PM Browning

A Profile of the Master
My background is in teaching having obtained my BA Honours degree in Geography at Bedford College, London University. I taught at the Manning Grammar School in Nottingham before moving abroad to teach and then becoming school librarian in Vancouver. I got married in Vancouver, having met my husband in Bermuda where I taught for two years, and for several years we ran our own business which involved tourism, principally the charter boat business and established contacts all over the world particularly in the States and the Caribbean. Shortly after I returned to England twelve years ago it became obvious that the only place to be was London. I joined Sir Professor Tom Blundell’s team at Birkbeck College, London University. Socially I became involved with the Little Ship Club, a sailing club based in the city, where I have served on the Main Committee and been events secretary for some years. Having moved to the Barbican in the late 80’s I soon became a member of Cripplegate Ward Club having been invited to join by Stella Currie. Shortly after joining I was asked to be events secretary in 1996 by past master Norman Searle during his year as Master, which has proved invaluable ground work for the forthcoming year. The City is very important to me in many ways. I am a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of World Traders and serve on the events committee. I am a member of the City Heritage Society. I presently work for the Greenwich Foundation for the Royal Naval College which is responsible for the site and the wonderful buildings designed by Sir Christopher Wren at Greenwich. I am now working on my programme for the Ward Club and looking forward very much to my year as Master 2002/03. My other interests include travel, sailing, skiing. I am a member of the National Maritime Museum, the V & A, Greenwich Society and am a Friend of the Royal Parks.

A Profile of the Master

My background is in teaching having obtained my BA Honours degree in Geography at Bedford College, London University. I taught at the Manning Grammar School in Nottingham before moving abroad to teach and then becoming school librarian in Vancouver.

I got married in Vancouver, having met my husband in Bermuda where I taught for two years, and for several years we ran our own business which involved tourism, principally the charter boat business and established contacts all over the world particularly in the States and the Caribbean.

Shortly after I returned to England twelve years ago it became obvious that the only place to be was London. I joined Sir Professor Tom Blundell’s team at Birkbeck College, London University. Socially I became involved with the Little Ship Club, a sailing club based in the city, where I have served on the Main Committee and been events secretary for some years. Having moved to the Barbican in the late 80’s I soon became a member of Cripplegate Ward Club having been invited to join by Stella Currie. Shortly after joining I was asked to be events secretary in 1996 by past master Norman Searle during his year
as Master, which has proved invaluable ground work for the forthcoming year.

The City is very important to me in many ways. I am a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of World Traders and serve on the events committee. I am a member of the City Heritage Society.

I presently work for the Greenwich Foundation for the Royal Naval College which is responsible for the site and the wonderful buildings designed by Sir Christopher Wren at Greenwich.

I am now working on my programme for the Ward Club and looking forward very much to my year as Master 2002/03.

My other interests include travel, sailing, skiing. I am a member of the National Maritime Museum, the V & A, Greenwich Society and am a Friend of the Royal Parks.

2002 - Master Marina Browning
Date	Location	Basic Function Details
25 March 2002	Guildhall	AGM & Annual Luncheon
10 April 2002	Westminster	#1 Visit to Big Ben & Portcullis House Luncheon at The Clarence
17 April 2002	Westminster	#2 Visit to Big Ben & Portcullis House Luncheon at The Clarence
15 May 2002	Little Ship Club	A Talk at the Little Ship Club about Paternoster Square and Temple Bar by Francis Carnwath CBE Trustee of Temple Bar Trust and past Director of the Greenwich Foundation followed by dinner. We will be joined by members of the City Heritage Society.
20 June 2002	River Thames	Thames River Cruise & Supper (City Cruises) with River Highlights described by Historian and Artist Peter Kent (this function is in association with Bridge and Broad Street Wards)
July 2002	Cripplegate	A Talk with a Conducted Tour of the archeological excavations of Cripplegate by the Curator of Archeology, Museum of London
17 September 2002	Greenwich	Guided tour of Sir Christopher Wren's outstanding baroque buildings including the Painted Hall and Chapel of the Old Royal Naval College Luncheon: Wardroom, King William Court
22 October 2002	Fishmongers Hall	A Visit to Fishmongers Hall Luncheon at the Britannia, Fish Lane.
In November 2002 Our Alderman & President was elected Lord Mayor of London The Right Hon The Lord Mayor Alderman Gavyn Farr Arthur MA Full details about the Lord Mayor and the Lord Mayor's Show
9 November 2002	Guildhall	The Lord Mayors Show (a) Ward Club Float (b) Luncheon at Guildhall
19 November 2002	Mansion House	Annual Dinner Venue by kind permission of the Lord Mayor
11 December 2002	St Giles Church	Annual Carol Service
22 January 2003	Lincoln's Inn Fields	A visit to the Sir John Soane's Museum. 14 Lincoln's Inn Fields 11.30am.
13 February 2003	The Tower	A visit to the Tower of London including Dinner and the Ceremony of the Keys.
6 March 2003	Mansion House	Tea with The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor
13 March 2003	Guildhall	Annual General Meetingand election of the next Master
13 March 2003	Guildhall	Annual Luncheonwith the new Master, the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs

Annual Banquet 2002

The Master speaking at Mansion House

The Cripplegate Cup
(This is a large Photograph and will take time to download. Please be patient)

MASTER'S REPORT YEAR 2OO2~2OOS

What a splendid and special year this has been as our President, Alderman Gavyn Arthur became the Rt Hon The Lord Mayor in November 2002. In celebration of this, Cripplegate Ward Club had its own float to honour the Lord Mayor in the Lord Mayor's Show on 9 November. We also had a very special Annual Banquet at the Mansion House on November 19 thanks to our invitation from the Lord Mayor to hold this event at his house.

We have had many successful events monthly during the year namely:

April and October
Other highlights of the year were out visits to Big Ben, and to Portcullis Housel. Everyone on each occasion managed the 326 stairs and it was with great excitement that we listened to Big Ben strike 12 noon, even if we did have to cover our ears. These visits proved so popular that an extra two visits were organised in October.

May
Francis Carnwath CBE of the Temple Bar Trust gave us a fascinating talk at the Little Ship Club on the move of Temple Bar from its present neglected home in Theobalds Park to the entrance of Paternoster Square in 2005. It was particularly enjoyable as members from Bread St Ward Club and the City Heritage Society were able to join us for the talk and for a delicious meal afterwards in the Club.

June
In June there was a private evening river cruise on City Cruises boat the MV Eltham. Peter Kent, a well known historian, was our speaker and guide as we cruised down to Greenwich and back to Westminster. We were joined on our cruise by Bridge Ward Club. It was beautiful evening and we were on the river to enjoy the sunset and later to see all the lights along the river. We also enjoyed a delicious supper as we were cruising.

July
In July we had our tour of the archaeological sites around the Barbican, a real eye opener and a fascinating tour including the little known and exciting excavation in progress under London Wall. John Shepherd Curator at the Museum of London was our guide and was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable - the tour was a delight. The tour was followed by supper served in an area reserved for us at the Barbican.

September
September saw us in Greenwich at the Old Royal Naval College. Our guide was Malcolm Godfrey, Events Manager who took us to places not usually seen by the public. We saw the wonderful Sir Christopher Wren baroque buildings, and the famous and beautiful Painted Hall and Chapel. A delicious lunch was served in the Wardroom in the King Charles Building.

October
We were well looked after on our tour of Fishmongers' Hall, the Fishmongers' Company being one of the twelve great Livery Companies of the City - what a wonderful Hall with its magnificent interiors and so many treasurers including the original painting of the Queen by Pietro Annigoni. We then had lunch in the Britannia with an area specially set aside for us. The Britannia is on Fish Hill Street which seemed very appropriate!

November
What a month for Cripplegate Ward Club! 9th November saw a huge flurry of activity and excitement as 35 members joined the Cripplegate Ward Club float to take part in the Lord Mayor's Show. All dressed In blue logo'd sweatshirts and white and blue umbrellas they joined the open top double decker 1962 bus decorated fully on both sides to look like the Cripplegate thanks to David Aggett. The float had great coverage on TV as we passed Mansion House. Our President was delighted with ' his' float

We thank all members who helped towards gathering funds for the Float and sponsorship help from the Livery Companies: Salters, Insurers, Pewterers and Barbers. It was a spectacular day.

Prior to the start of the procession on 9th November, the ceremony of the Presentation of Addresses to the new Lord Mayor was made In Guildhall, and the Master together with four officers of Cripplegate Ward Club made the presentation of a commissioned pewter plate.

Thanks again to our President on this day for being host to 30 members to view the procession from Guildhall Yard with lunch afterwards in Guildhall.

November 19th saw 212 members and guests gather for a glittering occasion at Mansion House in the presence of the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress. Our President had kindly Invited us to Mansion House for our Annual Banquet and what an occasion it was. The tables were decorated with the Mansion House Plate, on display also was the beautiful Cripplegate Cup. Sir Robert Balchin was our excellent speaker. Everyone remarked on the wonderful atmosphere and an occasion to long be remembered. Our considerable thanks to Lord Mayor Alderman Gavyn Arthur for his wonderful invitation.

December
Another very special occasion - our Carol Service on 12 December at St Giles Church in the presence of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs. We shared the service as in previous years with the Worshipful Company of Firefighters, and were joined by the Common Councilmen of the Ward and Masters and Clerks of Livery Companies within the Ward. Everyone agreed it was a delightful service with, as our President had requested, 'jolly carols'. The Service was conducted by the Rector of St Giles the Rev. Katherine Rumens. The reception afterwards at Pewterers was a huge success with wonderful catering by Partridges. A delightful evening.

January
Our first event of 2003 was at the Sir John Soane's Museum in Lincoln's Inn Fields -an amazing place with artefacts from Egypt, Greece, Rome and many other places around the world, together with a large collection of Hogarth originals and three stunning Canaletto paintings. Lunch was at Sarastros a fascinating GrecolTurkish restaurant keen on opera where we sat in balconies above the restaurant - great fun.

February
A fascinating evening visit to the Tower of London with a talk in the Chapel of St John the Evangelist by the Rev'd Paul Abram, followed by supper in the Tower of London Club before watching the age-old custom of the Ceremony of the Keys.

March
Saw us at the Mansion House thanks to our Invitation from the Lord Mayor for a special tour to include areas not normally seen such as the ballroom and the Lord Mayors private lounge. We enjoyed a lovely tea of sandwiches and cakes thanks to Chester Boyd and we were joined for tea by our President.

Finally the AGM and Annual Luncheon at Guildhall, Thursday March 13 .

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I would like to take this opportunity to say how much I have enjoyed my year as Master of Cripplegate Ward Club. I would like to thank our President the Rt Hon The Lord Mayor Alderman Gavyn Arthur for all his support during my term of office. I would also to thank all the members of the Committee for their support and encouragement during the year. My grateful thanks go to Barbara Allan, Hon Secretary, for her huge contribution and hard work to ensure the smooth running of this year. My thanks also to Tony Hunt, Events Secretary for all his assistance and experience, and to David Green, Hon Treasurer for keeping our accounts on the straight and narrow for the last eleven years, and particularly this year for the Float. I would also like to thank Sylvester Crowley for his excellent work in setting up and maintaining a very comprehensive Ward Club web site. A very warm welcome to the many new members who have joined the Club during this year and I extend my thanks to all the members of our Ward Club for their support and friendship.

I wish Cripplegate Ward Club every success in the coming year.

MARINA BROWNING

March 2003

Master 2002 - Mrs Marina Browning BA(Hons) Dip Ed