WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
THE YEAR IN BRIEF - TYPICAL INVITATIONS
Your year will be filled with events – many are likely to be attended jointly with the Master. Our members can click here for a valuable summary of events coming up in the next couple of months by clicking on Just in Time Bulletin.
The most prestigious invitation is probably the Queen’s invitation to one of her Summer Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace. Your year will include the usual diary of events for your own Livery – be they the annual installation, lunches, dinners, your banquet, Christmas carols or social events. The year is also likely to include: visits to enterprises connected to your livery trade, educational or charitable contributions; and formal dinners and banquets at Mansion House and other Livery Companies.
You are also likely to be invited to events without the Master. As recently as 2017, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of events that Consorts have attended without their Master. One of these is an invite to an event sponsored by the Mistress/Consort Picture Book Committee. Every calendar year, the Mistresses & Consorts Picture Book Committee invite all the Consorts & Mistresses to participate in a party in the Guildhall to meet the incoming Lady Mayoress at the very start of her year in office (typically November). They also host a second event – a buffet dinner with the Lady Mayoress as the principal guest again. The buffet is typically in May, only weeks before your year of Consorts and Masters converge on Ironbridge. These marvellous occasions allow you to meet the Lady Mayoress and catch up with friends, old and new, amongst the other Mistresses and Consorts.
You may also be privileged to lunch at The Old Bailey or Mansion House as a guest of either the Shrieval Consorts or the Lady Mayoress or to receive invitations from other Consorts hosting their own Social Event.
At times, Consorts find their engagements extend beyond London as livery relationships extend to Guilds and Livery Companies in Scotland, North England and some in Europe. These are often specific to your own Livery Company’s relationships. The Master will be able to brief you on this part of your year.
You and other Consorts may host “your own” Consort Event. Each year is different and is totally at the discretion of each individual Consort to arrange. You might therefore receive invitations to these events. There is more on this in the next section under the tab Making the Most of Your Year.
The timing of events changes every year. August is always a “dead” month in the City Diary and is a good time to take a holiday.
The most prestigious invitation is probably the Queen’s invitation to one of her Summer Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace. Your year will include the usual diary of events for your own Livery – be they the annual installation, lunches, dinners, your banquet, Christmas carols or social events. The year is also likely to include: visits to enterprises connected to your livery trade, educational or charitable contributions; and formal dinners and banquets at Mansion House and other Livery Companies.
You are also likely to be invited to events without the Master. As recently as 2017, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of events that Consorts have attended without their Master. One of these is an invite to an event sponsored by the Mistress/Consort Picture Book Committee. Every calendar year, the Mistresses & Consorts Picture Book Committee invite all the Consorts & Mistresses to participate in a party in the Guildhall to meet the incoming Lady Mayoress at the very start of her year in office (typically November). They also host a second event – a buffet dinner with the Lady Mayoress as the principal guest again. The buffet is typically in May, only weeks before your year of Consorts and Masters converge on Ironbridge. These marvellous occasions allow you to meet the Lady Mayoress and catch up with friends, old and new, amongst the other Mistresses and Consorts.
You may also be privileged to lunch at The Old Bailey or Mansion House as a guest of either the Shrieval Consorts or the Lady Mayoress or to receive invitations from other Consorts hosting their own Social Event.
At times, Consorts find their engagements extend beyond London as livery relationships extend to Guilds and Livery Companies in Scotland, North England and some in Europe. These are often specific to your own Livery Company’s relationships. The Master will be able to brief you on this part of your year.
You and other Consorts may host “your own” Consort Event. Each year is different and is totally at the discretion of each individual Consort to arrange. You might therefore receive invitations to these events. There is more on this in the next section under the tab Making the Most of Your Year.
The timing of events changes every year. August is always a “dead” month in the City Diary and is a good time to take a holiday.
IRONBRIDGE
In June, your entire year of Consorts and Masters are invited to a weekend hosted by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. The purpose of the weekend is to celebrate the support from the London Livery Companies since 1983 and to raise further funds for the Trust. The accommodation for Friday and Saturday is very near Ironbridge, typically just 5 minutes from the Telford rail station at the Holiday Inn and with plenty of parking. The village of Ironbridge lies on the River Severn, at the heart of the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire. It is a World Heritage Site and the beating heart of the Industrial Revolution. Ironbridge is home to 10 amazing museums that make an unforgettable experience.
All arrangements are handled by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust through your Clerk. Each Livery pays their own way.
The weekend is designed for you to get to know the Consorts and Masters of your year better with coaches laid on both for ease of seeing the museums and for thoroughly enjoying your dinners…and dancing.
All arrangements are handled by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust through your Clerk. Each Livery pays their own way.
The weekend is designed for you to get to know the Consorts and Masters of your year better with coaches laid on both for ease of seeing the museums and for thoroughly enjoying your dinners…and dancing.
YOUR YEAR'S ASSOCIATION OF CONSORTS
At the close of your Ironbridge weekend, a short “meeting” is held with all Masters in one room and all Consorts in another. The goal of this “meeting” is to create your year’s Association by proposing and then agreeing to its name. For example, the 2018 associations are the Spitfires (Masters) and the Merlins (Consorts) in honour of the RAF 100 year anniversary; the 2017 cohorts are the Prime Masters and Prime Movers as 2017 is a prime number; the 2016 cohorts are the Phoenix (The Masters) and the Firebirds (The Consorts) in honour of the City of London celebrating the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London that year.
The purpose of the Associations is to have a way to continue to build and enjoy the friendships started during your year. Some Associations are active in the years following their year in office with events such as social outings, dinners, lunches and at times, trips abroad.
At the “meeting” in Ironbridge, the Association’s Chair, Secretary and Treasurer are often named or individuals volunteer shortly thereafter for these roles. You will have an opportunity to become one of the organisers of your Association at Ironbridge if you want to.
The purpose of the Associations is to have a way to continue to build and enjoy the friendships started during your year. Some Associations are active in the years following their year in office with events such as social outings, dinners, lunches and at times, trips abroad.
At the “meeting” in Ironbridge, the Association’s Chair, Secretary and Treasurer are often named or individuals volunteer shortly thereafter for these roles. You will have an opportunity to become one of the organisers of your Association at Ironbridge if you want to.
APPEAL EVENTS -
LORD MAYOR, LADY MAYORESS,
SHRIEVALCONSORTS, OTHER LIVERY COMPANIES
LORD MAYOR, LADY MAYORESS,
SHRIEVALCONSORTS, OTHER LIVERY COMPANIES
During your year, you will receive a number of invitations to attend a variety of charitable fundraisers. The Lord Mayor’s Appeal Office will lead the way on those he (or she) has named as the key charities for the year. The Treloar’s Charity Gala Dinner at Mansion House is a standing event annually. Treloar's is a nursery, school and college in Alton, Hampshire for physically disabled young people providing integrated education, therapy, medical and care support to both day and residential students.
The Lady Mayoress is also likely to name charities that she supports during her year in office. Often Consorts hosting their own event invite the Lady Mayoress as well and honour her with a token of appreciation with financial support towards one of her chosen charities. The Shrieval Consorts annually host a number of fundraisers for the Sheriffs’ & Recorders’ Fund Appeal. Founded in 1808, the Fund gives small grants to ex-prisoners and their families in London, to help them stop offending and start a new life. The makes grants to ex-offenders are typically for clothing, household furnishings, training courses and tools of trade.
Each Livery Company is likely to have its specific fundraising events in aid of charity each year. If you are unavailable to go, it is at your discretion as to whether you send a donation or not.
The Lady Mayoress is also likely to name charities that she supports during her year in office. Often Consorts hosting their own event invite the Lady Mayoress as well and honour her with a token of appreciation with financial support towards one of her chosen charities. The Shrieval Consorts annually host a number of fundraisers for the Sheriffs’ & Recorders’ Fund Appeal. Founded in 1808, the Fund gives small grants to ex-prisoners and their families in London, to help them stop offending and start a new life. The makes grants to ex-offenders are typically for clothing, household furnishings, training courses and tools of trade.
Each Livery Company is likely to have its specific fundraising events in aid of charity each year. If you are unavailable to go, it is at your discretion as to whether you send a donation or not.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
The requirements for you to do any Public Speaking depends on your Livery Company traditions and your own choices.
For example, some Consorts host an event (or more) where they welcome the attendees and speak about their livery, their hall or themselves in a relaxed and friendly manner.
Many Consorts have the privilege of saying a few words of thanks to their Livery members at the end of their year or perhaps when they pass their Consort Brooch on to the next Consort.
All of these occasions can be well planned in advance. Remember that the whole assembly is with you and wishing you to do well – and they are eager to hear whatever you have to say.
For example, some Consorts host an event (or more) where they welcome the attendees and speak about their livery, their hall or themselves in a relaxed and friendly manner.
Many Consorts have the privilege of saying a few words of thanks to their Livery members at the end of their year or perhaps when they pass their Consort Brooch on to the next Consort.
All of these occasions can be well planned in advance. Remember that the whole assembly is with you and wishing you to do well – and they are eager to hear whatever you have to say.
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