I became a Liveryman!
In July I was invited with 20 other new Liverymen to Goldsmiths Hall to be “clothed in the Livery”.
The ceremony consists of The Clerk of the Goldsmiths Company putting a robe on the new recruits while guests and members of the Company applaud from the side lines. It felt a huge honour and afterwards we were treated to dinner in the Court Room, an elegant oak paneled room decorated with oils paintings of past members of the Company. I was surrounded by the great and the good, all worthy men and women.
Quite an honour for a boy from Petersfield….
"What does it actually mean?"
My daughter thought I have become a
'de-livery man'
My daughter thought I have become a
'de-livery man'
Back in 1992 after completing a 5-year apprenticeship with The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths I was invited to present a piece of work that would be considered worthy enough to be a ‘Freeman’ of the company and officially a Goldsmith.
The medieval term 'freeman' means someone who was not the property of a feudal lord but enjoyed privileges such as the right to earn money and own land. As a member of a guild (The Goldsmiths) Freeman were protected by a Royal charter and were free to trade within the City walls – hence the term 'freedom' of the City.
At the next level, The Goldsmiths' Company chooses from the 'Freedom' men and women they feel could help them bring value to our wonderful trade and make them Liveryman.
So, in essence - it's a bit of a promotion within my peers and recognition for some of the work I've been doing with Goldsmiths.
