils between the ages of 3 and 19. The pupils are either fully statemented or in the process of being statemented and have a wide spectrum of additional learning needs.

The Trust continues to fund the development of skills in horticulture and the environment and was instrumental in ensuring the newly rebuilt school has space for teaching in-door plant cultivation. Most plants end up in the school’s kitchen.

25. Professor Carolyn Roberts – horror story – a body in the river

Water Conservator Carolyn Roberts gave the first of the series of Environment themed lectures for Gresham College on 15 October at Barnard’s Inn Hall. A Body in the River was based on her experience as Expert Witness for the UK police forces. Her contribution being the application of the principles of hydrology to murder investigations. The show started at 18.00, the main Hall holding about 90 people. The queue outside at 17.20 (left) showed that there would be a number of potential attendees disappointed. The topic was dealt with very well with a surprising amount of shared humour.

 
Carolyn gave examples from a number of UK locations of attempts by murderers to use water courses as a convenient way to dispose of their victims, and how science and engineering had defeated them.  Carolyn is giving a number of watery lectures between now and May 2016: The Next Big UK Flood on 12 November is next, followed by drought, pollution of groundwater, damaged rivers and development and the water environment. More details at:
 http://www.gresham.ac.uk/frank-jackson-professor-of-the-environment

24. The Fuellers’ Company Installation Court Dinner

John Ingham (left, in Warden’s kit) was installed as Master of the Fuellers’ Company on 14 October and I was invited to the celebratory dinner at Skinners’ Hall. I have form, having worked in the gas industry for 10 years. But I did not expect to be sat opposite a Fueller who started with East Midlands Gas Board in Leicester on the same day as me! We must have been boring company as we revisited the (very) old days. The dinner was excellent. My thanks to the Fuellers’ Company for a super evening, especially the Post Horn playing.

23. The 43rd City of London Thames Fishery Research Experiment, 10 October

You can do laboratory tests and simulations about estuarial biodiversity but an annual census by skilled anglers tells you a lot about the health of the Thames estuary. Started in 1973, this event is held on the foreshore adjacent to the Port Health Lower Thames Office in Gravesend.
The Water Conservators’ Company makes an award for Biodiversity – the catch which best demonstrates the continuing healthiness and improvement of the River Thames.
Fishing starts at 08.30 and finishes at 13.00. What seems like hundreds of anglers, from angling clubs, individuals, local schools, and, even our own Andrew Parmley, range for over a mile along the foreshore and the contest begins. Marshals verify the catches, which are mostly returned to the river. Some are retained for inspection and eating.


This is serious stuff: catches included seven fish species – including eels, which are quickly measured and returned to the water. Eels are protected following a massive population drop some years back. This has not been satisfactorily been explained but fishermen talk of estuary development in recent years.  The catch on the day is dependent on a variety of issues: weather, tide, date in the season, unexplained causes and fishermen’s stories. Last year only just over 100 fish were caught.


This year was better, with 591 fish caught. The majority where whiting, but others: cod, Dover sole, pouting, flounder, dab, eel were also present.  The interesting catches were laid out for inspection and judging (watched over by Sheriff Dr Christine Rigden).

Lunch was followed by prize giving for teams and individuals. The principal team prize was The Lady Howard Trophy, which was awarded to the Kent County Anglers. Gravesend Grammar School, saw off the City of London School and the City of London Girls School won the PLA Schools Trophy.  Individual winners included the Best Individual Catch (Barry Graves) and the Fishmonger’s Cup (Chris Northover, Thamesiders). The Company’s Biodiversity Award was won by Barry Graves (Essex County Anglers) and presented with our prize jug by me. The picture shows us, and Reg Butler, the MC, who caught the first cod in the River Thames for 100 years back in 1966. Reg has been a key figure in organising the annual competition for many years.

Georgina and I were grateful to the PLA for the opportunity to visit the event and the unfailing good humour of those present.

22. Sponsored Walk: Regent’s Canal to the Olympic Park on 11 October

This years sponsored walk in aid of the Water Conservation Trust’s Schools Programme took place in bright sunshine, with the 28 walkers scarcely believing they had covered the 6-7 miles as they arrived at the Olympic Park.

The walk was organised and led by Court Assistant and Trustee Rob Casey, with me responsible for the collection of stragglers. Walkers included six students from Queen Mary University (very welcome) with which we have a student bursary agreement, Trustees and Company members including the Thames Warden, and family and friends, with a strong contingent from West Berkshire supporting the Master and his Lady.  The weather was perfect and the only hazard coming from cyclists. We all like cyclists but speeding along a narrow towpath – both ways – with us walking in between was not fun.

The Regent’s and Hertford Union Canals are very pretty in places, with a good deal of messing around in boats.  The lunch break was taken in Victoria Park, bordering parts of Bethnal Green, Hackney, and Bow. Keep Britain Tidy's Green Flag Plus Partnership, gives Green Flag status to the best open spaces in the country. Victoria Park came out on top, competing against 1,424 parks and green spaces in the annual poll.

We finished in good order: Actually, not very good order, because the Master led the rear contingent the wrong way into the Olympic Park and got an earful from his Lady. That sorted we met up with Rob and dispersed. Most of us to cafes in the Westfield Stratford City(!) Shopping Centre.  To date, the walk has raised over £900 for the Trust’s Schools Programme. The 28 walkers are a record and the number of individual donors is approaching 50. The Virgin Money Giving site is open but if you want to talk to a real person, try Rob Casey or me.

21. October Brunel University is 50 in 2016

Many Members have connections with Brunel University, as does the Water Conservation Trust, which has offered bursaries to Masters students taking water and environmental subjects since 2008. Students and researchers are regular visitors to our functions.

During the next year, the University will be celebrating its 50thy birthday with a series of events. This was kicked off by Sir Richard Sykes, Chancellor, on 7 July, who talked about the early days and achievements of the University. Interestingly, Brunel’s university status came as a result of policies pioneered by Dr Beeching (yes the Dr Beeching).

The university was officially opened by (then) Lord Beeching in 1968. Following his policies, the university pioneered close connections with industry. Sir Richard said It was time to take the lessons learned from the past half-a-century and face the future as everything a university should be – modern, forward-thinking, practical, entrepreneurial, inclusive and collaborative. 

20. Presentation of Thames Water.

One of the most interesting events so far was a visit to Mansion House on 6 July to present the Lord Mayor with an inscribed jug containing a measure of Thames Water.

The purpose of the visit was to commemorate the 817th anniversary of the day, 14 July 1197, when King Richard I sold the conservancy of the River Thames to the Corporation of London for the sum of 1,500 marks – about £7-8 million in today’s money according to coin buffs – though manipulation of the silver content makes comparisons tricky. The Conservators team was (see right) Master and Clerk, Thames and Fleet Wardens).

We brought with us an engraved glass jug, filled with tap water courtesy of Thames Water, and an illuminated address to record the event. Supporting us was Alderman and Sheriff Andrew Parmley, an Honorary Liveryman of our Company, seen here with the Lord Mayor, Alan Yarrow, and the Master Water Conservator (me).

The mediaeval monarchs’ perennial shortage of cash to wage war in France and in the Holy Land put the sale of the river rights into context.

This historic event, the passing of the water, with the presentation of the jug and contents, and the illuminated address was followed by words of thanks from Alan Yarrow – and then by a sampling of the tap water.

Last year, Master Roger North presented a water jug to Lord Mayor Fiona Woolf. At a recent event she mentioned that the jug was well looked after and occupied a special place in her home.

19. The Conservators’ Annual Charity Walk

The Conservators’ Annual Charity Walk from The Angel, Islington, along the Regents Canal, up the Hertford Union Canal (far right) to the Olympic Park takes place on 11 October in aid of the Water Conservation Trust’s schools programme. Assembly is at 11.30.

The walk is about 6 miles and on the level. Sensible shoes are required for the towpaths.

Contact Rob Casey if you want to come contact rob.casey@thameswater.co.uk

If you want to donate go to Rob’s page on JustGiving on http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RobCasey1

18. Lord Mayor Elected

City Liverymen gather on Michaelmas to elect the Lord Mayor at Common Hall. Unlike the Sheriffs, which are elected by the Livery alone, the Lord Mayor’s election process is shared with the City: they propose suitable candidates, the Livery chooses two (this year) and the Aldermen sort it out in private. This year there were three candidates, including our Hon. Liveryman Andrew Parmley. All Liverymen and can vote and many attend the service at St Laurence Jewry for divine guidance before the election.

The outcome was the election of The Lord Mountevans (Alderman and Shipwright). This was followed by speeches and tributes to those surrendering office, and a fanfare as the Lord Mayor left the Guildhall, protected by his Sheriffs and The Mace and The Sword. He takes Office on the Friday 13 November – i.e. the day before the Lord Mayor’s Show. The Liveryman indicated that Andrew should stand for Lord Mayor next year. Apart from ceremony, the Lord Mayor’s activities at home and abroad strongly support London as the place to do business.

17. The Magical Taxi Tour

Our Lunch collections have become quite specific in recent years. The Installation Lunch collection goes to the Hackney Carriage Drivers for there annual trip to Disneyland Paris, a trip for terminally ill children and their carers in more than 100 London Taxis. The Company collected enough to pay for a taxi. Georgina and I were invited to the send off, which includes a very early ‘Big Breakfast’ in Canary Wharf. This is a splendid affair, with all those involved sitting down and having breakfast together, then leaving before the rush hour.

The send off included bands, the Lord Mayor’s representative (he himself was in China this year), both Sheriffs, and the unusual sight of so many taxis waiting outside. The convoy, escorted by English and French motorbike police, the AA, and an ambulance all the way, was three miles long as they made their way to the Channel ferry, led by the Master Hackney Carriage Driver and the organiser, Phil Davis, who has made it all happen for 22 years. The photos show the front of the taxi queue and the Water Conservators’ Taxi leaving the East Wintergarden.

16. Sheep driving

Coming from Wiltshire, I reckoned there wasn’t much I wanted to know about driving sheep. Having avoided the privilege of driving sheep over London Bridge for several years (as a Freeman’s right to avoid taxes on livestock), I succumbed on 27 September. Dress code was open, so I wore my gardening kit. Plenty of other Masters dressed up with gowns and jewellery. And so I adopted a low profile but I managed my sheep rather well, with a some help from genuine shepherds and docile sheep.

In reserve were half a dozen sheepdogs, sitting, well behaved, and licking their chops(!). Having saved myself sheep tax, I had to pay for the privilege. The drive was organised by the Woolmen, assisted by the Society of Young Freemen and the Mamont Foundation. My thanks go to them for a busy afternoon. It’s a strange thing to want to do but, in reality, very enjoyable. Some people even brought their own sheep (the Master Plumber, for example).
Being properly dressed is everything. Here I am (in the raincoat and explorer’s hat) giving advice about the best way to shift them over the Bridge.

It ended well, and raised a lot of money for the Lord Mayor’s Charity Appeal and the Woolmen’s Charitable Trust. It was reported that over 800 Freemen of the City exercised their rights, including Barbara Windsor.

15. HRH The Countess of Wessex opens Treloar’s renovations:

HRH The Countess of Wessex visited Treloar’s School and College on Tuesday 15 September to officially open the newly renovated Evans House. The Countess, who is Treloar’s Royal Patron, was met by the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Mr Nigel Atkinson. The Company supports Treloar’s and I was invited to attend. Her Royal Highness spoke to trustees, donors, students and the staff who made the project a success, followed by a tour of Evans House. In a brief exchange, with the Countess, she acknowledged the contribution Livery Companies such as ours made to the life of Treloar’s and to disabled children.

The revamped accommodation provides College students with skills and experience they need for a successful transition when they leave Treloar.

14. The Michaelmas Court and Lunch

The Michaelmas Court and Lunch is the second of the Company lunches open to Members and guests. Continuing the science theme, the guest speaker was Susan Jobling, Director of the Institute for the Environment, Health and Societies and Brunel University and Professor in Ecotoxicology. Over a number of years we have worked with colleagues from Brunel; they hosted a seminar presented by Prof. Martin Cave in 2010 and they have made several Trust Bursary Awards over the years. Susan talked about things you find in the environment which cause harm, and difficulties in updating regulations. The speech was well received and discussions continued later in a local hostelry. My thanks to Susan, who is very busy, but recognises the difference the Company can make to the progress of research (a fuller account appears on the Company website).

13. The Globe visit

The Company visited to the Globe Theatre on 14 September to see a performance of Measure for Measure. With three productions currently in London of this play, how does this one stand out? The theme of the play can be taken in a number of ways, especially in the treatment of an innocent novice nun Isabella in hands of the ruling elite. We chose the bawdy version apparently, but it was good fun – except from Isabella’s viewpoint. The annual visit to the Globe is a fixture in the Company’s diary. The portrayal of Shakespeare’s work was excellent.

12. Royal Air Force Northolt Reception

The Annual Reception this year was held on 4 September and was attended by Georgina, and Mike and Sandra Williamson. We were looked after very well by our friends at the No 1 Aeronautical Information Documents Unit (No1 AIDU). We have had a link with 1 AIDU since 1999 and have been regular visitors to this unique unit which produces print and virtual guides for the airlines and airports the world over.

The evening concluded with a ceremonial lowering of the Royal Air Force Ensign just after routine working times. This was done by station duty staff supported by elements of the Central Band of the RAF. The planned flypast was cancelled because of Prime Ministerial duties in Portugal.
Notwithstanding this, the evening was a great success.

11. Universities

Many will know that I coordinate the Water Conservation Trust’s University Programme, supporting needy MSc students taking our subjects. On 12 August I visited Dr Dick Fenner who is a Senior Lecturer in Cambridge University's Engineering Department and is the Course Director for the taught MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development. Our students are based at Sidney Sussex College. These visits are checks on our rules and I hope to visit all universities each year.

We have had a relationship with Brunel University for the best part of 10 years and our contacts Clive Gee and Mark Scrimshaw (both seen here with prize winner Girish Rambaran) met me on 19 July to talk about the course development, next year’s admissions and the upcoming talk at our Michaelmas Lunch by Susan Jobling. Maintaining our academic partnerships is important to the Company’s standing as well as ensuring that our bursary holders get the best possible start to a career in our sector.

10. Livery events

The Company has informal links with a number of other Livery Companies which leads to invitations to key events in their years. There are also more formal groupings such as the WET 10 and Livery Companies from 78-110 which are termed Modern. This term can confuse, for some post war liveries represent very ancient trades, notably the Farmers. Modern Livery Companies meet twice a year and the Master and senior Warden are invited. This half year it was the Environmental Cleaners’ turn to organise a dinner, which was held at the Armourers’ Hall on 7 September. The principal guest was Mr Sheriff, Andrew Parmley, who is also an honorary Liveryman of our Company. The evening was a great success and the next dinner will be on 14 March 2016.  

The Fuellers’ Company held its Annual Energy Lecture at the Drapers’ Hall on 21 September to which I was invited. The guest speaker was Minister Counsellor Mr Jin Xu, and his subject, China’s energy policy and programmes and its aspirations to take part in the forward energy programme in the UK. Coincidentally, the Chancellor, in China, had just announced guarantees on £2bn debt incurred by the two Chinese contractors bidding for the Hinckley Point nuclear station replacement. Not much could be said about this but Mr Jin restated China’s wish to get involved in UK’s energy sector.

The second invitation was from the Honourable Company of Air Pilots, when Air Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier talked about Technology and Military Capacity. He is well placed, at the centre of the next strategic Defence and Security Review which will be completed shortly. He was pushed on several issues – Trident replacement, joint services management and the reputation of MOD to deliver programmes on time and on cost. Saying nothing about the major issues he was very upbeat about improvements to procurement. Previously he was a serving pilot and instructor, flying Tornado GR4 aircraft (see gratuitous photo). A good evening, and thanks to the Air Pilots and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

9. The Port of London Challenge

We have a cutter, the Water Forget-me-not, which is rowed very competitively by our ladies rowing team. On 27 July our team entered the Port of London Challenge organised by the Port of London Authority. Georgina and I were invited onto the Salient, the Marshall’s boat, to see the fun. There were two races, the men and the women/ mixed. The women set off first from HQS Wellington, heading for Chelsea Harbour Pier (4.3 nautical miles) - our team at an incredible pace.
The Marshall’s boat and men’s teams were held, waiting for the host teams to arrive. They arrived after a couple of minutes and the race started. Well, by the time the Marshall’s boat arrived at Chelsea Pier to signal the end of the race, our ladies had finished and looked bored (our boat had the food on board). The ladies won the Challenge Cup (again) and a small presentation followed with the Cox (a bloke), the ladies’ captain, the Port’s rep., and me.

The Cup appeared at our Michaelmas Lunch and is now safely stored. No inscriptions appear to have been made since about 2012 – but then, we’ve (I mean they’ve) won it every year since!

Our trip cost us only a small fee and it should be on everyone’s list of things to do. Congratulations to our ladies and, of course, our Bargemaster. And here is a picture of me – the winning Master!