issue 26 - winter 2010-11
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Common Hall and Installation Dinner at Stationers Hall
The GLASS SELLERNewsletter of The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers of London
Issue Twenty Six Winter 2010/11
Despite that, well over 100 Glass Sellers
and friends, attended Common Hall to
welcome the new Master, Prime Warden,
Renter Warden and a new Assistant to the
Court and a Lay Assistant to the Court.
The Installation is one of our distinctive
ceremonies and is always well attended
since Glass Sellers use it to catch up with
old friends and meet newcomers.
An added incentive is that, to celebrate
the installations, an excellent dinner
always follows.
The Installation Dinner is an excellent
opportunity for the Company to entertain
other Masters and our new Renter Warden,
Guy Harrison, in his toast to ‘Our Guests’,
welcomed the Masters of the Constructors,
Glaziers, Barbers, Hackney Carriage
Drivers and Actuaries Companies as well
as a range of other guests.
The Master’s own principal guest, who
replied to the toast, was Mister Duncan
Brand who trained as a Chartered
Accountant but who spent his life, as has our
new Master, in the Construction Industry.
Since they have been good friends for
so many years, this was an opportunity
to hear about our new Master in a
non-glass context.
We knew about his sailing, but perhaps not
that he was still competing at world class
level where, it was suggested, he heads up
the list of those competitors with bus passes!
Most importantly, he is clearly a people-
oriented person, which is a fine
qualification for any Master.
Tradition then indicated that last year’s
Master, Richard Lawman, offered his
thoughts on his year as he gave his toast to
the ‘Glass Sellers Company’.
Clearly he and Mistress Tricia had
done an excellent job of representing us
within the City. It was obvious they had
been struck by the work of a number of
charitable institutions they had visited
to see the consequences of our
Company’s assistance.
This is an area where the “leverage”
offered by our often modest funds can
be seen to yield great benefits to
individual people.
One instance was the drive to fund a
wheelchair for a disabled young cadet in
the Rifles where the benefits will be not
only to the user himself but also to the
team of able bodied cadets who work with
him. £5,000 has been collected so far.
During his speech, the Immediate Past
Master paid high tribute to the work of our
Honorary Clerk, Colonel Audrey Smith.
She had advised, the court, earlier in the
year, that she wished to relinquish the
Clerkship as soon as a suitable
replacement was found and a period of
induction completed.
Her successor is to be Dr Trevor
Robinson, following our Company’s
tradition of drawing on its own membership
for this post whenever possible.
Finally, the new Master, Martin Scarth,
within the toast ‘To Glass’, introduced us all
to his plans for the Company over the next
year and required those most involved in
these plans to stand in turn to be recognised.
After reviewing our Company’s aims
and objectives, he also paid tribute to the
manner in which Colonel Audrey Smith
had worked to achieve them over the last
eight years.
Looking forward, he intends to make au
Prime Warden Vivian Bendall, The Master Martin Scarth, Renter Warden Guy Harrison, Honorary Clerk Audrey Smith
Liveryman Barbara Beadman
A warm welcome to the Master…
The evening of 9th December 2010 was very cold and traffic was dis ruptedby student demonstrations in the streets of the City and the West End.
The Glass Seller Page 2
significant event of the March Common
Hall as part of his aim to increase the total
membership of the Glass Sellers and
ensure its continued financial health.
Details of his intended Jolly had been
announced earlier but he now gave the
first announcement about a Glass Sellers
visit to Sheffield to meet with members of
the British Glass Manufacturers
Confederation and have dinner with them
in Cutlers Hall on May 6th.
A sad feature of the evening was the
absence of the usual party of officers and
men from our affiliated submarine, HMS
Sceptre. The reason was simple – she was
to be decommissioned on the following day
and a representative group of Glass Sellers
led by the Master were to travel overnight
to Plymouth to witness the Ceremony.
Given the range of activities and
speeches, it was not surprising that matters
drew to a very late close when the Plymouth
bound party made a swift exit. Bill Cook.
We have been linked continuously
with the ‘Silent Service’ since 1982
when the submarine HMS Conqueror was
affiliated to our Company.
We were fortunate to continue the
affiliation with HMS Spartan, when
Conqueror was decommissioned, and
most recently with HMS Sceptre.
Sceptre was launched in 1976 and
commissioned in February 1978. She is
the last of the Swiftsure Class and, after 32
years service, the oldest nuclear powered
submarine in the world!
Annually since 1982, a member of the
crew, chosen for his outstanding
contribution to the crew’s morale and well
being (above and beyond his normal
duties) has been presented with a ‘Glass
Sellers’ Tankard’.
This year, that presentation did not take
place at the Installation Dinner but at Her
Majesty’s Naval Base, Devonport, at HMS
Sceptre’s Decommissioning Ceremony on
Friday 10 December 2010.
The Master Martin Scarth led a
representative group of Glass Sellers to
Devonport to witness the De commissioning
Ceremony. It was his first activity as Master,
following immediately after his installation
Dinner, with a dash to catch the 11.45 pm
sleeper train from Paddington!
Our party included The Master and the
Mistress, Immediate Past Master Richard
Lawman and Mrs Tricia Lawman, Past
Master Robin Arculus, the Honorary Clerk,
Colonel Audrey Smith, Liveryman John
Spencer and Mrs Maureen Spencer. First
success – we all caught the train! Some of us
did sleep overnight and arrived in Plymouth
at 5.00 am in reasonable condition.
The organisation worked like clockwork
and we arrived at the Devonport base as
scheduled.
Breakfast was followed by a tour of
Sceptre – and what an eye opener that was
– especially seeing the crew’s cramped
sleeping quarters and trying to envisage
living and working underwater for weeks
at a time.
Our guide, Lt Alex Miller, gave very
graphic descriptions of the work and
leisure routines adopted by the 160 or so
members of the crew. Envisaging that
number of men in a space which felt
cramped with our small party in it was
almost impossible. We covered almost
every nook and cranny (if they have those
in submarines) and we were extremely
grateful to Lt Miller for his care, attention
and detailed explanations during our tour.
Time moved on and we prepared for the
Decommissioning Ceremony.
Relatives and friends, affiliates, and
VIPs took their seats in the stand.
The band of the Scots Guards marched
on to the Parade Ground followed by
Sceptre’s crew.
The Mayor of Wigan inspected the
Officers and Crew escorted by
Commander Steve Waller, Sceptre’s
Commanding Officer.
A Service of Thanksgiving, led by the
Reverend Bernard Clarke, then followed
— the last words of each verse of the final
hymn were sung fortissimo and
reverberated around the Parade Ground.
Oh hear us when we cry to thee,
for those in peril on the sea.
There followed an address by the Guest
of Honour, the Mayor of Wigan.
The Commissioning Pennant was
lowered aboard HMS Sceptre.
The parade was dismissed and that was
our fond farewell to a gallant old lady.
After a buffet lunch in the Senior Rates
Mess, The Master was welcomed to the
stage by Commander Waller to present
the Glass Sellers’ Tankard to Petty
Officer Iain Sanderson. The citation was
peppered with phrases of praise and
respect and ends – ‘an outstanding Petty
Officer he is an exceptional role model
for more junior ratings on board and
thoroughly deserves the recommendation
for the Glass Sellers Award’.
The Master presented the award for the
last time to a member of Sceptre’s crew.
But we all hope that somewhere ‘in the
pipeline’ there is another affiliation to
follow in Sceptre’s wake. We are very
proud of our history since 1982 with the
‘Silent Service’. John Spencer.
HMS Sceptre
Commander Steve Waller with members ofSceptre’s crew
...a fond farewell to Sceptre
Liveryman Jenny Nathan The Master and Mistress Elisabeth Scarth
u
The Glass Seller Page 3
This year there was an additional, surprise
event at Common Hall.
After the new office bearers had been
sworn in, Master Martin Scarth announced
that Liveryman Edgar Mobbs had been
much taken with the process by which the
Company, after a pause of 346 years, had at
last acquired an authentic Coat of Arms.
Initiated by Past Master John Hitch during
Dr Bill Cook’s Mastership the process was
completed in past Master Robin Arculus’s
year of office.
As a result of his interest, Edgar had
commissioned a commemorative bone
china plate, illustrating the Company’s
new crest, and now gave to the Master
copies for all those involved in the task,
including the members of the project’s
Advisory Committee.
This was a most generous gesture by
Edgar who has taken a deep interest in the
written historical records of our Company
since he joined us and is now an excellent
source of factual information about the
history of the Glass Sellers Company.
Typically the choice of material for the
memento was made by Edgar knowing
...and a pleasant surprisethat our Company, in its early days, in
addition to Glass Sellers also included
“Chinamen”. Bill Cook.
The Master’s “term” started surprisingly
on 8 December 2009 two days before
my installation, when I attended lunch as a
guest of the Spectacle Makers. Since my
installation I have attended about 70 events
during the year, excluding committee
meetings and the like. I have attended
functions in a wide range of Livery Halls
all of which have been superb, it is lovely
to go to so many that are not on our circuit.
In addition, Tricia and I have particularly
enjoyed our visits to support our Charity
Fund, in particular two of our Glass in
Society Projects of which further news is in
this edition of the Glass Seller. We found it
thrilling to see the enthusiasm, not only of the
students at the schools but also the teachers,
it really makes it feel worthwhile being a
Glass Seller to see how you can help these
young people to see a more practical part of
the curriculum and all in their spare time.
Sticking to the schools element, the
Master and Mistress along with the Clerk
visited four schools at or around Speech
Day; we were entertained by music and
theatrical events, speeches and yes lunches.
These are schools where we provide
bursaries and student prizes, again greatly
appreciated by the schools concerned.
On the glass front, besides the
Ravenscroft Lecture we were privileged to
judge the Glass Sellers prize at the Guild of
Glass Engraving at the Fitzwilliam Museum
in Cambridge. We saw some beautiful
pieces of engraved glass from amongst the
greatest living artists in this country.
I have not mentioned the trip to
Liverpool which was also well reported in
the last edition, all we can say is that we
were privileged to have such a superb
turnout from the Livery and blessed not
only by brilliant weather, but also the
presence of our Chaplain.
Besides trips to Pilkington,
Kingswinford School and the
Fitzwilliam Museum, we awarded the
prizes on the Isle of Wight and at the
Biennial. It was marvellous to have prize
winner Shelley Doolan along for the
Mansion House Dinner. We also visited
Nazeing Glass Factory to meet Assistant
to the Court Stephen Pollock-Hill who
provided the glass gift given to the ladies
at the Banquet.
The Livery clearly has strong ties with
the City and it was a privilege to be
involved with the election of the Sheriffs
and the Lord Mayor. We also went to the
Silent Ceremony where the new Lord
Mayor is installed. After the ceremony in
Guildhall during which it poured with
rain, we had a little cameo event, on our
way to the station we met the immediate
past Lord Mayor and his wife walking
back to Mansion House under an
umbrella, gone was the Rolls Royce! The
following day we were joined by our
children and grandchildren at the Lord
Mayor’s Parade which ended with a
superb firework display.
It is not possible to list every event we
took part in; however, we finished with the
fantastic trip to Devonport to de-
commission Sceptre, also reported on in
this issue. It was a fitting end to our year.
It was a great privilege to serve as Master
and Mistress, and we hope that there is a
small “gene” of Lawman carried forward
into the future of the Glass Sellers. Tricia
and I would, therefore, thank you all for
your terrific support during our year.
Richard Lawman
A report from Immediate Past Master
Richard Lawman
Master Richard Lawman and Mistress Tricia Lawman during their year of office
Liveryman Edgar Mobbs presenting the Crest Platesto The Master
TO PURCHASE A PLATEThis excellent commemorative plate may be purchased for £50, of which Edgar
will donate £20 to the Glass Sellers Charity. The price includes packing and delivery.
Cheques should be made payable to E R Mobbs and sent to Newnham Fields,
Newnham, Northants NN11 3ET. Please include your delivery address. Buy a
plate, get a very artistic memento and benefit our charity. You couldn’t do better!
The Glass Seller Page 4
The United Kingdom’s majorexhibition of contemporary glass
The opening night of the fourth British
Glass Biennial played host to the
elite of the glass world from the UK
and overseas, who came to see the
UK’s premier exhibition of glass.
The glittering Private View and
Awards Ceremony evening saw six
prizes totalling £11,500 being
announced in front of an estimated
audience of 600.
The Glass Sellers’ Company was
delighted to be involved with this
prestigious event once again. On
this occasion we were very proud
to be one of the main sponsors of
the exhibition. By joining forces
with the Biennial we have been
able to reach a much wider
audience and a greater pool of
talent from which to draw the
winners of our Art and Craft
Awards.
The Art and Crafts Awards
were initiated by the Glass
Sellers’ Company over 25 years ago as an
annual event. However, since 2008 the
company has worked in association with
the British Glass Biennial and combined
our award with this prestigious,
international event.
There are two Arts and Crafts awards
which are now given biennially for an art
piece made essentially from glass: a main
award of £5,000 and a student award of
£1,000. Two runners-up prizes of £1000
and £500 respectively are also awarded.
The main award is open to graduate and
professional studio glass Artists resident in
the UK. The student award is open only
to glass art students presently at
college or within three years of
graduating
This year 82 artists were
selected from the 202 who
entered the competition. The pieces
were all of a very high standard with
the finest in glassmaking talent
being represented in the
exhibition.
The prizes were awarded at
the opening night of the
Biennial on 26 August, held at
the Ruskin Glass Centre in
Stourbridge. The private view
was a memorable occasion
and well attended by Glass
Sellers. The Company also
had a stand at the exhibition to
raise awareness of the Livery
and the work of our Charity.
The Glass Sellers
prizes were awarded
to four extremely talented artists:
The Glass Sellers Award of
£5000 – Shelley Doolan for
‘Iteration 456’
Runner up prize of £1000 –
Jeffrey Sarmiento for
‘Ossify’.
Student Award of £1000 –
Lisa Sheppy for
‘Charlotte’s Dress’
Runner up prize
of £500 –
Margareth Troli for
‘007 Walter P99’.
Chair of the Glass Sellers jury and
Chairman of the Charity Fund, Professor
John Whiteman said; “There is a warmth
and undulating calm in Shelley Doolan’s
work. Despite its serenity however, it is a
dynamic piece - constantly changing with
the light and its different surfaces.”
He continues… “Lisa Sheppy’s winning
piece is of an incredibly high standard for
the student award; it is well thought out
and technically very strong whilst telling a
great story with humour and personality.”
Other prize winners at the Biennial were:
Gaea Todd won the British Glass
Biennial Award for ‘Best in Show’ with
‘Reverberations’.
Tim Boswell received the Art in Action
Award for Contemporary Glass £1,000 for
‘Afrika 1 Timbukone’. This award was
introduced for the first time in 2010 and is
a collaboration between the International
Festival of Glass and Art in Action.
The Biennial was open to the public
from 27 August to 11 September giving
the artists an excellent opportunity to
raise awareness of their work. It is a
selling show with 115 pieces of
work ranging from small scale to
large installations and prices from
£85 – £11,000 on sale to collectors
and buyers.
The Charity Trustees are very
pleased to be able to report that the
event was a great success. It is
clear that our prizes have a
significant impact on the artists
who win. We very much
hope to be able to continue
our association with the
Biennial in years to come.
Maria Chanmugam
The British Glass Biennial and the Glass Sellers Art and Craft Awards 2010
The Master with Shelley Doolan and Margareth Troli
Shelley Doolan with her winning entry Iteration 456
Photograph by Simon Bruntnell
Margareth Troli – 007 Walter P99
Lisa Sheppy –Charlotte’s Dress
Photograph by Simon Bruntnell
The Glass Seller Page 5
The following are interviews with the
winner and runner up of the main
award. It is clear that they value the support
of the Glass Sellers’ Company and believe
that our award will have a positive impact
on their careers. Their enthusiasm and
commitment to their work was evident and
as Trustees it is wonderful to be able support
such talented and enthusiastic people.
Shelley Doolan – Winner, GlassSellers Award for ‘Iteration 456’What is the impact of having your
work selected for the 2010 Biennial? Do
you believe that it makes your work more
saleable?
Being selected for the British Glass
Biennial 2010 and winning the Glass Sellers
Prize has certainly raised my profile. I sold
a piece of glass in a gallery in the States
during the Biennial period, which may have
been a coincidence, but may have been
helped by my ‘award winning’ status!
Do you think that winning the Glass
Sellers Prize will have an impact on your
career? If so how?
Yes it has. I have been invited to teach
a master class in July 2011 in the States.
Has the prize money been useful?
What will you use it for? Is it allocated
to a specific project or use?
I have had a few enquiries for larger-
scale projects, and if these proceed, I
will find the Glass Sellers Prize money
an invaluable way to fund the early
stages of any commission. The prize
money will otherwise be spent on
developing a new body of work and
helping with my living costs in the
meantime.
Anything else you think is relevant?
After the seemingly endless work
involved in designing and making the
work, it is gratifying and encouraging to
get such positive feedback.
To see more examples of Shelley’s
work go to:
www.shelleydoolanglass.com
Jeffrey Sarmiento – Runner up,Glass Sellers Award for
‘Ossify’What is the impact of having
your work selected for the 2010
Biennial? Do you believe that it
makes your work more saleable?
It’s been an honour to be selected
for the British Glass Biennial. I have
been living in Northeast England for
about four years now, but have
rarely had the chance to show in
the UK. Much of the work I’ve
made is made and finished in the
National Glass Centre in
Sunderland, but gets crated almost
immediately and sent off to shows
elsewhere.
As a research fellow at the University of
Sunderland, I am looking more to
experiment, and less toward making
editions or large amounts of work. In
some ways, the Biennial might help make
my work more saleable, though the works
on show at this venue are technically
tricky and time consuming. They might
become more saleable, but not
necessarily profitable.
Do you think that being selected
runner-up for the Glass Sellers Prize
will have an impact on your career? If
so how?
I’ve definitely gained more visibility in
the UK and Europe as a result of winning
the prize, and it is definitely great to get
recognized for the effort I’ve put into
developing my work for the past few years.
I’m hoping to stay in the UK in the long
term, so it is important to have interested
collectors and institutions that can support
my career. My most recent projects have
been with museums in Sunderland and
Liverpool, so it would be great to keep
moving in this direction.
Has the prize money been useful?
What will you use it for? Is it allocated
to a specific project or use?
Some of the prize money has gone
toward the next crate of ‘Bullseye’
Glass and the rest will be used to
fund research for my next exhibition.
I’m gearing up for a major solo show
in 2012 that I plan to show in the UK
and elsewhere in Europe.
To see more examples
of Jeffrey’s work go to
jeffreysarmiento.co.uk
Maria Chanmugam
Shelley Doolan – Iteration 456
Jeffrey SarmientoOssify
Winning the Glass Sellers Award does it make a difference?
Following the successful launch of the
Glass in Society Scheme in the West
Midlands in 2010, the Charity Fund has
been keen to extend the scheme to a larger
number of schools. There is no doubt that
Glass in Society Schemes and the projects
in them provide immense benefits to the
young people involved.
In the summer 2010 issue of the Glass
Seller we advised that the Trustees proposed
Glass in Society Scheme 2011 an update on progress
to approach third party sources for support.
We are delighted to inform you all that we
have had an initial success in being awarded
a grant of £5000 for 2011 from the 29th May
1961 Charitable Trust, with the expectation
of similar grants for the two subsequent
years, and thus providing 100% leveraging
and doubling the number of schools that we
can support in 2011. We shall continue to
approach other third party sources.
Do Liverymen have any contacts
with companies who may be interested
in supporting our initiative? Do you
know of any Trusts or grant schemes
that we could approach to support us?
Please contact: Professor John Whiteman
whitemanwaneys@btinternet.com or:
Leigh Baildham:
leigh@leighbaildham2001.orangehome.co.uk
Maria Chanmugam
The Glass Seller Page 6
Colonel Audrey Smith is leaving the
post of Honorary Clerk in March of
this year after eight most successful years.
Audrey joined the Livery of the
Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers in
September 1999. She had had a wonderful
and successful military career working at
the highest levels internationally including
in NATO Head Quarters in Brussels, where
she was Colonel on the international staff
and the first woman to be selected for this
post. On leaving the Army, she worked in
Human Resources, was a Chartered fellow
of the Chartered Institute of Personnel
Development, and was council
representative in the Institute and Chairman
of the London branch of the CIPD. At the
same time she became the charity
administrator for the Pottery and Glass
Trades Benevolent Fund. This established
charity brought her into contact with the
ceramics and glass industries. We were
pleased that through these contacts she
chose to join our Livery. She brought with
her the many skills she had honed during
those military years and when the Clerkship
became vacant she was approached to take
on the role.
The tasks of the Clerk are many and
various and her qualities of integrity,
loyalty, enthusiasm and professionalism
mixed with a terrific sense of humour have
stood her and this Company in good stead.
There is no doubt that her leadership has
raised the profile of the Glass Sellers right
across the City. It is probably not possible
to adequately pay tribute to all she has
achieved and indeed only she will know the
full picture. I do know that because of her
liaison skills she has built excellent
relationships with many other Livery
Companies, Clerks, Hall managers and
caterers. She knows how to drive a hard
bargain and time and time again achieves
really good value for the Company and its
Livery. She has introduced the Company to
direct debit. She has pioneered a new table
planning programme for dinners and the
banquet which is the envy of many other
Clerks. She has sourced a new and very
efficient mailing service. Through her
military connections she has been able to
keep contact with our submarine whilst on
exercise when it was otherwise impossible.
She has forged and strengthened the
Company’s ties with the Army Cadet force
in North East London and the Rifles. She
has seen 63 new members join the Livery
and has arranged their Freedom ceremonies
at Guildhall. All this is on top of the daily
running of the Company, its membership,
finances and events.
The members of the Livery have always
come first and she has done much to look
after us all both as a group or individually
whether Master or newest Freeman. She
has been quick to pick up on our personal
needs or problems and has been there to
help on an almost “twenty four, seven
basis”. Because she has always put the
Company and its functions first, many will
be unaware that during her time in office
she has had to cope with her own close
bereavements and health issues.
As for me – well being Master was a
very great privilege and pleasure and with
Audrey beside me it was also hugely
enjoyable. She guided me through City
events with great professionalism and
humour. As we journeyed to Glasgow or
Cornwall or Sunderland she was a really
good travelling companion and raconteur
with a fund of stories from her military
past and her wider personal interests. I
might have found myself stuffing
envelopes on a train, or kneeling on a floor
to sign certificates, but it was always fun.
Audrey, thank you for all you have done
for this Livery Company – you will be
more missed than many people yet realise.
Jo Thomas
A Change of Leadership at the Top
Colonel Audrey Smith, Honorary Clerk
At the Court Meeting on 9th
December 2010 the Selection
Committee of the Court proposed that
Liveryman Dr Trevor Robinson should be
appointed the Clerk Elect.
The Committee had been through a formal
selection process involving two rounds of
interviews; and this process had been opened
to people suggested by the Fellowship of
Clerks as well as to internal members of our
Livery. The Court approved its Committee’s
proposal and Trevor is currently under -
studying our Honorary Clerk Colonel Audrey
Smith. It is planned that on 14th March,
subject to the approval of the Court, Trevor
should become our Clerk as an employee of
the Company.
Since 1995 Trevor has directed his own
consultancy business, advising over 20
governments worldwide on governance and
public sector development. Before that he
worked for a large City consulting firm and
for the British Administrative Civil Service.
He was educated as a scientist with an MA
from Cambridge, and a PhD from Imperial
College London in plant pathology.
Since then he has acquired professional
qualifications in management and personnel.
He retains an academic link as an honorary
research associate at London University’s
School of Oriental and African Studies.
He has been a very keen Liveryman since
2002. He has acted as Secretary to the Finance
and General Purposes Committee since 2007;
and he was Principal Master’s Steward from
2004 – 09. He is keenly interested in the City,
where he first worked in 1981 and he has
lived within the City in the Barbican since
1987. He is now enthusiastic to develop the
Glass Sellers Livery Company as directed by
the Master, Wardens and Court. He would be
interested to hear ideas from anybody in the
Company: TJR@TrevorJRobinson.co.uk;
or 212 Gilbert House, Barbican, London,
EC2Y 8BD; or 020 7638 4333.
Trevor was born in 1948, is young at heart,
and will serve the Company efficiently and
with enthusiasm. We wish him well.
Martin Scarth
Clerk Elect Dr Trevor Robinson
Dr Trevor Robinson
The Glass Seller Page 7
Our Annual Banquet at the Mansion House
As over 170 Glass Sellers and their
guests assembled in the Salon of the
Mansion House they could look up and
reflect with some satisfaction that the
occasion was lit by a row of the finest
lead crystal glass chandeliers in the
country. Yet this was but one of many
enjoyable aspects of the Glass Sellers
Annual Banquet presided over by The
Master Richard Lawman and in the
presence of the Representative Lord
Mayor, Alderman Sir Robert Finch.
Arriving at the head of the stairs guests
were suitably impressed by the guard of
honour formed by The Rifles, City of
London North East Sector, Army Cadet
Force. The Company actively supports
this Cadet Unit and this year The Master
launched a special appeal for an
advanced type of wheelchair needed by a
disabled cadet to enable him to
participate fully in cadet force activities.
The reception and the banquet were
accompanied by the music of The Brass
Quintet of the Band of the Honourable
Artillery Company, and before the
banquet Glass Sellers and their guests
could mingle in the Salon and also in the
Drawing Rooms which contain one of
London’s more compelling conversation
pieces – the 84 paintings of Dutch
Masters in the Harold Samuel Collection.
The centrepiece of the collection is the
Merry Lute Player by Frans Hals.
Appropriately for the Glass Sellers, the
lute player holds aloft a fine glass goblet.
Following a superb dinner of Guinea
Fowl and a 2005 Château Deville, Sir
Robert Finch presented The Glass Sellers
Award (Art and Craft) 2010 to Shelley
Doolan for her glass sculptures
conceived with the help of mathematical
modelling. The Glass Sellers Student
Award (Art and Craft) 2010 went to Lisa
Sheppy for her piece ‘Charlotte’s Dress’
based on the story of Charlotte Brontë’s
wedding dress which is reputed to have
been destroyed by her husband after her
premature death.
Past Master Professor John Whiteman
proposed a toast to The Guests and the
Master’s principal guest Michael St John
Parker replied with our traditional toast
to The Glass Sellers Company.
Michael St John Parker is a former
headmaster of Abingdon School, was
active within AGBIS – the Association
of Governing Bodies of Independent
Schools, and is now a governor of
several new Academies. In his speech he
made a powerful plea for increased
professionalism in independent school
governing bodies and pointed to the
disturbing fact that currently a quarter of
all boys in English schools require some
form of remedial teaching.
The evening concluded with an
entertaining speech by The Master who
proposed the toast to our eternally
useful and aesthetically pleasing
material, ‘To Glass’.
William Parker
Michael St John Parker proposing the toast toThe Glass Sellers Company
Shelley Doonan received The Glass Sellers Awardfrom Alderman Sir Robert Finch and The Master
Alderman Sir Robert Finch and The Masterpresented Lisa Sheppy with the Student Award
The Rifles Guard of Honour
A musical welcome
Awaiting the guests, The Master, the Mistress and the Beadle Anthony Parker
The Glass Seller Page 8
Glass SellersProgramme 2011
Friday 1 AprilUnited Guilds Service – St Paul’s Cathedral
Tuesday 17 MayCorporation of the Sons of the Clergy
St Paul’s Cathedral
Wednesday 18 May to Sunday 22 MayThe Master’s Visit to the Midlands
Thursday 16 JuneSummer Service – St James Garlickhythe
Court & Livery DinnerPainter-Stainer’s Hall
Friday 24 JuneElection of Sheriffs – Guildhall
Tuesday 5 JulyVisit to St Paul’s Cathedral 2pm
a Livery Committee Event
Thursday 22 SeptemberCourt & Livery Dinner – Stationers’ Hall
Monday 3 OctoberElection of the Lord Mayor – Guildhall
Tuesday 25 OctoberAnnual Banquet – Mansion House
Friday 11 NovemberSilent Ceremony – Guildhall
Saturday 12 NovemberLord Mayor’s Show
Sunday 27 NovemberWinter Service
St James Garlickhythe
Thursday 8 DecemberCourt & Installation Dinner
Stationers’ Hall
The Glass Seller is published by The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers of London. www.glass-sellers.co.uk © The Glass Sellers Company 2011.
Acknowledgements: March 2011. The Glass Seller would like to thank those who have contributed articles to this issue. Photographs supplied by: GeraldSharp Photography, Past Master Bill Cook, Liveryman Trevor Robinson, Liveryman John Spencer. Our thanks to the Honorary Clerk whose active supportmakes possible the production and distribution of this newsletter. Newsletter design and artwork is by Andrew Jones. Printed by Crossprint on the Isle of Wight.
The Ravenscroft Lecture 2011
Approximately 60 Liverymen and their
guests gathered at Glaziers’ Hall on
22nd February, to hear Dr. Bob King,
deliver his talk “The Magic of Glass”.
He was introduced by the Master, Martin
Scarth who asked – “why Ravenscroft?”
and “why Bob King?”
Those assembled learnt that George
Ravenscroft (1618-1681) had been a
pioneer in developing a new form of glass
at his glass-house at the Savoy, London.
Beginning in 1673, he encountered serious
faults including “crizzling” or clouding of
the transparency of the glass.
He joined forces with the Glass Sellers’
Company in 1674 working at Henley on
Thames. This was an association which
lasted until 1679, and which led the
Company to grant Ravenscroft the raven’s
head to use as his mark or seal. His method
of adding lead oxide in the manufacture
became used in all the glassmaking centres
of England producing lead crystal and
making us a world leader.
Why Bob King – well it soon became
apparent that Dr. King also has, during his
career, helped this country to become a
world leader. Working at first in Atomic
Energy Research at Harwell he later, after
answering an advertisement in the New
Scientist, moved to Triplex Safety Glass
Company Limited (later acquired by
Pilkington).
Here he found full reign for his passion
by contributing to the development of the
windscreen for Concorde. The challenges
were to meet the demand of high
temperature – 127C; expansion of up to 12”
with an outside air temperature of -57C.
This was done using a new technique of
applying to the glass a highly transparent
electrically conducting coating. This was
later used for civilian aircraft manufactured
by Boeing with perhaps the most graphic
example of its success shown when the ill
fated Pan Am Clipper, Maid of the Seas,
crashed at Lockerbie. As was seen in
photographs flashed around the world, the
screen remained intact.
Bob subsequently went on to work on
bullet and bomb proof glass for use in a
number of situations. He was also involved
with the design of the night vision
equipment which was so successfully used
during the Falklands War.
More recently, the early research on
Concorde has led to his managing a Flat
Screen television project in the Engineering
Department at Cambridge University.
To further justify the title of his talk – “The
Magic of Glass” Bob concluded by showing
us another talent; that of being a member of
the Magic Circle. With the use of a glass
goblet and a copy of the Sunday Telegraph
all were amazed to see the goblet emptied of
water into the newspaper, which remained
dry. The newspaper was then tipped back
towards the goblet delivering a glass of red
wine for Bob to drink! A fitting end to a
fascinating presentation. Clive Dellow.
It was a pleasure to be asked to write an
article for the Magazine on the work of
the Finance and General Purpose
Committee. The Committee meets
normally bi-monthly and is responsible for
the day to day running of the Company, in
close co-operation with the current Master
of the day and the Clerk.
The Committee consists of the
Chairman (my role), Dr Bill Cook, John
Poulten, Gwen Rhys, Caroline
Whiteman and Secretary Dr Trevor
Robinson. Treasurer Philip Willoughby,
Renter Warden Guy Harrison and the
Prime Warden of the day are ex-officio
members of the Committee. Professor
John Whiteman is a co-opted member
and Master Martin Scarth and The
Clerk, Colonel Audrey Smith, are
invited members.
One of the prime duties is for the
Committee to set the budget for the
forthcoming year and have bi-monthly
reports from the Treasurer on the financial
position, the quarterage and the livery
dinners that are held quarterly, together
with any other functions. It also has to
approve the end of year accounts before
they are presented to the Court and is
responsible for the execution and
investment of the company funds, on the
approval of the Court.
The F and G P has reports from other
Committees such as the Communications
Committee, the Membership Committee
and the Charity Fund Committee. Further
reports are received on the corporate
association position and events organised
by the Livery Committee, all of which are
for onward report to the Court.
Although the Committee meets as
aforementioned there is often weekly or
even daily contact between the Officers
and members of the Committee to enable
the smooth running of the Company.
Vivian Bendall
Introducing the F and GP Committee
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