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The Old Bailey and the Recorder of London: a Brief History

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The Old Bailey and the Recorder of London: a Brief History From our Patron, Simon Callow Last year I received the exceptional honour of the Freedom of the City of London. Since boyhood I have been haunted by the City, its history, its imagery, its traditions. One of the most vital of those traditions is the City's association with music. Since at least 1350, The Worshipful Company of Musicians has proudly celebrated the noble art. I vividly remember a City of London Festival when I was a youth, in which The Yeoman of the Guards was performed with full son et lumière effects at the Tower of London, and Sir William Walton was specially commissioned to write a splendid piece for the City – A Song for the Lord Mayor's Table. Since then the Barbican Concert Hall has opened, and the London Symphony Orchestra has become resident orchestra. Music is everywhere in the City, as it should be. So when last year's Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, Roger and Clare Gifford, asked me become a Patron of their new charity, the City Music Foundation, I said yes straight away - not only because of the ancient association of the City with music, but because it looks so keenly to the future. Its raison d'être is to help young musicians at that critical difficult early point in their careers, right at the beginning, after their training, when they attempt to launch themselves into the world. The Foundation nurtures, encourages, and supports them at a vulnerable moment in their lives. I know very well what that feels like - young actors face exactly the same problems; sometimes really gifted, exceptional artists fall by the wayside. The CMF exists to make sure that that doesn't happen. Countless talented musicians will owe their subsequent success to it; what a fantastic contribution. I am very proud to be associated with it. Welcome to this interactive programme! Follow the links in the text to find out more…. Recorders, the Old Bailey and the City Music Foundation Music has always been at the heart of the City and through the ages has pervaded all walks of life. This evening we are focussing on the legal connections in two well-known and loved buildings. The title Recorder of London has obvious musical connotations which we will explore this evening. The Recorder of London is an important and ancient legal office in the City of London, appointed by the Crown and responsible for managing the court lists and allocation of cases to the court’s judges as well as providing legal advice to the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen. We are honoured to welcome the current Recorder of London His Honour Judge Brian Barker, QC to explain more about the history of this prestigious position. The Old Bailey is the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, named after the street on which it stands. Music has occasionally played a central role in cases, for instance in 1751 when a guilty verdict was returned in a manslaughter case with a “german flute” as the weapon! Moreover, a tunnel was built directly from Newgate prison, where the Old Bailey now stands, into what is now known as the National Musicians’ Church of St Sepulchre-without-Newgate. The purpose of this was unfortunately not musical, rather to ease the execution process. The twelve “Bells of Old Bailey” are remembered in the rhyme “Oranges and Lemons” and St Sepulchre’s great bell tolled as condemned men passed from the prison towards the gallows. By contrast, the City Music Foundation (CMF) is a young organisation which promotes outstanding musicians starting out on their career. One of our inaugural CMF Artists is recorder player Miriam Nerval who studied in the City at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and joined the other seven 2013 CMF Artists last year in a showcase concert at the recently opened Milton Court Concert Hall at the Barbican. This evening is also part of the City of London Festival and CMF is proud to help ensure that music and the arts continue to play an important role in the vibrant life of the City, now and into the future. The Old Bailey and the Recorder of London: A Brief History The Old Bailey is the common name of the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales and named after the street on which it stands. It is one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court. The Recorder of London is a legal office in the City of London, appointed by the Crown on the recommendation of the City of London Corporation with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor. The Recorder is responsible for managing the court lists and allocation of cases to the court’s judges as well as providing legal advice to the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen. The Recorder takes charge of the election of the Lord Mayor of London, declares the result, and presents the new Lord Mayor for the monarch's approval. On the occasion of a State visit, the Recorder usually presents an Address of Welcome on behalf of the City. 1298 First Recorder of London appointed 1559 Recorder presents Queen Elizabeth I with 1000 gold coins as she rides to her coronation 1444 A charter granted by Henry VI appoints the Recorder of London ex office a Conservator of the Peace. 1666: Great Fire of London The medieval courthouse is destroyed as well as Newgate Prison (site of part of the present building). 1674 Courthouse rebuilt, with the court initially open to the weather to prevent the spread of disease 1750 A particularly serious outbreak of typhus (gaol fever) kills sixty people, including the Lord Mayor and two judges. 1751 A guilty verdict is returned in a manslaughter case with a “german flute” as the weapon 1807 28 people are crushed to death after a pie-seller’s stall overturns amongst the large riotous crowd gathered for a public hanging. A secret tunnel is subsequently created between the prison and the church of St Sepulchre- without-Newgate to allow the priest to minister to the condemned man without having to force his way through the crowds. 1808 The Sheriffs’ and Recorder’s Fund is started to help inmates and their families dealing with the horrors of Newgate Prison. 1829 – 1833 Charles Dickens is court reporter. The Old Bailey features in A Tale of Two Cities as the courthouse where Charles Darnay is on trial for treason. 1833 Recorder of London is discharged for incompetence after a man who had been granted a reprieve was nearly hanged. 1907 New courthouse building is officially opened by King Edward VII. The original ceremonial gates to this part of the building are only used by the Lord Mayor and visiting royalty. 1941 The Old Bailey is badly damaged in the Blitz 1973 IRA bombing at Old Bailey and Scotland Yard 1974 Year in which the original play of Rumpole of the Bailey was set 2007 The Old Bailey (in its current form) turns 100. Read more about the history here and here. HH Judge Brian Barker, QC, Recorder of London HH Judge Brian Barker, QC is the senior judge at the Central Criminal Court better known as the Old Bailey – the most famous criminal court in the world. The UK’s most notorious criminal cases are tried at the Old Bailey very much in the public eye, making headlines from day to day in the national news. HH Judge Brian Barker, QC has also been Recorder of London since 2013 and was previously the Common Serjeant for seven years. Both of these are ancient City of London offices appointed by the Crown on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor. The first Recorder of London was appointed in 1298. In addition to hearing trials in the Central Criminal Court the Recorder of London is responsible for managing the court lists and allocation of cases to the judges. He also provides legal advice to the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen. He presides over the election of the Lord Mayor of London and presents the Lord Mayor for the monarch’s approval. When there is a State visit the Recorder presents the Address of Welcome on behalf of the City. HH Judge Brian Barker, QC started practice as a barrister in 1970 after being called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn. He became a QC in 1990 and became a permanent judge at the Central Criminal Court in 2000. Brian has a great interest in the City and the Old Bailey and derives enjoyment from both the facts and the fiction associated with his role. Miriam Nerval Miriam Nerval is fast establishing a name for herself as an exciting and versatile young performer in the recorder world. She graduated with First Class Honours from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (GSMD) in 2012, studying with Ian Wilson, Robert Ehrlich and Pamela Thorby, and continued as a scholarship student to post-graduate level (MMus – 2013). She has participated in master classes in Europe and the Middle East with prominent recorder players such as Kees Boeke, Karel van Steenhoven, Piers Adams, Sebastien Marq and Drora Bruck. Miriam has performed in numerous prominent events and venues with highlights including the Wigmore Hall, Wilton’s Music Hall, The Foundling Museum, Eton College, Kings Place, Stationer’s Hall, the London Handel Festival, the Dolmetsch Centenary Celebrations, the Brandenburg Festival, the Greenwich Early Music Festival, Britten 100 and Tel-Aviv International Early Music Seminar. Additionally, she has featured as a soloist with the New London Orchestra, the Britten-Pears Baroque Orchestra and Eboracum Baroque.
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