Members' Area

May 2023

Buckingham Palace Garden Party

3rd May 2023

A Garden Party to celebrate Their Majesties’ Coronation took place on Wednesday 3rd May, just three days beforehand. The weather was kind, although the breeze was still challenging for those of us who wore hats.

As well as His Majesty King Charles and Her Majesty the Queen Consort, TRH the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent mingled with the guests. My consort, my nephew Michael Skeates, is nine inches taller than I am, so he had a distinct advantage, but I did manage to see the King.

The grounds of the Palace looked splendid, with many trees and bushes coming into flower and the tea and sandwiches were good too. The largest private garden in London, the Palace grounds must be a haven for the Royal Family. It is also a haven for insects and birds, with many areas having been allowed to be taken over by wild flowers and a ‘long grass’ policy adopted in areas around the lake.

April 2023

Admission of Freemen

29th April 2023

Our newly learned skills in joining meetings held via Zoom allowed the Company to admit eight new Freemen on Saturday 29th April.

After the virtual ceremony (they were admitted as a group), the Upper Warden, Under Warden and six other members of the Court joined me in welcoming our new Freemen, many of whom live far from London. Becoming Freemen is a first step – we must now encourage them to become involved in the Company and its activities. It was good to hear Assistant Catherine Fuller, Chairman of the Membership and Marketing Committee, give a brief outline of what we might be able to offer, eg, advice on writing CVs, as well as some Freeman oriented visits (a return trip to the Andy Warhol exhibition perhaps).

Afterwards, a few of us braved the crowded streets (the London Marathon was the next day and runners were clutching see-through bags with their numbers and instructions and were accompanied by large numbers of supporters) and enjoyed a convivial lunch in a pub not far from Borough Market. 

Fashion and Textile Museum

22nd April 2023

Founded by Dame Zandra Rhodes in 2003, this Museum in Bermondsey has no permanent collection, but hosts a series of temporary exhibitions and is now operated by Newham College.

The morning after the Installation Dinner, some twenty of us visited “Andy Warhol: The Textiles”, a stunning collection from the 1950s and early 1960s, with not a soup can in sight. Most of the party had not realised that Warhol had started in textiles, producing fabric designs which were innovative, but so attractive and displayed both as fabric lengths and garments. They had also been a great commercial success. The exhibition is on until 10th September and is well worth a visit.

Afterwards, a few of us braved the crowded streets (the London Marathon was the next day and runners were clutching see-through bags with their numbers and instructions and were accompanied by large numbers of supporters) and enjoyed a convivial lunch in a pub not far from Borough Market. 

Installation Dinner Vintners Hall

21st April 2023

My installation on 21st April seemed a long way away when I became Upper Warden in 2021, as I knew then that it would be two years before, subject to election, I would be installed as Master. As to be expected, those two years passed quickly and almost before I knew it, I was at the beginning of the Reception Line at Vintners’ Hall.

I had become Master around 3.45pm that day and one of my first tasks at the Court meeting had been to install our retiring Clerk, Shaun Mackaness, and his wife Mary as Freemen of the Company. I was then able at the Installation Dinner to make a presentation to Shaun, something which the whole of the Framework Knitters’ Company had managed to keep secret from Shaun. I have been told that Shaun looked somewhat nervous when I asked him to stand, as he thought he might have to speak, but I was able to reassure both him and all those attending that that would not be required.

The principal guests at the Dinner were Mr Clive Hawkins, Master Glover, the Upper Bailiff Weaver, Mr Peter Baxendell, together with his wife Gillian, and the BBC Health Editor, Hugh Pym. Past Master, Julian Ellis proposed the toast to the guests, in his inimitable style, to which Hugh responded and proposed the Toast to the Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters.

We were also entertained to some fine singing by three students from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The evening concluded with a stirrup cup to which many stayed, but we did manage to vacate the Hall (just) before the appointed time.  remove this text