There's lots to write about this month. The main event was the New Members' Breakfast, very well organised by Shernaz Engineer, our Chair of Membership. Some fifteen joined us in Côte by St Paul's where we had a convivial time introducing the Company and how to get involved. After a quick introduction of the various committees and the regular events we all introduced ourselves. What a fascinating and diverse group of people! 

The October Second Wednesday Drinks was very well attended with a number of good people interested in joining. Talking of drinks, it was also my pleasure to take the team that made the Summer Banquet so successful for a celebration drink at The Reform. Thank you Rita, Hani, Rakhitha, Talan, Neil, and Duncan!

Admission of Sheriffs

The Livery cycle started again at the very end of last month with the Admission of Sheriffs in the Guildhall. This year it is Alderman Robert Hughes-Penney and Deputy Keith Bottomley.

The Sheriffs support the judiciary and the Lord Mayor. Generally, one is from the Court of Aldermen and is likely to go on to be Lord Mayor after a few years. The second is typically not an Alderman (known in the past as a "Lay Sheriff", but now more prosaically as a "Non-Aldermanic Sheriff"). The two Sheriffs live in the Old Bailey for their year. Theirs is a very ancient role, and involves plenty of ceremonial duties (such as the opening of Freeman Erik Khaw’s Dāku at Monument. Indeed, the outgoing Non-Aldermanic Sheriff mentioned the accompanying Dragon Dance as one of the highlights of his year!)

Michaelmas Common Hall & Lunch

The Election of Alderwoman Langley as the next Lord Mayor took place just a few days after the new Sheriffs were admitted. Very fulsome tributes were read out in praise of Alderman King, as he nears the end of his year of office, and Dame Susan's speech to Common Hall can be found at: Lady Mayor elect Dame Susan Langley DBE - acceptance speech - Livery Committee

Great conviviality was had at Founders' Hall thereafter, and it's as good a time as any to remind the 41 Liverymen Entrepreneurs who were clothed in March this year that they can already book in for lunch after Midsummer Common Hall 2026!

St Ethelburga 2025

Ahead of the Second Wednesday Drinks I had the pleasure of reading a lesson for the feast day of our patron saint, St Ethelburga during the wonderfully contemplative Taize service at All Hallows.

A well-connected and enterprising woman of faith, Ethelburga founded Barking Abbey in 666 and All Hallows by the Tower in 675. It's is quite a thought that this was four hundred years before the actual Tower of London was built!

One of the most fun events of the year is the annual Inter-Livery Crazy Golf & the Cartwright Cup. This started three year's ago when the Master of the Marketors, Glynn Cartwright, issued a challenge to us as his son, Chiles, was a Freeman. From these humble beginnings, Chiles has grown it to 17 Livery Companies and 21 teams! The Insurers won and I am glad to report that we beat the Marketors to retain the Cartwright Cup! Well done, Chiles, for organising such a successful evening.

Global Entrepreneurship Week 17-23rd November 2025

We have been invited to the GEW Enterprise Summit and have only a couple of tickets left. If you want to come, let the Clerk know asap. It is 9am on Monday 17^th November at Rathbones, 30 Gresham Street and has some interesting speakers including Anne Boden MBE, Founder of Starling Bank, Deborah Meaden FRSA and Paul Lindley OBE, Founder of Ella’s Kitchen. I look forward to seeing you there.

Installation Dinner

No sooner will he have moved out of Mansion House, but Aldermen Alastair King will be installed as the 12th Master Entrepreneur on 24th November. This is an essential evening for all members - including twelve new members! The Chair of Revolut (and co-founder of Aberdeen Asset Management) is the guest speaker. Also, you will be able to pick up the latest Dare, Create, Succeed Magazine and the Almanac for the year ahead.

Unusually, nearly a whole month in advance, our crack team of event promoters led by Rita have sold well over half the tickets for Alastair's Dinner – book now to guarantee your place at the wonderful Painter-Stainers’ Hall.

The Lady Mayor’s Show

This will be the first ever! It is a wonderful day as the City, Livery, and beyond welcomes Alderwoman Dame Susan Langley DBE as 697^th Lord Mayor and the first to be styled "Lady Mayor" (Dame Susan is the only third woman in over 800 years to serve as Lord Mayor). Ten of our female founders are parading as part of the Show, and two more (also female founders) are representing the Entrepreneurs' Company as part of the City Belonging Project - do come along and see them. Helen and I will be on the Mansion House balcony as we have been lucky enough to be invited to lunch there.

Etiquette at Formal Events

As we will have so many guests and new members who may be new to Livery events, please let them know the protocol. This saves them embarrassment and makes for a more congenial evening. There will be a photographer and the photos will be available so they can ask for a picture. Encourage them to live in the moment and give their phones a well-earned rest! Please also remind them that they are expected to stay in their seats until after the Loyal toast. It enables the logistics for the waiters and other to run much more smoothly. These simple steps, together with the smart dress code make for some very special and memorable events.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing so many new faces there.

Dare, Create, Succeed!

James

James Talbot, Master Entrepreneur 2024-25