The Scrivener

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF SCRIVENERS OF THE CITY OF

ISSUE 22 : SEPTEMBER 2014 July: new officers in the receiving line

The sun shone, the newly installed Master and Master’s Lady smiled beatifically at all and sundry, and the new Scriveners’ year was underway. A record attendance for the Summer Reception on HQS Wellington ensured an encouraging start for Michael and Gillian Lovegrove in their year of office. As was made clear at the Election Court immediately beforehand, Michael steps down from his role of Honorary Chaplain during his year and Canon Chris Bishop has graciously consented to attend Court Meetings, say the Scriveners’ Grace at our Dinners, and generally offer his spiritual guidance in the interim. We will have to qualified scrivener notaries at Cheeswrights. The accustom ourselves to seeing rather less of Michael’s dog-collar. new Liverymen were Peter Adams and Siôn Jeremy Burgess steps up, meanwhile, to the role of Upper Taylor, scrivener notaries at De Pinna, Alistair Warden and will no doubt be watching Michael carefully to see Meldrum, a retired insurance manager, and Gary how best to negotiate the livery year in all its glory. Court Assistant Woodman-Simmons, of the Clerk of the Julia Hett also steps up into the role of Renter Warden and Parliaments’ office. although she doesn’t quite measure up in terms of physical height Bob, the chef, did us proud with his barbecue to our estimable Notarial Deputy, Edward Gardiner (on her left), menu and as the sun began to lower over the she is clearly going to enjoy wearing the fur robes. Thames we were suffused with a warm glow and The evening also saw the gowning of four new Liverymen and one or two hardy souls saw the need to the admission of three new Freemen, (photos on the back page). continue drinking to the health of the Company Entering the Freedom were Alexander Green, Procurator Fiscal to in a hostelry on dry land. Your Clerk was himself the Court of Lord Lyon, and Sara Dodd and Sarah Mackie, newly on hand to witness this selfless devotion.  April: the then Master, Wardens and top table guests line up prior to the Spring Dinner 2014 at Painters Hall (see p. 4)

The Renter Warden, Notarial Deputy, Master Painter-Stainer, Master Solicitor, Master Stationer, Master’s Lady, The Master, Lord Lingfield, Lady Lingfield, Upper Warden, Upper Warden’s Lady, Master Scrivener of York, Mrs Hinton and The Reverend1 Canon Chris Bishop at Painters’ Hall.

events begins with a private tour of Westminster Abbey on 16 September led by the Dean (which was heavily oversubscribed and I apologise to those who could not be accommodated). The following day as Master I will attend St Paul’s Cathedral for Evensong From the pen of the Master followed by a reception when I shall meet the chorister whom we support, Benedict King, whose It was on 26 July 1950 that Hugo Trotter (Master photograph you can see on the opposite page. 1972-3 and Clerk 1957-74) was admitted to the Our Autumn Dinner will be on Tuesday 14 livery of the Scriveners Company. On the same day October when the principal guest and speaker will my father, W. T. Lovegrove, was also admitted. be my bishop, The Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell. Hugo still serves us as an Honorary Court Assistant He is an outstanding speaker and the venue is the and we are fortunate to have the benefit of his delightful Hall of the Apothecaries. I hope as many experience and wisdom. Sadly my father died of you as possible will support that event. By prematurely in 1967. He really was a scrivener, in contrast the Spring Dinner, which will be on 22 April fact Head Scrivener at the College of Arms and was 2015, will have as the principal guest and speaker very proud to be a liveryman of our company. I too Sir David Brewer, Lord Lieutenant of London. Sir I am proud to follow his example in taking the David had a distinguished career in the insurance livery of our company and now to progress to the market at Lloyd’s of London, and was Lord Mayor in office of Master. 2005-2006. My progression began in 1991 and for the past Another event which carries the ‘secular’ label is seven years it has been my privilege to be your the Master’s weekend in Vienna which will be held Honorary Chaplain (as well as Renter Warden and from 14-18 May 2015. This will include a coach and Upper Warden more recently). This has given me walking tour of Vienna, a two-hour Danube cruise, a the opportunity to get to know many of you very visit to the Volksoper premiere performance of well and I hope that this will continue during my Mozart’s opera Cosi Fan Tutte, a performance by the year as Master. I thought it sensible not to try to Spanish Riding School and a farewell dinner in the combine the roles of Honorary Chaplain and Vienna Woods. Demand for tickets for the opera Master and, as some of you know, I have asked The and Spanish Riding School in particular is very high Reverend Canon Christopher Bishop to be Hon. and we are keen to get as many firm bookings as Chaplain during my year as Master. I know that he soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Full will serve us well. Please make yourself known to details and a booking form may be obtained from him. the Clerk’s office or from [email protected] In his capacity as Hon. Chaplain, Chris Bishop ROUTES TO SUIT TRAVEL LTD, PO Box 133, Chipping will conduct our annual Christmas Carol Service Norton, Oxfordshire OX7 5GS. which as usual will be held in the beautiful Wren As I begin my year as Master I want to pay church of St Martin–within-Ludgate. This is one of particular tribute to my two immediate predecessors the most important events in our calendar but in whom it has been my privilege to serve, namely Sir recent years it has been poorly attended. It is a Henry Bedingfeld and John Tunesi of Liongam. Both beautiful, traditional service of lessons and carols have given us stimulating programmes and both and provides an opportunity to reflect on the real have represented the Company in their different meaning of Christmas. It is an opportunity for good ways with dedication and distinction. In the words fellowship with some splendid refreshments. I of the Prayer Book I will “try to follow their good would encourage you all to attend this service examples”. together with your families so that together we can I write this during a fairly quiet time at the celebrate Christmastide. beginning of my year as Master but my diary is Most of my working life has been spent at the rapidly filling with a whole series of events where I heart of the financial until my call to will do my best to represent the best interests of the the priesthood in the Church of in the year Company. In the meantime I thank you for your 2000. I want to try to reflect this in my year of encouragement and thank you for electing me as office dividing it, as it were, between the sacred Master of this Worshipful Company of Scriveners. and the secular. For example our programme of The Rev’d Michael Lovegrove Master, 2014-15 

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A new bridge for the Wellington? And a ‘trekathon’ for Win Liveryman Win Eyles, seen below in calli- graphic mode at last year’s Christmas Market in aid of the British Red Cross, is undertaking a 26-mile trek—from Stone- henge to Avebury—on 27 September, in aid of The Eve Appeal. ‘26 miles, one day, one amazing challenge’ is how she de- scribes the venture. The charity aims to promote awareness of the five gynaecological cancers, and funds research, in particular the world- class research programme at the Depart- ment of Women’s Cancer based at Uni- versity College London. The grim statistic is that 40 percent of women with gynae- cological cancer do not survive. No, the ship is not being rebuilt, but it looks very much as Win has a particular affinity with The though a new bridge across the Thames may be. And it Eve Appeal since her daughter Alison was would span the river a stone’s throw from the prow of the diagnosed with cancer four years ago and ship (see the cutting from The Evening Standard). Our had to undergo a serious operation. Now spectacular view from the decks would be changed forever, recovered, Alison asked Win to join her but the bridge itself (much promoted by the indefatigable on the trek, and she of course agreed, Joanna Lumley) would also be pretty spectacular, the idea despite needing medical clearance for being a bridge that will encourage gentle ambling among someone not exactly in the first flush of trees, much sitting on benches and so on. A garden bridge. youth. A bridge to dawdle upon. It is the brainchild of designer Thomas Heatherwick, famous for the Olympic cauldron. And At her request, the Company donated if it all goes ahead, it will mean the redoubtable vessel being Win’s fee for inscribing all the place cards towed to a new temporary berth which would place it most for the Spring Dinner to The Eve Appeal, definitely within the boundary of the City of London (rather and if anyone is minded to support her than just its rear anchor). The Clerk and Assistant Clerk will further, and be included in her circulation have to remember, when arriving for work, that the list for sponsors, she can be contacted at [email protected]. gangplank will have moved.   On chaplains and choristers

Our interim Hon. Chaplain, Canon Chris Bishop, was born in the West Country and ordained in 1972, becoming a curate in the diocese of Chelmsford. In 1986 he was appointed Chaplain at Stansted Airport with two rural parishes, and had a 16-year stint as Rural Dean. Now retired, he enjoys telling ‘tall stories’ as an entertainer in Essex. We’ll have to take advantage of that! We welcome him warmly. Also pic- tured is the new chorister we sup- port at St Paul’s, Benedict King, who received a glowing report from the school on his musi- cal abilities. 

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The Spring Dinner 2014

Lord Lingfield was the principal guest for the Spring Dinner at Painters’ Hall on 15 April and gave a spirited speech on the subject of knighthood; the Master, John J Tunesi of Liongam, presided, and the toast to the guests was given by the Upper Warden. As is customary at the Spring Dinner, we toasted the memory of our two great benefactors, John Alfred Chamberlain, Master 1953-4, and Gerald Henderson, Master 1956-7. After dinner, as we supped our port and tried not to clink our coffee cups too noisily, we were royally enter- tained by Kirsty Michele Anderson, soprano, accompanied at the piano by James Williams. Kirsty is studying at the Royal Academy of Music, having completed her bachelor degree with first-class honours at the Lon- don College of Music. Kirsty and James gave us a delightful short programme comprising Puccini, Tosti. Quilter and Lehár, which sent us happily out into the evening air. (Photo by Christopher Widdows) 

—————————————————————————————————————————————— Remembering the fallen On a recent visit to the battlefields on Northern France in his capacity as Chairman of the Royal British Legion, Court Assistant Barry Theobald-Hicks laid a wreath on behalf of the Scriveners Company. He laid several wreaths on Commonwealth World War One graves in the cemetery at Thiepval on the Somme, and was able to lay the Scriveners’ wreath, appropriately enough, on the grave of a soldier serving in the Honourable Artillery Company. The Thiepval Memorial is reputedly the largest war memorial in the world, bear- ing 72,195 names of British and South African men who were missing in action between 1915 and 1918 and with no known grave. 90% of them died in the 1916 Battles of the Somme. 

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And an affiliation with the boys and girls in air force blue

One of the major achievements of the Immediate Past Master’s year was the creation of an affiliation with an Air Training Corps Squadron - 329 (Finsbury) Squadron, to be precise. The Lord Mayor has encouraged the formation of such links between livery companies and cadet units— indeed Colonel Alastair Bruce of Crionaich, our principal guest at the Armoury House Autumn Dinner last year, also made the case eloquently, and the Scriveners have taken this to heart. At a parade at Armoury House in June, the (then) Master inspected the Squadron and he, with a few other Scriveners in attendance, was given a tour of their base and entertained to a light supper. He presented the Squadron Commander, Pilot Officer Cydonie Riley with a special com- memorative scroll, scrivened and illu- minated by our Peter Esslemont Prize winner, Anthea Power, and a chal- lenge shield, which will be awarded each year to the Best Academic Cadet (along with a Scriveners’ pen). In turn, the Company was given a A LETTER FROM THE PUPIL WE NOW wall shield by the Squadron, which SUPPORT AT CITY OF LONDON SCHOOL : now hangs in the Clerk’s office, along with similar shields from HMS Port- Dear Master, land and LXX Squadron. We hope that I was told recently that the Worshipful Company of this will mark a long and happy asso- Scriveners has paid money to help support me to stay at ciation between the Company and the the City of London School in the 6th Form. I am writing Squadron. now to express my very grateful thanks. I am so proud to be a pupil at City and it has meant everything to me to be Those Scriveners who attended the able to continue with my studies. I received my GCSE parade were very impressed with the results yesterday: I have nine A*, three A and Add Maths, way the young people conducted Grade A. Please be assured that I will continue to work themselves and with their keenness to hard and to do my best at school. I want to study Russian contribute to society. They have vari- at Oxford and I am working towards that goal. Your gener- ous activities during the year to which osity has enabled me to remain at City. I will always be we may be invited and we have been grateful and it is my hope that in the future I will be in a assured that the cadets will be only position to offer the same generosity to a student seeking too willing to form a carpet guard for to make his way in the world. us, as they did at the Autumn Dinner Yours faithfully, Joseph White.  last year. 

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New Freemen Notarial notes The Master, Wardens and Court of Assistants The Company’s notarial committee has had a very busy are delighted to welcome the following new few months dealing with the professional affairs for Freemen since March 2014: which it is responsible, including the setting of the Com- David Paul Barker pany’s latest exams which took place at the end of July. (Former Bank Manager) The Committee has also been looking at the operation of the Office Practice Course which has been introduced by Sara Helen Dodd the Faculty Office for all newly qualified notaries as well (Scrivener Notary, Cheeswrights) as keeping up to date and assisting with notarial affairs Alexander Michael Stuart Green in the United Kingdom and beyond. (Procurator Fiscal, Court of the Lord Lyon) Sara Dodd and Sarah Mackie joined the ranks of Colin David Harris scrivener notaries following their success earlier in the (Solicitor and Notary Public) year in the Company’s professional exams and their admission to the Company at the July Court meeting. Sarah Karen Mackie The highlight of the notarial year was the inaugural (Scrivener Notary, Cheeswrights) Wilfrid Phillips Memorial Notarial Lecture on “e- apostilles” held at the City Business Library, Guildhall, in New Liverymen May, where a truly worldwide panel of experts on the The Master, Wardens and Court of Assistants topic of the electronic authentication of documents was are also delighted to welcome the following brought together. Wilfrid Phillips was a distinguished new Liverymen: scrivener notary and Past Master of the Company who left a legacy to be used for the benefit of his profession; Peter Edmund Adams it is hoped that a lecture in Past Master Phillips’s memory (Scrivener Notary, De Pinna) will become an annual event in the notarial calendar and John Sebastian Willis Bonham details of the 2015 Memorial Lecture will be circulated (Antiquarian Bookseller) later in the year. The principal guest speakers at this Alistair John Meldrum year’s lecture were Gemma Del Rey Almansa from the (Former Insurance Manager & Chartered Secretary) Spanish Ministry of Justice and Christophe Bernasconi, secretary general of the Hague Conference on Private Elizabeth Rutherford International Law, who gave fascinating presentations on (Councillor, Royal Bor. of Kensington & Chelsea) the issues and history surrounding the electronic authen- James Siôn Taylor tication of notarial and other documents. (Scrivener Notary, De Pinna) Following the main speakers a lively panel discussion Gary Clive Robert Woodman-Simmons took place, chaired by Past Master Bill Kennair, which (Office Manager, Clerk of the Parliaments’ Office) included an update from the head of the United King- ______dom’s Foreign Office legalisation department, Andrew Hamilton and invaluable contributions from liveryman Michael Lightowler, a leading advocate for the intro- Scriveners’ Lecture duction of an electronic legalisation system. Members of Every year the Heraldry Society hosts the the notarial bodies throughout the United Kingdom were Scriveners’ Lecture, which takes place this year warmly welcomed, including Barry Holland, President of later in the calendar than usual, on Wed 17 the Notaries’ Society, Michael Clancy from the Law Soci- December, at the usual venue: The Society of ety of Scotland together with the Master of the Faculties, Antiquaries, Burlington House, Piccadilly, W1. Charles George QC, and colleagues from the Faculty It will be given by Court Assistant Patrick Office. The issue of electronic documents will inevitably Cracroft-Brennan, with the Immediate Past play a large part in the future professional life of scrive- Master, John Tunesi of Liongam, in the chair. ner and other notaries and the Company looks forward The subject is ‘The Heraldry of the Spencer to playing an active part in the development of this area Family’. Just let the Clerk know if you would of notarial activity. like to attend. All Scriveners are welcome and Edward Gardiner there is a glass of wine afterwards.  Notarial Deputy & Chairman, Notarial Committee 

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From the pen of the IPM Dates for the diary

When I was installed as Master in July 2013 I had not realised the heady mixture of events and meetings one Monday 29 September: would have to attend in the course of representing the Company both within and without the City. There have Election of Lord Mayor and lunch at Innholders been several highlights, notably our Autumn and Spring Tuesday 14 October: Dinners, the Presentation of the Quill Pen to the Lord Autumn Dinner at Apothecaries’ Hall Mayor at the Mansion House, as well as to the Sheriffs at the Old Bailey, the dinner with the York Scriveners, Thursday 13 November: together with the poignant service of remembrance Visit to the with optional supper which concluded with the planting of poppy crosses in Tuesday 25 November: the precincts of St Paul’s. Sadly on that occasion I was Annual Quill Pen Lunch at Mansion House not able to parade in No 1 Dress uniform as my waist had thickened somewhat! So saying, the question I was Friday 28 November: asked many times was whether, with all the dinners one Curry lunch on board HQS Wellington attends, I had put on any weight. My answer surprised Tuesday 9 December: many in that I have lost weight rather than gained—this having been achieved by being abstemious at home, Annual Carol Service at St Martin-within-Ludgate together with the fact that I now have a regular regime of Wednesday 17 December: walking whenever practicable to do so. The other great Scriveners’ Lecture for the Heraldry Society pleasure during my year was attending (with Jane), the Wednesday 4 February 2015: LXX Squadron RAF Association Dinner at RAF Brize Norton, where I met the new CO who at that time was Sheriffs’ Reception & Handwriting Prizes preparing the squadron to stand up in the autumn/ Monday 23 February 2015: winter of this year, after which we shall be able to renew Monday Lunch at Ironmongers’ Hall our acquaintance with the squadron to the fullest. Carry- ing on the light blue theme, I was pleased to have a hand Friday 20 March 2015: in the adoption of 329 (Finsbury) Squadron ATC as our United Guilds’ Service at St Paul’s and lunch designated cadet unit, being a serving RAFVR(T) officer at Wednesday 22 April 2015: HQ Air Cadets at RAF College Cranwell. All in all, I feel Spring Dinner at Vintners’ Hall immensely privileged to have served the Company as Master. It has given me a new insight into all the good Thursday 14—Monday 18 May 2015: that the livery movement does for all sections of society Master’s Visit to Vienna both in the immediacy of the Square Mile and beyond. John J Tunesi of Liongam Immediate Past Master  Scrivener notary spotted in Scottish art gallery? ...And the new Scriveners’ pen On a recent visit to Edinburgh, the Master had an hour Having exhausted our stock of fountain pens from Parker, to fill between engagements and popped into the we have now commissioned a new and very handsome National Gallery of Scotland. There he came across a Scriveners’ pen from A T Cross. It has the eagle and book portrait by Quentin Massys (Metsys), 1466-1530. It was on the clip of the pen, and the Company motto on the painted between 1510 and 1520 and the catalogue side of the cap, such motto being rather appropriate for stated that it was once thought to portray St Fiacre, a presentation pen! Get your magnifying glass out and patron saint of notaries. X-rays of the picture revealed have a look... that all the objects in front of the sitter, together with a quill in the hand of the sitter, were added to the original some time after completion. The catalogue further declared that “Messys was much admired in Antwerp as a painter of religious subjects, but also as a portraitist of distinction”. The Master confesses he was unaware that notaries had a patron saint, and wonders why the quill pen was added to the picture at a later date. Further enlighten- ment either by art historians (or scrivener notaries) would be appreciated. 

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After the ceremonial, the party begins...

Alexander Green, Sara Dodd and Sarah Mackie savour their first sense of Freedom on the upper deck; below, three of the new Liverymen, Alistair Meldrum, Peter Adams and Siôn Taylor stand shoulder to shoulder with the Master, who then addressed the assembled guests on the quarterdeck; Jane Tunesi passed the Master’s Lady’s brooch to Gillian Lovegrove; after which it was down to the serious business of queuing for the barbecue. Ah, the English summer begins… Photos by Chris Alderman

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