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The Master’s Year

Sunday morning again started with the hotel breakfast and was followed
by attendance at Canongate Kirk (the Kirk of Holyrood House and
Edinburgh Castle and where Zara Philips was married) where we were
warmly welcomed by the Assistant Minister, Peter Sutton (the Minister
being absent on duty as Chaplain to the Lord High Commissioner to the
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland), the Assembly being held
that week in Edinburgh. The service was a chance for our mainly Anglican members to see the
Presbyterian Church in action!
After Church some people went their various ways, but the rest returned to the Malmaison Hotel to
partake of a buffet lunch, following which some more of the party departed for home, leaving only
the hard core of attendees to enjoy supper at “a room in Leith” and then stay on for another night
before they too wended their merry way.
Yet again, the Master’s Weekend really was a most enjoyable occasion, encouraging our members to
visit not just another part of the country, but this year, even another country. Like all our informal
events it gave everyone who attended the chance to extend their fellowship with other members of
the Company and we would welcome anyone who wishes to attend next year, when we expect to
visit Guernsey to join up with those of our members from that Bailiwick and Crown Protectorate –
keep your eyes open for more information on the website.
FORMAL EVENTS
We always hold three formal evening dining events each year, the Installation Dinner, the Livery and
Awards Dinner and the Sir Christopher Wren Banquet. These three formal occasions are the focal
point for each successive Master and allow the Master and the Company to invite special guests,
many of whom are senior members of City institutions or Masters of other Livery Companies. In
addition, we hold Common Hall (the Company’s AGM) each September at which the Court’s proposals
for Company Officers for the forthcoming year is announced and, if approved by Common Hall, these
Officers are duly elected. Various officers are then invited to give their reports to the assembled
company. This leads into the first formal event of the year, the Installation Service and Dinner which
is held in October. We also hold an Annual Carol service at St Lawrence Jewry, which this year was
again held in conjunction with the Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects and was followed by
a less than successful buffet with wine.
The Company year started with the Installation Ceremony in St Lawrence Jewry, which has now
become a public occasion during which Reverend Canon David Parrott supervises the clothing of the
New Master and Wardens. This year Graeme Monteith and his Wardens, Ian Mason (Senior Warden),
Tony Ward (Middle Warden), Michael Parrett (Renter Warden) and Sir Vivian Ramsey (Junior Warden)
were clothed. After the service the assembled company joined the 134 Company members and
guests at the Installation Dinner in Carpenters’ Hall where the Immediate Past Master’s Consort,
Steve, passed the Consort’s badge to Graeme’s wife, Kirsteen and, not surprisingly given the
Master’s origin, we were entertained in true Scottish fashion by a Piper.
The next formal dinner was the Livery and Awards Dinner, which was held in February at
Haberdashers’ Hall. This is the Dinner where we formally present our military awards and scholars’
prizes. It was attended by 172 members and guests who witnessed the award of the prizes and
awards for 2015. Three civilian prizes were awarded – the Constructors prize, the David Tong Cup
and the Royal Charter Award for Excellence. Three military awards were also presented – the HMS
Lancaster Prize, the Shafting and Shoring Cup and the Air Commodore Dow Trophy.

8 | Autumn 2016 | The Journal of the Worshipful Company of Constructors