This outing on Friday 7th March was the seventh in a series of visits to London’s Livery Companies and proved, once again, to be a most enjoyable and informative experience for the twenty members and guests who attended.

The tour of the Hall, which has been rebuilt twice following fires, was conducted by a Liveryman (a lady in this case) Penny, who is also the Company Archivist. The group enjoyed visiting the four major halls, not least the Grand Livery Hall built in 1772 and upgraded to its current magnificent proportions in the 1860s. Penny gave us a fascinating account of both the history of the building and contents as well as the philanthropic and charity objectives of the Company which include the distribution of approximately £3,000,000 annually to various organisations and educational establishments. Following the tour, the group repaired to a nearby hostelry, the George and Vulture where a welcome drink and enjoyable lunch awaited.

Peter Billcliff
09/03/25