Court Dinner at Saddlers' Hall - April 2015

116 Liverymen and their guests attended our Court Dinner at the Saddlers’ Hall on 8th April. The current Hall is Saddlers’ fourth, the first two having been destroyed by fire and the third by bombing in WW2. It was completed in 1958 and is a lovely Hall with a very pleasant entrance through a tranquil courtyard.

The Master welcomed six visiting Masters, Prime Wardens and their Consorts from the Fishmongers, Innholders, Feltmakers, Glass Sellers, Actuaries and Lightmongers.

We enjoyed an excellent meal with service to match, starting with Gilthead Bream, Rack of Lamb and Shipwreck Apple Tart, washed down with Nutbourne Sussex Reserve 2013, Chateau la Baronne Corbieres 2012 and Fonseca Port.

The Master welcomed three new Liveryman into the Company, Mrs. Christine Smedley, Mr. Hugh Pringle and Mrs. Angie Lewis.

Presentations were made to Miss Alice Quinn and Miss Morgan Seaford, this year’s winners of the bursaries we provide to The Royal School of Needlework.

Presentations were also made to the 3rd Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment - The Master presented the Salerno Trophy to WO2 Arthur Little and the Needlemakers’ Sword to Second Lieutenant Lewis Yardy. Their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel John Baynham, read the citations.

The Master announced that, following a pledge by an anonymous Liveryman to match fund donations made up to a maximum of £10,000, this target had been exceeded. Some donations were still being received and so with match funding and Gift Aid the charity fund would be over £25,000 richer! This is a magnificent achievement and the Master thanked everyone who had given so generously.

The Principal Guest and Speaker was Mr Mark Smith MA who is Curator of the Royal Artillery Museum. Mark has written four books on the First World War and led tours for the last 29 years to the battlefields of France and Belgium. He has appeared on many television and radio programmes worldwide and has just finished filming the 2015 series of the Antiques Roadshow as the new medal expert.

Mark has spent the last 10 years studying the history and origins of the Victoria Cross. He is also an avid collector of medals with over 5,000 in his collection! Mark gave a fascinating speech about the origins of his hobby, which turned into a career. He gave an intriguing account of the origin and history of the VC and in so doing dispelled a myth about the source of the bronze from which they were made! He also brought along his most prized possession – a Victoria Cross.