The Worshipful Company of Basketmakers Review 2019 and 2020 THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF BASKETMAKERS REVIEW 2019 AND 2020 1 Due to the pandemic taking over our lives in 2020 and the curtailment of face-to-face activity in the Livery this issue of the Company review combines the years of Prime Wardens Chris Hipkins and Anne Holden, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. The content reflects on the 450th Anniversary commemorations and celebrations in 2019 and the introduction of virtual dinners and meetings in 2020, two momentous and memorable occasions in our Company’s history. With thanks to Liveryman Philip Panchaud for his support of this publication. Contents CELEBRATING 1 ANNUAL BASKETRY 4 450th ANNIVERSARY 6 450 YEARS REPORT OTHER EVENTS 8 IPPW 9 BASKETMAKERS 11 EVENTS THE COURT 14 YEOMAN REPORT 16 REPORT FROM THE 18 CHARITABLE TRUST AFFILIATIONS 20 COMPANY NEWS 25 FROM THE CLERK 25 2 THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF BASKETMAKERS REVIEW 2019 AND 2020 Celebrating 450 years, PPW Chris Hipkins would like to start by thanking All our guests were amazed at everyone for their tremendous the excellent craftmanship and I support throughout my year diversity of creations on display. as Prime Warden. We certainly We believe this was the biggest celebrated our 450th Anniversary and most prestigious event ever in fine fashion. I felt very honoured organised by the Company and was and privileged that you elected over two years in the planning. It me to preside over this special is still a talking point in the City. year. I had been warned by my It was during this event that our predecessors that the year would be new History of the Company Book over very quickly but even though I written by Assistant Jonathan Pyzer was forewarned, my year just passed and Liveryman Roger Barnes was in an absolute flash with hardly launched. Copies were given to all a moment to draw breath. It was our members and guests; the book always my goal to make it a year was very generously funded by full of celebration, enjoyment and PPW Eddie Donaldson in memory fun. Mike and I certainly enjoyed of his late wife Liveryman and ourselves immensely and we hope Steward Mary Jane. Chris Hipkins, Past Prime Warden that you all did as well. Spring Ball Lord Mayor’s Show Our Grand Spring Ball in mid-May The Banquet The year of Premier Events started was a departure from our usual Our final Premier Event was our with a bang, and our entry in the summer dinner in that we held it 450 Banquet in September. What Lord Mayors Show. We hired the at the beautiful Drapers’ Hall with a way to finish the year, with over 1925 open top Dennis Bus featured dinner, dancing to a seven-piece 300 attending and the full shrieval in the film Mary Poppins. It proved a band, and a casino for those less party of the Lord Mayor and both little temperamental on the day, and enthusiastic about dancing. We Sheriffs, each with their Consorts, on a couple of occasions it needed to incorporated a number of surprise and 40 of the Letzi Guild from be pushed to bump start it. All good attractions including a Crystal Ball Zurich in their colourful costumes. fun, helped by a glass or two of the Juggler and an Accordionist during The winners of the Basketry of the Basketmakers 450 Champagne, and the reception and Singing Waiters as year Competition run by our Charity for once we enjoyed some sunshine we finished dinner. We had amazing produced wonderful examples of on Show day. flower decorations on the tables our craft once again. The prizes created by Mandy Taylor. There was were presented by the Lord Mayor Trade Fair a full house with many commenting Peter Estlin. Surprise entertainment The major event of the year was that there was a really fabulous by West End Kids singing and our Grand Trade Fair at the Old atmosphere, more like a party than a dancing a medley from ‘The Library Guildhall in February. traditional Livery dinner. Greatest Showman’, added a new Opened by HRH the Duchess of twist to entertainment at Mansion Gloucester, we had 41 stands with Thanksgiving Service House, and confirmed yet again that Basketmaking Demonstrators and I was very lucky to find myself the Basketmakers are happy to push Exhibitors from all over the country. hosting the Duchess of Gloucester the barriers. Our guests included more than for the second time during my year 200 VIPs from the City, including at our Thanksgiving service at our Special Events the Lady Mayoress Lindy Estlin, Guild Church St Margaret Pattens Apart from our Premier Events, we Sheriff Liz Green, and Masters, This made it a really special event organised a number of Company Consorts, and Clerks representing for our members, giving almost visits during the year. The first 85 Livery Companies. This Fair everyone the opportunity to chat was to Middle Temple and 2 was absolute proof that Basketry informally with her at the reception Temple Place in March. These are today is so much more than Baskets. after the service. wonderful historic buildings – the THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF BASKETMAKERS REVIEW 2019 AND 2020 1 Celebrating 450 years, PPW Chris Hipkins cont’d and the Clerk, I was found guilty of Many thanks to Jürg Vogel, the aforesaid charges and transported Zunftmeister, for not only translating to the Tower along with numerous my speech from English but sending other Masters, all of us sporting me an audio tape to practice the our full gowns and badges, and pronunciation a couple of weeks all shackled with balls and chains. beforehand. Luckily by the time I On arrival at the Tower we were got to speak the wine had already paraded in front of huge queues of been flowing freely for some hours, bemused tourists who were being so I got a few laughs and rapturous orchestrated to give us a hard time applause for the effort. by Yeomen Warders brandishing very sharp axes. I was fingerprinted Museum of English and only after proving that sufficient Rural Life bail money had been raised (well Another Company visit was to the done all those members and friends Museum of English Rural Life in who contributed) was I allowed Reading in May. It is a museum, Consort Mike Horton to have my bread and water (Pol library and archive dedicated Roger and a super lunch) and be to recording the changing face released. Quite an experience. of farming and the countryside tour of Middle Temple was expertly This event raises money for the in England. It houses over 600 guided by Sue King a Liveryman of Red Cross and is one of many City basketry items and tools with our Company who gave us a very events that I participated in during some rare examples from the personal insight. Lunch was taken the year to raise money for various 19th Century as well as some more in the superb surroundings of Inner charities, like the Big Curry Lunch, contemporary pieces. We were Temple courtesy of UW Roger the Sheriffs Horseback ride round personally guided by Curator Greta Harper MBE, followed by a guided the City, the Inter Livery Walk of Bertram who incidentally spoke at tour of 2 Temple Place to view the 40 Livery Halls to mention but a our Trade dinner in 2018. This most John Ruskin exhibition. few (phew!)… The Court only Dinner was held appropriate visit for Basketmaking at the Tower of London where Letzi Guild enthusiasts finished with a very convivial dinner at Bills restaurant. members of the Court and Stewards Mike and I attended the The whole day had been superbly together with their partners enjoyed Sechseläuten festival in Zurich organised by our Steward Margaret a super reception and dinner at the again as guests of the Letzi Guild. Regimental Headquarters of the Wonderful hospitality as usual but Burgess who was unfortunately Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. We as Prime Warden and principal taken seriously ill beforehand and were fortunate to be able to see the guest this year I was encouraged to was unable to attend. It was very Ceremony of the Keys afterwards make a speech in Schweizerdeutsch. good to see her back in circulation at – a ceremony that has taken place the Stewards Club Dinner and hear daily for over 700 years. This that she is making good progress. finished with a soulful rendition of Following in the ‘The Last Post’ played by a Ghurkha bugler which was very moving in family tradition the twilight. One of the most personal moments during my year was installing my Jailed and Bailed eldest granddaughter Jenny as a This was not my only visit to the Freeman of the Company at my Tower of London during my year, first Court meeting in January, as I was ‘Jailed & Bailed’ After just a couple of months after her being tried in the Old Bailey on 18th birthday. She is the fourth charges trumped up by my Consort generation of my family to join the 2 THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF BASKETMAKERS REVIEW 2019 AND 2020 Celebrating 450 years, PPW Chris Hipkins Company. I was very happy that my PW’s Weekend the Company and the Charity with other two young grandchildren were The highlights of my year would a small surplus on the year from able to join in the fun at both the not be complete without a brief our Celebrations. In addition, I Spring Ball and the Banquet as I am mention of the PW Weekend on must thank all those members who gave a huge amount of time hopeful, they will join our ranks as the Isle of Wight.