Page 13 - 10052 WORSH Marketor Issue 79.indd

This year was a slightly
History and fellowship
at the livery dinner
Also different on June 14 was our
venue. New to many of the guests,
the Charterhouse is set at the edge
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monastery, private mansion, boys’
school and almshouse. The
Charterhouse’s history really began
as a Carthusian priory, founded in
1371 and dissolved in 1537. In 1558,
Queen Elizabeth I used the
Charterhouse during preparations for
her coronation and held Court in the
Great Chamber. In 1611 it became
an almshouse and school endowed
by Thomas Sutton. The school moved
out in 1872 to Godalming. The
almshouse still occupies the site
today, operating under the name of
the Charterhouse. The residents,
both male and female, are known as
‘Brothers’. This is a purely traditional
term for those living in this community
and acknowledges the past when
there was the monastery on the site.
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the Charterhouse also boasts a rare
collection of paintings and drawings,
as well as topographical prints,
historic silver, social history items,
historic furniture and original
postcards and photographs. There is
also a substantial library collection
comprising the Thackeray Collection,
rare books and religious books,
biographies of Thomas Sutton, books
and guidebooks relating to the site
and Charterhouse School, and
original ephemera and magazines.
In partnership with the Museum of
London, the Charterhouse has
opened up the site to the public.
MARKETOR SUMMER 2018
different affair for our new
traditional Liverymen-only
event at the half-year point
in the Company’s affairs. We
were delighted to receive
the news that Past Master
Geoffrey Naylor and family
members were on a special
trip to the UK from New
Zealand, timed especially so
that they could all join us for
the event. This prompted a
change to tradition, resulting
in the event being opened
up to guests, with a focus on
Lesley Wilson
Middle Warden fellowship and the renewal of
long-standing friendships.
There are three key elements to the Companies. Murray plays a key role
project: a new museum, which tells in the administration of the City of
the story of the Charterhouse from London Corporation’s ceremonial
the Black Death to the present day; and business life and is best known to
a Learning Room and Learning many Marketors as the person who
Programme so that school groups conducts their Freedom of the City
can discover how the Charterhouse of London ceremony. Obtaining
has been home to everyone from Freedom of the City is something we
monks and monarchs to schoolboys encourage all Freemen of the
and Brothers; and a newly &RPSDQ\ WR GR DV WKLV LV WKH ÀUVW
landscaped Charterhouse Square step on the road to full livery status.
open to the public so that more From there, we stepped into evening
people can enjoy the green
surroundings. sunshine in the courtyard gardens, a
truly beautiful inner sanctum. The
Our evening began with a private Charterhouse gardens have been
designed in an English country
tour. We were looked after by one of
the Brothers who not only to told us garden style featuring roses,
herbaceous borders, ancient
about the venue and its history, but mulberry trees and a small pond.
also gave us a glimpse of the daily Various garden herbs found here are
life of the Brothers as residents of this still used in the kitchen today.
historic site.
Following our tour, we assembled in $QG ÀQDOO\ WR GLQQHU LQ WKH *UHDW
Chamber. Queen Elizabeth and
the Old Library. With scars from the
Blitz, the Old Library highlights the James I both held court in this
history of the Charterhouse. Portraits incredible chamber. We had 64
Liverymen and guests. Past Master
of Archbishops and Bishops of
London dating back to the 18th The Revd Sally Muggeridge gave
grace before we tucked into
century line the walls and lend a smoked salmon on blinis, cannon of
WUDQTXLO DQG GLJQLÀHG DPELHQFH IRU lamb with rosemary jus, and an ‘Eton
any occasion. Our speaker, the Mess style’ dessert with a crumble
irrepressible Murray Craig, Clerk of topping.
the Chamberlain’s Court, regaled us
with tales of the livery world, its The Master led a succession of toasts
RULJLQV VLJQLÀFDQFH DQG to the Queen, the Royal Family, the
development over the centuries, not Lord Mayor and the City of London
forgetting to include some of his Corporation. After our informal
misadventures while travelling on the evening, many lingered in the hall to
train. He is one of the City’s foremost mix and mingle over the drinks
experts on all aspects of the before heading home from a still
Corporation and the City Livery warm and balmy London.
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