Summer 2013 Issue 25 A year of celebration Our News Master’s Column The News Northampton welcomes In these challenging economic times, the continuing the lives of others by contributing to charitable causes in many generosity of our Company members in so many ways is ways. It is this charitable ethos that remains at the heart of our the Cordwainers very encouraging. Company to this day. The Company visit to Northampton on 20 May was a wonderful But this does not surprise me, as Cordwainers have When Marsden, then only 32, founded the London General example of how one trip could pull together several strands of the demonstrated the same generosity of spirit for generations. Our Institution for the Gratuitous Care of Malignant Diseases – Company’s causes. earliest benefactors, John Fisher, Richard Minge and John Came, the forerunner of the Royal Free Hospital, he could not have envisaged quite what he was starting. But crucially, he had a We revisited our shoemaking roots, at Church’s factory; we saw the tangible results not only exhibited great munificence, but also far-sightedness in vision, and like him, the Company is now looking to the future. of the company’s charitable giving by viewing an exhibition of student work at their endowments. the Northampton Shoe and Boot Museum; and we learned about the education William Marsden, another great Cordwainer philanthropist Over the past few months, the Court has been developing a of young footwear designers and leatherworkers in our visit to the University of typified the attitude of many Cordwainers by working to new vision and strategy for the next seven years and beyond. Northampton’s tannery. At the same time, we entertained the Cordwainers of York, improve the lives of the less fortunate and although most of Appropriately, it is called ‘2020 Vision’, and it encompasses four reinforcing the Cordwainers’ reputation for convivial hospitality. us are unlikely to found hospitals, we can all work to improve broad aims. We are extremely grateful to Sue Cummings, the Clerk’s PA and a freeman of the Cordwainers of York to Past Master Christopher King and At Church’s Shoes to Freeman Caroline Southernwood, Senior Lecturer at the University of Northampton for organising the day’s activities. Our 2020 Vision. We went from appreciating Wren’s work Step in time – and the famous Bow bells, past the Aim 1: Increase further the statue of Cordwainer associate Captain walk around participation and John Smith, who appears to have had involvement levels of a Flashman-like existence, down Bow Cordwainer Ward Liverymen and Freemen Lane past Cheaney’s and Ye Old Watling Aptly dressed in boots made for in the Company’s social, pub and turned right on to Bread Street. charity and governance walking, I joined the 30 or so Here we briefly stepped out of the Ward activities. Cordwainer nursing award winners at the Royal Free. Cordwainers and guests to visit the plaque commemorating the outside the St Mary-le- site of our old hall under the shadow These are ambitious and clear aims, but they are concert in aid of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Bow Church on the cusp of of St Paul’s dome. We then strode Aim 2: Increase the brand also well within our grasp. Let’s try to achieve at St Paul’s Cathedral in May when the Cheapside and Bow Lane. along the south side of the awareness and profile of them before our 750th Anniversary in 2022. Cordwainers were the main music supporter. An enjoyable and interesting ward to St Mary Aldermary, the Company, both We have a wonderful basis on which to build, Secondly, I was very pleased that we were able tour followed as we before admiring the bronze internally among and we should be cautiously confident. You to complete and open in June Gifford House, a trod the invisible lines Cordwainer Statue on members, and externally will hear more about our aims, and we fully new block of 15 bedrooms at our hall of of Cordwainer Ward, Watling Street. in the footwear trade, in the City, and among our intend to listen to and involve all our members residence at Cordwainers Court in Hackney. in the heart of We then retired to the Bow New in this process. We intend to begin with a charitable and business Thirdly, we have had a successful year with the City. Under Lane Wine Vaults having survey of all members this autumn. Company partners. your generous support, raising more than the entertaining reconnected with our We believe the survey results and conclusions £50,000 for the charitable campaign linking guidance of Murray heritage and learnt a brochure will prove most helpful in shaping how we one of our charities, the Guildhall School of Craig, Clerk to the great deal about how we Enclosed with this copy of The Aim 3: Double the amounts achieve our aims. Music and Drama, with our other long-term meld with the City, then Cordwainer you will find a short given by Cordwainer Chamberlain’s Court at I am now approaching the end of my term as charitable beneficiaries through the and now. There was much guide to the Worshipful Company charities to targeted the Guildhall, we strode Master. It has been a great privilege and a Community Outreach Programme and the talk of what we could of Cordwainers. Every Cordwainer external charity through Cordwainer wonderful year for both Nicola and me. formation of ‘The Cords’. This is a long-term do with a new ‘home’ as knows that it can be a slightly painful beneficiaries from 2012 history, which is littered Three highlights stand out and will remain in programme, which both supports music raised by the Master in his process to explain what a Cordwainer levels, while ensuring with facts and delightful our memory. students and introduces music to others. address. We look forward to does or did. We hope that this short value for money. anecdotes. We were able seeing the aims of the soon- booklet will go some way towards Firstly, I had the honour to be Master when, for I could not have achieved anything without to envisage the apprentices to-be-published 2020 strategy, alleviating the problem. Visually Aim 4: Progressively increase the the first time since the Second World War, the the dedication and loyalty of our excellent brawling on Cheapside or although having been within dynamic and with minimal text, we financial strength of the Company has had its own Cordwainer Lord office team led by our Clerk, John Miller, the past masters taking the spitting distance of St Pauls hope that it will provide Company Company so that we are Mayor, Alderman Roger Gifford. We have friendship and encouragement of the Court, before, the bar has been set City Corporation to task affiliates with an overview of able to consider acquiring certainly celebrated this great honour starting and the wonderful support of the Livery high in terms of potential over the loss of our halls Cordwainer activities – none of which our own ‘home’ not hall. with the Lord Mayor’s Show, continuing with and Freedom. I am very grateful to all of you and artefacts! site of any new home. have anything to do with rope! the magnificent dinner at the Mansion House for giving me the opportunity to serve as Liveryman Caroline Squire last March, and ending with the glorious your Master. 2 The Cordwainer The Cordwainer 3 Cordwainers: A performance A year of to remember In May the Company sponsored a wonderful performance of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy in St Paul’s Cathedral. Proceeds raised from the evening went to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal. This was celebration followed by a dinner in the Guildhall with the theme of ‘the future of Europe in the global economy’. With full-page ads in two programmes, the Cordwainer profile is undoubtedly higher than ever before. Resounding generosity The Cordwainers are renowned for their generosity and for the quality of their hospitality, but, without a doubt, this has been an exceptional year. In addition to the substantial regular donations made by Liverymen and many “ What a wonderful, unique evening! Freeman, our members, their friends and families also contributed more than It was a superb performance of Beethoven’s £50,000 this year to the Master’s Musical Fund, which unites our charitable partners 9th, and to hear it sitting so close to the under a musical umbrella. The work at Cordwainers Court is complete and the orchestra under the dome of the Cathedral new student accommodation will be was absolutely breathtaking.” open on time and on budget. We have Sir Brian Jenkins - Lord Mayor 1991-92 proudly supported our Cordwainer Lord and Cordwainers’ Honorary Liveryman. Mayor, Alderman Roger Gifford, and he “ We have raised more than in turn has been most hospitable to us. £50,000 for the Master’s The Ladies’ Dinner was earlier than usual Musical Fund.” this year so that we could enjoy it in the magnificent surroundings of the Mansion House. The Cords, the group of student musicians from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, were perfectly placed to perform on the Queen’s Coronation Organ, which is temporarily resident in the Mansion House, prior to its installation in Westminster Abbey. The Cords have also been inspiring the children of The Urswick School and patients at the Royal Free Hospital, playing to them and encouraging musical appreciation and participation. The Cords James Sherlock and Jonathan Chan play at the Mansion House. Cordwainers going that extra mile Doing good - Finally, individual Cordwainers have been running with balls themselves into the ground to raise money for The Lord Mayor receives a plaque.