The Livery Society is the less formal, more social wing of the Livery, and all Feltmakers are welcome to attend our events. The Society was originally set up as a means of helping new liverymen to get to know each other and to meet existing liverymen in a convivial and friendly atmosphere, away from the necessarily more formal Livery dinners. A popular feature of the Society calendar is the dinner held early in the year, and in the past, attendance was limited to Feltmakers in their first 10 years with the Livery. We now encourage all liverymen to come along to this splendid evening.

This year’s event was held at the East India Club in St. James’ Square and hosted by the Society’s chairman, Jeremy Brassington, ably assisted in its organisation by Jane Way and Simon Millar. The Master, the Upper and Third Wardens, and the Clerk were our guests. To help new liverymen to get to know each, it has become the tradition for a change of seating part way through the meal, so after enjoying the excellent first two courses, a specified number of the diners processed around to take up new seats at different tables, and so take dessert and coffee whilst chatting to new neighbours.

After dinner, the Master spoke to the assembled liverymen, and gave a hint of the highlights of the rest of his year, with encouragements to us all to attend events and take part in activities. He also revealed the challenge he had made for himself, to lose weight during what has to be a very demanding period in terms of the official dinners,

The Master demonstrates his future waist size

The evening ended with Jeremy Brassington leading a discussion on whether and how Livery events can be improved to increase their popularity with liverymen, and so help the Feltmakers prosper and grow.

Peter Shirley