The Club once again had the opportunity to hold its Carol Service at St Margaret’s, Lothbury. The ladies, as always, looked beautifully dressed, and the gentlemen were very smartly turned out in morning coats.
The service was conducted by the Reverend Jeremy Crossley, whose sermon—“Peace with Good: Promised That First Christmas, Which Can Be Ours Today”—was thoughtful and uplifting. The six lessons were read with great warmth by various members of the Club. The choir for the occasion was the Lothbury Singers, accompanied by organist Richard Townsend. Their performances of the traditional Christmas carols created a wonderful atmosphere and reminded us all that Christmas is truly upon us.
St Margaret’s Church was first recorded in 1185 and, as you may have guessed, was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. It was subsequently rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren. The interior features many elements brought from other City churches later destroyed, including carvings believed to be by Grinling Gibbons from St Olave, Old Jewry, and two paintings of Moses and Aaron by the high altar, brought from St Christopher le Stocks. Following the service, we proceeded to Grocers’ Hall, where we received a warm welcome with drinks in the Piper Room. The room has three Aubusson tapestries depicting foreign foodstuffs and spices, reflecting the historic trade of the Grocers. We then entered the Livery Hall through magnificent wrought-iron gates dating from 1680 and enjoyed a superb lunch. The food was excellent, and the catering team looked after us wonderfully.
The Grocers’ Company dates back to 1180 and is ranked number two among the Great Twelve Livery Companies. The present Hall was built following the disastrous fire of 22 September 1965. On display was a remarkable exhibition marking 600 years since the Company built the first Livery Hall in the City in 1425. The President spoke about the importance of allowing people to practise their own religion, provided it does not interfere with others. During his year, he arranged visits to several religious buildings, including Westminster Abbey, Bevis Marks Synagogue, and—scheduled for January—the London Mosque. He mentioned he is a member of several organisations, including the World Traders’ Livery Company, the Ward Club, and the Masons, all of which share a common purpose: charity. Chris added that he could not have completed his year without the unwavering support and commitment of the most important person to him, his wife, Corinna.
The response was given by Tim McNally CC, UWC Director and Master of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Stained Glass. He shared that, after a wine weekend with Chris, he joined the Aldgate Ward Club, which later led to him becoming a Common Councillor. He also spoke about the continuing importance of charity today and thanked Chris for all the hard work he had undertaken during his year as President of the Club. Tim gave a thank you on behalf of all the guests. Tim then very kindly invited us all to join him for drinks at the Guildhall Club.
Stephen Gee