Master’s blog, stardate 2013.287

As Master I was a guest of the Worshipful Livery Company of Wales on Saturday, attending the Installation Service in St John’s in the centre of Cardiff and then the Installation banquet at the City Hall.  I am a liveryman of the Livery Company of Wales.  It was a fine event in an ancient church and a magnificent City Hall.  Marj and I used to go dancing there on Saturdays so it was a trip down memory lane as well.  I was very well received.  The Welsh Livery has developed a style of its own, which is to be expected and for which they should be congratulated.  A number of London Masters were present.

Master’s blog, stardate 2013.282

On Monday I was down in the Central Criminal Courts as a guest of Sheriff Sir Paul Judge for lunch with the judges.  Having never been inside the Old Bailey for any reason, innocently or otherwise, I was intrigued by the invitation and had a most interesting day, including a couple of hours in Court No. 4 listening to the prosecuting counsel making his opening address in a murder trial.  I was most impressed with the care and clarity, to my mind, with the way in which the counsel presented his opening description of the case against the defendant.  The counsel made it clear that the the case would be gone through in great detail in the subsequent stages of the trial.  I was equally impressed with the amount of information that we all scatter world-wide when we use our mobile phones.  I was sitting on a bench in the well of the court, which is very small, with the judge sitting on high and the defendant directly opposite him, I never saw the defendant since I was so low down on my bench and could not see into the dock.  Not a day to be missed.

Master’s blog, stardate 2013.277

Along with my bailiff I visited Ysgol y Gogarth today, Friday, to meet the head master and the Willmott-Dixon contract manager to discuss progress on the construction of Hafan Marj which is the outdoor activities room that will be dedicated to Marjorie.  The base slab has been laid as part of the school’s total redevelopment and the details of the building have been finalised so progress is being made.  The head and staff at Gogarth are very excited about Hafan Marj even though the whole school is being re-built under a £multi-million project.  The building is located in a well landscaped area, a short distance from the main building but will be fully equipped with data and power.  More later.

An appeal has gone out under my name for contributions to the publication fund for ‘Reflections on water’, please respond positively.

Master’s blog, stardate 2013.275

Monday found me and the Fleet Warden involved in the election of the Lord Mayor for the ‘ensuing year’.  This year we have elected Fiona Woolf, only the second woman to be elected as Lord Mayor.  Our day began in Carpenters’ Hall for breakfast courtesy of Mark Grove and the Cook and Butler.  This was a great start to the day; as well as having an excellent breakfast it was good to be able to meet Masters, Wardens and Clerks of many Companies.  After gowning up in the Guildhall crypt, which was an event in itself, all hustle and bustle, the Masters processed in order of seniority, juniors first, to attend a service in St Lawrence Jury (in which the singing of the choir was magnificent) and then back to the Guildhall for the election.  The whole ceremony is managed in the greatest detail and was all over by 1.00pm.

Tuesday I was back in London with my bailiff to attend the Autumn Dinner of the Plaisterers’ company as the guests of the Master, De Bradshaw; this was another magnificent Livery evening.  Gosh it’s hard.