17 March 2026
There are moments in the Livery calendar when the rhythm of tradition, fellowship, and City history blends so effortlessly that the evening feels almost timeless. Our Spring Court Meeting and Livery Dinner on 17 March was one of those occasions.
As members stepped through the doors of The Worshipful Company of Butchers’ Hall, the building seemed to breathe the weight of its thousand-year story. Though refurbished in 2019, its character remains unmistakably ancient: the glow from the stained glass, the quiet dignity of the Southland Beech panels gifted by New Zealand, and the imposing sweep of the grand staircase carrying conversations upward.
Those arriving early wandered past the 1794 Parisian marble fireplace or paused to admire the Vestey Tapestry—still the largest in the City—before ascending to the Court Suite. The weather outside may have been grey, but inside the Hall, the City’s long memory wrapped comfortably around everyone present.
The afternoon’s Court Meeting unfolded with purposeful calm. Papers rustled, decisions were weighed, and the business of the Company was advanced with the steady rhythm the Court knows so well.
But the moment that shifted the atmosphere came when five newly admitted Freemen—fresh from receiving their Freedom of the City—stepped forward to be Clothed in the Livery. Their proud expressions and the traditional “Hearty Welcome” that filled the room reminded all present of the living continuity of the Company.
A further highlight came with the warm welcome to Liveryman Stuart Hakes, who joined the Court for the first time as Chairman of the Glass Committee.
With business concluded, the Court adjourned, the conversation turning from governance to anticipation: the evening’s Luxembourg-themed dinner awaited.
Guests drifted into the reception as glasses of Bernard-Massard Demi Sec caught the light from the chandeliers. Members were able to see the Glass works of Glass Artisan Freeman, Debbie Timperley. Conversations gathered momentum, laughter threaded through the room, and the atmosphere shifted from formal duty to relaxed festivity.
The Luxembourgian theme carried added resonance, as our Principal Guest was His Excellency Georges Friden, Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The Master, Prime Warden, and Renter Warden greeted members and guests warmly.
Then the Beadle’s call resounded—a familiar moment that never fails to raise the collective posture of the room—and dinner was to began.
The Great Hall was a picture of soft chandelier lighting and polished glass as plates of Bouchée à la Reine were served, accompanied by crisp Gewürztraminer. The menu carried both the elegance of Luxembourg’s cuisine and the comfort of its heartier dishes, culminating in Boeuf à la Mode, Raclette Gromperen, and a decadent chocolate dessert.
Around the room, conversations ebbed and flowed—about business, travels, the Master’s upcoming Jolly, and the many shared threads connecting guests across the Livery world.
Violinist Beth Fairbairn, a teacher at the Westminster Abbey Choir School, provided the perfect accompaniment to the evening. Her classical pieces floated effortlessly through the Hall before she surprised many with a lively Irish medley—an affectionate nod to St Patrick’s Day.
It was one of those musical interludes that seemed to suspend time for a moment.
The Loving Cup made its ceremonial journey around the room, binding guests through tradition as old as the Livery itself. Toasts followed—some formal, some warmly informal—as a Past Master welcomed visitors, including Masters from the CASK Group, from the Distillers, Innholders, Coopers, and the Rector of St James Garlickhythe.
Speeches were gracious and spirited, celebrating both friendship and the enduring bonds between Companies.
As the evening drew to a close, the Master rose one final time, offering thanks and inviting all to join the familiar rallying cry:
“TO GLASS.”
A final stirrup cup warmed the departing guests before they stepped out into the cool March night—carrying with them the glow of fellowship, tradition, and a truly memorable Livery occasion.
