Leaving the Master’s Weekend I headed for Hampton Court Palace for the Tudor Pull. This is a ceremonial event where the Company delivers a Stela, crafted from an old elm London water pipe, to Her Majesty’s Barge Master (see right: with Master Watermen & Lightermen and me) so that he can take it by river to the Governor of her Majesty’s Tower of London for safe keeping. It celebrates that use of the River Thames as an ancient highway.
Breaking the journey at Richmond for lunch, we were joined by another dozen cutters. The flotilla caused quite a bit of excitement as it travelled down the Thames to central London, stopping at Tower Bridge.
The Company’s Cutter, Water forget-me not took part, rowed by our winning ladies crew and carrying the Thames Warden and his wife. Nice style, but things got a bit rough at London Bridge during which most crew got wet, but the TW, on his elevated seat, kept dry and dignified. The worst thing, he said, was seeing the breakers coming. The crew, facing backwards could not!
Having arrived safely, the final part of the ceremony was to deliver the Stela to the Governor of Her Majesty’s Tower of London. The Yeoman Warder challenged the party and the HM Barge Master replied that he was on a duty to deliver this Royal Stela to the Tower of London. This was duly delivered, safely, for another year. Passengers on the Gloriana included Water Conservators and guests, and a film crew with Penelope Keith for a forthcoming TV programme about life in Britain during the Queen’s 90th Birthday Year.
The Beadle to both our Company and the Watermen & Lightermen deserves a big thank you for the arrangements, and for crowd control.
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