Every Wednesday, on Zoom, you are invited to join fellow members for a virtual Coffee Morning. This is a great opportunity to get to know fellow members in a small, friendly, relaxed group. No need to book, just turn up. All members are welcome. If you are interested in attending, please email John Spencer or Clare Ferrar for the zoom link and password. John Spencer: john@connorspencer.com Clare Ferrar: clareferrar@accountantslivery.org
Over the years, our Livery has formed a strong relationship with Middlesex County Cricket Club, taking private boxes at various County, 50-Over and T20 games, and making donations to the Club's excellent charity; Middlesex in the Community. This September, we have a private box in the iconic Tavern Stand for the third day of Middlesex County Championship match against Derbyshire. As well as being able to watch the match in some style, our party will also be able to enjoy the freedom of the ground, visit the world-famous Lord's Museum, and lunch in the iconic Pavilion. Middlesex is kindly funding box and our match-day tickets, enabling us to donate the entire £90 ticket-cost of our places to their excellent charity. So do come along for a relaxing day at the home of cricket, and support an excellent cause. Dress is jacket and tie for men and the equivalent for ladies (BTW: trousers are fine), tickets cost £90 each, and guests are extremely welcome.
Every so often a show arrives on Broadway or in the West End, which sweeps up all the awards and electrifies the theatre-going public. Obvious examples include, Les Miserables, Phantom, and Hamilton. Recently, it was the outrageous and outstanding (in equal measure) Book of Mormon. This blockbuster musical follows two mis-matched young Mormons, when they are sent to Africa to embark on their missionary work, and the chaos that follows in their wake. When it first appeared on Broadway, Mormon won all the Tony Awards, and tickets changed hands for up to three times their face value! Inevitably the show came to London soon after and here too it swept the boards, winning all the Oliviers, plus numerous other prizes. At one point, the waiting list for tickets was nearly eight months - and that was with two matinees a week! Roll forward to today, three years later, and Mormon is still "packing them in", so we are going to go along and see what all the fuss is about. Because of demand, the theatre has limited our party to just 12 tickets, but they have been kind to us over the price (The Master has friends in low places!) and once the party is booked up, those attending will be circulated about an optional, pre-theatre supper. So come along and enjoy an amazing piece of musical theatre with your livery friends and guests. Tickets cost £49, the show starts at 7.30pm and dress is smart casual.
This long-established City fundraiser celebrates a Freeman’s ancient right to bring flocks of sheep over the Thames and into the City's market at Smithfield. This year’s sheep drive takes place on Southwark Bridge, which will close for the day, and as well as the opportunity to drive a small flock of sheep over the bridge (for which you get an official certificate), there is also a craft fair and lunch at a nearby restaurant. Places are hard to come by (It's a "bucket list' thing.), but Clare's managed to secure ten, for the 10.37am slot, so book in and join the Master in experiencing this unique event. (Nobody will believe you when you tell them what you've done!) You can also bring friends and family (anyone over five years old), who get a slightly different certificate, and fancy dress is optional - needless to say, there are usually lots of young Bo Peeps skipping around! Dress is anything from entirely casual, right up to full morning dress, with badges and gowns.
After the historic ceremony of the Mayoral Election during the morning, the Master invites Company Members and their guests, along with some FSG Masters and their Clerks, to join him upstairs in the Guildhall Club for a private Drinks Reception and Lunch. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy drinks out on the roof terrace before moving into the Aldermen’s Dining Room for lunch. At the Shrieval Election Day Lunch, we heard from former Sheriff Andrew Marsden about what happens behind the scenes, between when Sheriffs are elected and the day they take office. It was very revealing and clearly quite a scramble! We are following the same plan at this September's Mayoral Election Day Lunch, when our Guest of Honour will be former Lord Mayor, Sir David Wootton, who will explain how the year leading up to their entry into Mansion House, typically unfolds for an incoming Lord Mayor. David is an excellent speaker and like Andrew did, has agreed to take questions, under the Chatham House Rule. After lunch, guests are welcome to move back out onto the roof terrace to view the events going on in the square below. 11.30am - Coffee 11.45am - All attending the Election Ceremony must be seated 12noon - Mayoral Election Ceremony 1pm - Drinks in the Aldermen's Dining Room 1.30pm - Lunch in the Aldermen's Dining Room Dress code: Morning dress or lounge suit for men and smart day wear for ladies. Tickets: £99 Please book below where possible
Pooley Swords, run by Robert Pooley, who was our speaker at the House of Commons, is the only working smithy in the country. The specialists there make and maintain pretty much all these edged weapons in existence in the UK today. Recently, they made two ceremonial swords for us - one for Special Forces Support Group and then just this month, one for our new RAF Affiliated Unit, the RAF Regiment's elite No. II Squadron. Robert and his team have kindly invited six of us to go down and see them working. The visit will encompass the design studio, the manufacturing facility, where the blades and pommels are made, and then the etching and finishing department, where those customers who wish, can have their swords turned into steel works of art. Because of the nature of the smithy, there are only six places on the tour, and one of those has already gone. We are due at Pooley's at 2pm, so those who wish, can join me at noon for a lunch in the nearby Enzo Fiore Italian Restaurant (6/7 Queensway, Lancing, BN15 9AY), which is well-regarded locally, and less than a mile away. (We will share the meal cost between us on the day.) There is parking at both locations. Dress is smart casual and this should be a fascinating tour of the only smithy in our country still practising this ancient craft.
For something slightly different, a party of just nine members and guests will meet at the famous Holborn Tube Station at 10.55am on Wednesday, 8th October, before stepping through a concealed door into the third of the station that's been hidden for 30 years. Originally opened in 1906 as a complex of four platforms to serve the Piccadilly line, Holborn played a pivotal role in transforming the surrounding area from a place of ill repute into a prime business district. Our guide will show us the secret corridors, two disused platforms of the Aldwych branch, the Aldwych crossover, and the tracks that lead to the now-closed Aldwych Tube station. We will also discover how the disused parts of the station have been put to surprising uses over the years, from scientific laboratories, to wartime shelters for staff and even a model rail club. Holborn's hidden spaces have also been the backdrop to notable music videos and films, including Aqua’s Turn Back Time and the recent Superman. The tour will last about an hour and a half and we will then repair to the nearby, award-winning Isolabella Restaurant, for a light lunch. (We'll split the bill on the day). Places cost £49 each and dress is entirely casual. Comfy walking shoes are advisable, and although we will not be covering huge distances, this event is not really suitable for those with mobility issues.
This year's Installation Dinner will be held at Ironmongers' Hall on Tuesday 14 October 2025. Ironmongers' Hall is home to one of the Great Twelve Livery companies and is acknowledged as one of the finest livery halls in the City of London. This event is to celebrate the Installation of Vince O'Brien as Master, as well as Sally Orton as Senior Warden and Malcolm Bacchus as Junior Warden. Our guest speaker for this event will be Ian Simm, who is the Founder and Chief Executive of Impax Asset Management Group plc, one of the world’s leading investment managers dedicated to investing in the transition to a more sustainable economy. He is a member of the UK government’s Net Zero Council, which provides strategic leadership to support delivery of the government’s low carbon objectives, and its Net Zero Innovation Board, which provides strategic oversight of public sector funding of energy innovation programmes. Tickets: £155 Dress: Black Tie or Livery Uniform, with Badges and Decorations Time: 6.30pm Drinks Reception 7pm Dinner 10.30pm Carriages Please book online below where possible: If you have are unable to book online, please contact Clare Ferrar on clareferrar@accountantslivery.org or 07828 554967
Travel on a mind-bending journey as mirrors and clever projection take you beyond the boundaries of reality. Surreal, otherworldly and dreamlike, this gallery will envelope you in the strange and extraordinary. 42 MASTERPIECES, 4 GALLERIES FRAMELESS is redefining the experiential immersive art world. Situated in Marble Arch, we are the largest permanent multi-sensory experience in the UK. FRAMELESS features four galleries and showcases some of the world’s greatest works of art presented in ways never seen before. Where art breaks free. EXPLORE OUR GALLERIES Step inside art itself as you travel through four distinct, immersive galleries, featuring iconic masterpieces from some of the world’s greatest artists; Kandinsky, Monet, Dali, Van Gogh, Canaletto, Rembrandt and Klimt to name a few. Throughout the centuries, artists have captured the complexity of our world with paint. They have filled canvases with astonishing landscapes, alternate realities, sublime colour and ultimate purity – seeking to express the very essence of humanity. Today, technology allows us to get closer to these masterpieces than ever before. Step beyond the frame and be immersed in the astonishing worlds these artists have created. Travel through time and space to experience every brushstroke with all your senses. Location: Frameless Immersive Art Experience, Marble Arch Time: 11am - Frameless 1pm - Lunch Tickets: £35 Frameless ticket - lunch will be covered individually afterwards Lunch is booked at the Grazing Goat, Marylebone which is a 5 minute walk away. Please book online where possible. If you have any problems or questions then please contact Clare Ferrar on clareferrar@accountantslivery.org or 07828 554967
Help Musicians’ annual celebration of music Join us for this year’s Festival of St Cecilia, a celebration that honours St Cecilia, the patroness of music, and the musicians who enrich our lives. This year, the service will be held at Westminster Abbey on Wednesday 19 November at 11:00 am, followed by an optional lunch in the private dining room at The Ivy, Victoria. Under the expert direction of Andrew Nethsingha, Director of Music at Westminster Abbey the combined choirs of Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, and Westminster Cathedral will reunite to perform once again. This years’ service will feature the premiere of a specially created anthem by Piers Connor Kennedy, along with a special performance to be confirmed at a later date. Help Musicians relies on vital funds to support musicians across the UK. While tickets to the service are complimentary, we warmly encourage guests to make a donation when booking. 100% of every donation will directly support the thousands of musicians who need our help every year. We hope you will be able to join us for this special occasion. Date: Wednesday 19 November 2025 Service: 11am – 12noon Lunch: 12.30pm (The Ivy, Victoria) £80
THE CURRENT ECONOMIC OUTLOOK - The view from the Bank of England Speaker Rob Elder – Bank of England Agent Agents do not talk publicly about their work, but we have friends in low places, and so are delighted to welcome Rob Elder back once again, to speak to a small number of us, strictly under the Chatham House Rule, to give the Bank of England’s view on the economic year ahead. Date: Tuesday 25 November Time: 1.15pm - 3.30pm (incl Q&A) Location: Member's Private Dining Room, the Guildhall Club Tickets: £79 to include a two-course lunch and a glass of wine
The London Library has stood on the corner of St James’s Square since 1845 and is one of the oldest lending libraries in the world, with over 1,000,000 books available to members. Incredibly most of these books are held on site in the original purpose-built metal ‘stacks’. Our Court Assistant Steven Whitaker is a trustee of the library and has arranged a private tour on 4 December 2025. We will begin at 6pm with a glass or two of champagne in the famous Issue Hall before embarking at 6.30pm on a tour that covers all the major parts of the library, including the beautiful Reading Room, well-known to many literary greats over the years including Dickens, Thackeray, Forster and TS Eliot (who became President of the library in 1952). Today’s President is Helena Bonham-Carter. All areas of the tour are accessible by lift, but there will also be a chance to ‘climb’ the stacks, for those wanting to explore the hidden depths of the library. We will end with the chance to see a few of the most notable books in the library, hand-picked by the Head of Collections. The tour is scheduled to finish at 7.30pm allowing you time to head off to dinner – or to Christmas parties! Time: 6pm: Champagne 6.30pm: Tour 7.30pm: Finish Date: Thursday 4 December Tickets: £50 (max. 4 per person)
The market will be open on the evening of Monday 8 December 2025, with a gala drinks reception, and providing early access to all of the commercial and Livery stalls. The stalls will continue trading all day on Tuesday 9 December 2025. Founded in 1961, the Guildhall Christmas Market is one of the largest fundraising event for the British Red Cross and one of London’s most successful Christmas Markets. It is a biennial event. The gothic splendour of the Guildhall provides a truly atmospheric and memorable venue for this special event. The 2023 market raised over £135,000 for the work of the British Red Cross supporting people in crisis. The Chartered Accountants' Livery have been asked to provide a team to collect and count the cash taken by Livery stalls. If you are interested in volunteering some time during the market, then please let Vicky Andrew millcove1912@gmail.com and John Spencer john@connorspencer.com know your availability. Early bird tickets are now live until September 2025 for the exclusive opening night and dining options on market day, with £5 off general sale prices. General sale tickets for the market day are £7 each and will go on sale in September 2025.
This year we have obtained special permission to hold our Carol Service once again at the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vinicula within the grounds of the Tower of London. Those who attended last year will recall the spectacular festive lighting of the Tower grounds and the stunning history of this small chapel, which contains the tombs of many notable figures, including three executed Queens of England: Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey, as well as the remains of St Thomas More and St John Fisher. The service will take place in the early evening and will be followed by drinks and canapés at the nearby Bakers Hall, the home of the second-oldest City Guild. For this year's Carol Service, the Chartered Accountants are joining with a fellow-member of the Financial Services Group of Liveries, the Insurers Company. After the service, Members and their guests can either leave for home, or walk to Bakers' Hall, just a few minutes away, for festive canapés and drinks Carol Service in the Chapel Royal in the Tower of London 6.30pm Drinks and Canapés at Bakers' Hall 7.30pm This is an event at which guests (including children) are most welcome. Dress: smart day wear, and given that the Tower is always cold in December - coats, hats and gloves are advisable!
This is an incredible opportunity to see the London Coliseum in a way you haven't before! The event will start at 6pm with an exclusive tour of the London Coliseum front of house spaces and auditorium, learning about the history of the building and seeing the beautiful architecture up-close. At 6:30pm guests will make our way to the Sky Bar Boardroom, where drinks and finger food will be served. Guests will be asked to take their seats in the Upper Circle at approximately 7:20pm, ready for a 7:30pm curtain up. During the 20 minute interval, guests will return to the Sky Bar Boardroom for further drinks, before settling in for the second act. The curtain will come down at approximately 9:45pm, after which guests can collect their belongings from the Sky Bar Boardroom and depart. The performance will last around 2 hours 15 minutes. Love isn’t always smooth sailing One of Gilbert & Sullivan‘s most beloved works, HMS Pinafore tells a classic tale of a forbidden love, and the troubles that must be overcome before our hero and heroine can be together. All aboard HMS Pinafore for this hilarious revival of Gilbert & Sullivan’s nautical love triangle. Join Captain Corcoran and his daughter Josephine as she faces a battle between duty and love on the high seas. While her father makes plans for her to tie the knot with the suitably ranked First Lord of the Admiralty, Josephine has romantic ideas of her own. And after falling for lowly deckhand Ralph, the loved-up pair make plans to elope. That is, until a surprise revelation rocks the boat. More details of the ENO's HMS Pinafore can be found HERE Or read the ENO's Introduction to HMS Pinafore HERE If you like your operas to have a bit of tongue-in-cheek humour, you’ll love HMS...
