The Master & Wardens Dinner is the last formal occasion in the Fruiterers’ calendar year. On 11 November, (Remembrance Day), the company sat to dine in the comfortable surrounds of the Barber-Surgeons’ Hall.

It was appropriate that on this day the principal guest was Brigadier David Shaw CBE, who represented ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. It was 92 years exactly since the conclusion of World War I and this has been a year when the Fruiterers have remembered those of the armed forces who have made the supreme sacrifice.

The Master and members of his court were joined by liverymen and distinguished guests and they listened to Brigadier Shaw responding on behalf of the guests.

Although not confirmed, it was believed to be the first time in the company’s history that the proposal to the Master and wardens, and the response, were performed by ladies.

MASTER’S COMMENT

By Steve Bodger

SILENCE IS GOLDEN AS LORD MAYOR TAKES THE SWORD

November saw the installation of the new Lord Mayor, who has done valuable work to help our industry.

Alderman Michael Bear took office, as is always the tradition, on the second Friday in November. The Lord Mayor’s installation is at the “Silent Ceremony” in the Guildhall in the City. The ceremony is, as it says, conducted in total silence. The outgoing Lord Mayor hands over to the new Lord Mayor and the symbols of office, sword and mace, are presented to the new Lord Mayor in the presence of the Court of Aldermen and other City dignitaries. The silence makes the ceremony oddly impressive, as all present concentrate totally on what they are seeing. I had the good fortune to be invited to this last year when the immediate past Lord Mayor, Alderman Nick Anstee, was installed.

The next day sees the Lord Mayor’s Show, familiar to many readers who will, perhaps, have participated at some stage or watched it. The Lord Mayor follows the procession to the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, where he swears allegiance to the sovereign in the presence of the judges of the High Court. He then travels back to Mansion House, his home for his year of office, for a celebration.

A Lord Mayor’s year is extremely demanding. As the main representative of the wide financial services industry in the City and beyond - our country’s biggest industry - he travels the world as an ambassador for that commercial cause and for trade with the UK. When in London, he will have a packed diary of events, meetings, formal lunches and dinners. He makes several speeches each day and spends much time, too, on raising funds for charities. Alderman Nick Anstee has been an excellent supporter of the City, pushing for intelligent reform where reform is necessary, and sensible regulation. His stance on regulation has been to avoid the reaction of the many who are demanding too restrictive a regulatory regime, following the failure of the system set up by the last government

The bedrock of the City is the 108 livery companies. It is liverymen who vote in the elections for the Lord Mayor and the sheriffs who then in turn support the livery companies. It is rare for a livery company to have its main dinner each year, in our case our banquet in February, without the Lord Mayor and sheriffs attending as guests of honour.

The new Lord Mayor is a pavior and is also a liveryman of a number of other companies. His career has been in civil engineering and property. He was a key figure in the development of the New Spitalfields Market site and the redevelopment of the original Spitalfields Market. The new market is a great success, much bigger, better communications and better for traders and buyers alike. He has already done well for trade and there is great confidence that he will do well for the City as a whole in building on the progress made by his predecessors.