Lime Street

Lime Street Ward Club was founded in 1946, its founding Meeting being on 16th January. It was formed, amongst others by Sir Bracewell Smith BSc (a former Lord Mayor), Sir Percy Sheperd. CC, The Rt Hon Ralph Assheton. MP,  Sir Percy Greenaway having 45 members at the end of its first year. The Master for the first two years being Major Alfred D.S.Rice, JP, CC.with the first Hon Sec being Mr R.T. Rivington MA. Ll.B.

Cornhill

Under a Corporation of the City of London experiment in around 1975/6 Cornhill Ward was grouped with Lime Street Ward. Although the experiment at the Corporation level failed Cornhill councilmen and people from the Ward were invited to join the LSWC including inviting Cornhill councilmen on its committee.  The link remains as strong as ever. In general though the club is referred to as the Lime Street Ward Club.

City Officials

Within our membership today we have various City officials including;

Our President: Alderman Sir John Stuttard MA

  • Lord Mayor 2006 /07
  • Alderman for Lime Street Ward

Our Vice President: Alderman Sir David H Howard Bt

  • Lord Mayor 2001/2
  • Alderman for Cornhill Ward
  • Master of our Ward Club 1983/4

Common Councilmen – Lime Street Ward

  • Deputy Christine Mackenzie Cohen OBE (retiring)
  • Dennis Cotgrove BA
  • Elizabeth Rogula
  • Robert Howard (subject to formal appointment in June)

John Bristow (Ward Clerk)

Common Councilmen – Cornhill Ward

  • Deputy Rev’d Stephen Haines
  • Mr Peter Dunphy

Guy Petty (Ward Clerk) 

Our "Header"

This is used on all our stationery and on our Web-site “Banner”. 
One story re this design, was that it was taken from an image of part of a mantelpiece that was originally in one of the main rooms of the East India Company’s Head Office in Leadenhall Street. The story went that when the building was  pulled down this mantelpiece was removed to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Whitehall.

According to the FCO (with much thanks to one specific person) a "mantlepiece" with this design is definitely not in the FCO building. although there is a mantlepiece that does come from the East India Companies Offices (similar concept but not the same design as our note paper).   

The actual story re our "Header" is rather interesting and amusing.

The Background
November 19th 1970 Meeting,  Abercorn Rooms 

At this meeting it was confirmed that a photograph of our Club Badge (City of London coat of arms with a “galleon” superimposed) as used currently on our Club Cuff-links had been sent to the City of London for their records.

It was also agreed at this meeting that part of the “fascia” of an early 1700's East India Company’s office in Leadenhall Street - it was located approx where the entrance to the Lloyd’s 1928 building is situated - be incorporated into our note paper.

Why take something from East India Company at all ?
"As Lime St Ward has no church or “gate” this seems an appropriate idea".

The only clue is one letter after the meeting in Nov 1970 that states - "although the Master's badge was passed round I did not get a close enough look to see that the badge actually does include a picture of East India House".
Obviously a group of the Committee at the time thought it did.

If you look carefully at the picture of our Master's Badge - it does not show East India House - it shows the Mansion House - steps going up both sides at the front.

 

 Master's Badge showing Mansion House on the front right

Now we know why we have something from East India House - a mistake possibly, although it was also in our Ward.  

The actual header itself is taken from an etching of the Companies Head Office in Leadenhall Street that was pulled down in 1726 and rebuilt over the following three years. The committee in 1970 obviusly researched the history of this banner in some detail particularly taking extracts from a book called The East India House by William Foster.

There are only three etchings known of "Our Building" - one is called the Dutch View because of the Dutch written at the top - this was an engraving from a small painting - the painting and the original plate have never been found. It is known that the superstucture was not put up until 1661 and a balcony, not in this picture was added in 1688. 

Dutch Version of East India House


This is not the print that we used (the ships are different)

The next is called the "Overley" named after William Overly who used the picure to promte his wares - this one was apparently originally prepared in the late 1600's but ammended at a later date to incorporate a new Royal Coat of Arms. The 3rd etching is called "Vertue" and is named after the likely engraver George Vertue and can be dated to 1711.

There are more ships included and no dolphins on the top of the building - this is the one our Banner is based on

 

Picture of front of East India House - Leadenhall Street

 

The first proof of our notepaper was used it seems on  11th of March 1971 with a letter to our President of the time,  Alderman Alan Greenway ( Daniel Greenaway and Sons – Printers and Stationers Dashwood House, Old Broad Street) ) who had provided the paper/printing…. it included the following very practical request.

“I wonder if it would be possible to have 1,000 sheets to cover our requirements for this year. I understand that this letter is being written on A4 size paper(210cm x 297cm). I wonder if there is a slightly larger size because as you know we have to fit in a tear off slip for people to use in replying.”
2 weeks later a version was provided on “foolscap” (8½ inches x 13 ½ inches / 215cm x 342cm) which had been a standard size English Paper for over 400 years – problem solved.

Our  Hon Sec’s opinion in 2011 (Daphne Cave) – “What a sensible request, would save having to use 2 pages of A4 as we have to do sometimes now”

See an example of its first use below (foolscap) below noting that the original colour chosen was brown ink on cream paper (“The colour as you will agree, is non political and I feel the general effect is one of stability and tranquility. The picture, (East India Company) will no doubt raise certain observations from various quarters, but after all, this is a Ward club for “discussion and goodwill”) – Mr Alan P Greenaway. 25/3/1971
Mr Greenaway himself had suugested something more akin to our "Bage" (City of London shield, with saling ship as an overlay) 

First Headed Notepaper

Master's Chain of Office and Jewel

Presented by Sir Bracewell Smith Bt KCVO BSc (Founder President) on the creation of the Club in 1946.

 Master's Jewel Lime Street Ward

The engraving on the back states "MASTER'S BADGE"

 

 Lime Street Ward Club Master's Jewel - reverse

Ward Club Standard

Presented by Past Masters Mrs Julie Gubbins and Mr Mark Gubbins to the Club in 2006

Goblets (2)

  • The first was presented by Mr Bryan Toye Alderman of Lime Street 1983 – 1996

  • The second was presented by Mr Bryan Wakeham - Master 1999

Past Masters

1946/47    Major Alfred D.S. Rice, JP, CC   1988/89   Ronald Garton

1947/48    Major Alfred D.S. Rice, JP, CC   1989/90   Deryck C. Skerton

1948/49    W.A. Hicks                            1990/91   Mrs. Julie S. Gubbins

1949/50    Russell Jeffreys, Deputy           1991/92  Miss Elizabeth H.L. Rogers

1950/51    H.L. Tabor, CBE                      1992/93  Raymond Jorden

1951/52    R.W. Vick, Deputy                   1993/94  Wilfred W. Archibald, CC, Deputy

1952/53    J.F. Huxtable                          1994/95  Mrs. Pat Perkins

1953/54    G.U. Salvi                              1995/96  Mrs Christine MacKenzie Cohen CC

1954/55    A.J. Hullett                            1996/97  Vincent E. Emms, FCII

1955/56    E. Stuart Hunt, CC                  1997/98  Charles Bowman

1956/57    A. Charles Trinder, CC              1998/99  Dennis Cotgrove, CC

1957/58    A. Charles Trinder, CC              1999/2000  Bryan R.J. Wakeham

1958/59    Norman C. Tremellen, CC           2000/01  Rowland L. Hughes, FCA

1959/60    Major Henry Duckworth             2001/02  John H. Tuff

1960/61    D.E.E. Cresswell                       2002/03  John J. Bristow

1961/62    J.R.C. Holmes                          2003/04  Peter G. Hill

1962/63    G.D.T. Grinter                          2004/05  Roger N. Earthrowl

1963/64    J.E. Evan-Cook, JP, CC              2005/06  Mark B. Gubbins

1964/65    W.H. Wharton                          2006/07  Mrs Ann B. Benson

1965/66    A.P. Hobbs                              2007/08  Robert Woodthorpe Browne

1966/67    Douglas B. Aldous                     2008/09  I. Harvie Peebles

1967/68    L.V. Drew                                2009/10  Alistair R S Bassett Cross

1968/69    B.B. Cooper                             2010/11  Stanley Liu

1069/70    H. Gansel Brewer                     2011/2012 Stephen Hatton ACA

1970/71    D.G.H. Hobbs

1971/72    R.C.L. Charvet, RD, CC

1972/73    Donald E. Abel

1973/74    John Mepham

1974/75    George W. Burrow, CC

1975/76    Bernard Pettipierre

1976/77    Frederick G. Bird

1977/78    Ian D. McNeil, CC

1978/79    Charles Wiard

1979/80    James Newby

1980/81    Hugh Breslin

1981/82    Edward W. Kelloe

1982/83    Michael J. Beale, Deputy

1983/84    Sir David H.S. Howard, Bt

1984/85    John de Vine

1985/86    David C. Butcher

1986/87    Brian Barber

1987/88    David J. Bridges