The Worshipful Company of Poulters

The Worshipful Company of Poulters of London

 

Events

The City Food Lecture 2008

Guest Speaker:  The Rt Hon the Lord Haskins of Skidby .

Title:   'Are the Malthusian Chickens Coming Home to Roost?'

Panel Members:
  Sir Stuart Hampson
  Salman Amin, President of Pepsi UK & Ireland
  Professor David Harvey, Professor of Agriculture Economics, Newcastle University
  Harriet Lamb, Executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation.

A summary of the speech may be found at http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/5986

This event was held at the Guildhall Tuesday Jan 29th 2008. The City Food Lecture is now an established feature of both the City of London and the food industry. The lecture was promoted by the seven food related Livery Companies and there were four sponsors for the evening: The Real Good Food Company, Nestle, The Lockwood Press and Winter Berries. The City of London Corporation has continued its support and there was a civic opening of the proceedings

 

pancake race 1

The Annual Pancake Race

pancake race 2

In 2004 the Poulters inaugurated the City’s inter-livery pancake race. The original participants were Livery companies in some way associated with the making of pancakes with invited teams from the Mansion House and Guildhall. This event now takes place each year in Guildhall yard at midday on Shrove Tuesday by kind permission of the Chief Commoner.

It is a colourful event with competitors that included a Sheriff in 2004 running in their regalia and/or fancy dress. Each team consists of four competitors who compete for the Trophy - frying pans are awarded to the winner of each class final. Traditionally the Gunmakers start each heat with a bang, the Clockmakers are responsible for the accuracy of the timing, the Fruiterers provide lemons, the Cutlers plastic forks, the Glovers white gloves worn by each runner, and the Poulters the eggs essential in the making of the pancakes. A recent welcome additional attraction has been a specially commissioned piece sung by the Musicians Company.

Such is the appeal of the event that it has been widened to include other Livery Companies and Corporation Departments such as The Old Bailey, preferably with a relationship (however specious) to the making of pancakes. This year the Chief Commoner ran in, and won, a special heat which was put on by way of consolation for those Companies whose entries in the main event could not be accommodated because of its growing popularity. By so doing he also assured the Carmens’ Company, of which coincidently he is Master, of a place in next year’s main event.

Any surplus funds from the event and pancake sales are donated by the joint organisers, the Poulters’ Company and ‘The Cook and The Butler’, to the Lord Mayor's Charity.

The winners for 2008 were as follows:-

Masters' Race - The Farmers.
Ladies' Race - The Curriers
Liveryman's Race - The Farriers
Novelty Race - The Remembrancer's Dept
Victor Ludorum - The Remembrancer's Dept
Wooden Spoon - The Launderers
The Best Hat - The Farriers
Fastest Time - The Remembrancer's Dept - 11.83 secs !!!

These Companies will have entry as of right in the Pancake Races to be held on 24th February 2009.

 

For the Diary
2008
Friday, 4th May - Lady Day Court and Reception.
Tuesday, 13th May - Service for the sons of the clergy, St. Paul's Cathedral
Tuesday, 3rd June - Barking and Ilford Nepton Distributions
Tuesday, 24th June - Common Hall - Election of Sheriffs.
Wednesday, 25th June Midsummer Court and Luncheon.
Monday, 29th September - Common Hall - election of Lord Mayor

For full diary dates 2008-9, click here

 

Newsletter
For the latest edition of the newsletter (No 12) click here
For the previous edition of the newsletter (No 11) click here
For the previous edition of the newsletter (No 10) click here