WCSIM Royal Charter

Prince Michael of Kent presents Royal Charter

The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress Alderman and Mrs Vincent Keaveny,were present when Prince Michael of Kent, a Liveryman of the Company of Scientific Instrument Makers,  presented the Company’s Royal Charter to Mr C A Holroyd, Master, at Mansion House on 22 June 2022. The Lord Mayor was the principal speaker at a banquet held afterwards and the Master paid tribute to the founding fathers of the Company and, in particular, the 10 Past Masters present. Alderman and Sheriff Alison Gowman and other members of the Company members and their guests were present.

Reported in the Court Circular, Other notices in The Telegraph on 23 June 2022

Photos of event can be found here.

Ms Tamara Finkelstein is guest of honour at the Annual Family Dinner of the Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers of London

Ms Tamara Finkelstein CB was guest of honour and spoke at the Annual Family Dinner of the Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers on Wednesday 27th April, 2022.

Tamara became Permanent Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2019, having previously led the department’s work on EU Exit Delivery.  Prior to her recent appointment, she led the Building Safety Programme following the Grenfell Tower fire at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Tamara is the daughter of Professor Ludwik Finkelstein OBE FREng who was himself a Liveryman of the Company and a sister of Lord (Daniel) Finkelstein OBE, an Honorary Liveryman of the Company.  However, Tamara reminded her audience that she herself had been supported as a Scholar of the Company during her study of Engineering Science at Balliol College, Oxford and prior to studying at the London School of Economics (LSE).  From University, she joined HM Treasury in 1992 as an economic adviser.

In her speech, she reflected on becoming a speechwriter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1997 and a senior adviser in 2000 in the Treasury, before holding a number of director roles.  She spoke in a moving speech of the influence of her mother, a holocaust survivor and her father who had been deported from his native Poland to the Soviet Union at the start of the war and how they met in London after the war.  She encouraged the audience, which included a large number of newly appointed apprentices and freemen, to pursue their career dreams and aspirations.

Ron Howard Memorial Dinner 2022

Past Master Ron Howard most kindly bequested a sum of money to the Livery, to be spent on an annual dinner for members of the Court and their consorts.

This year’s dinner was arranged by our Clerk Emeritus Neville Watson.  The 17th May was overcast with a threat of rain, and a bit cold for the time of year, but as we arrived at Berry Bros & Rudd No.3 St James’s Street we were met and cheered up by a glass(es) of fine champagne and some excellent hors d’oevres.

After a suitable interlude, during which Past Master Ken Saunders made a lovely speech thanking Caroline the Master’s Consort for her support of the Livery, we were called to dinner in the Sussex Cellar.  Surrounded by many cellars containing hundreds of thousands of bottles, we suspected that it would be a special evening – with no shortage of good wine.

We were not disappointed: A 2018 Meursault with the cured seabass on blood orange escabeche; a 2019 Nicolas-Jay pinot noir from Oregon to accompany the saddle of venison; the sweet 2013 Tokaji Aszú for the black cherry with iced pistachio parfait; and a 1994 Warre’s Port to round off dinner.

Whilst we were enjoying the port, Past Master Sir Ivor Cohen gave a wonderfully entertaining talk about Ron Howard, and then the Master gave a short speech to thank the Clerk Emeritus and those who had attended, and to wish everyone a safe journbey home.