London Mayors’The

AssociationNEWSLETTER No. 15 Christmas 2003

Editor in Chief: Cllr Robert Davis. Editor: Hazel Weinberg. Assistant Editor: Tom Howl. Secretary: Mrs Helen Watson, 7 Highview Court, 57a Augustus Rd, London SW19 6LU (tel: 020 8788 9656). Published by: The London Mayors’ Association, 8 Bentinck Street, London W1U 2BJ.

Inside: New Mayors’ Reception • Civic Service • Clarence House Visit

In September, the London Mayors’ Association werehonoured to be allowed to host a private view of thenewly refurbished and extended Queen’s Galleryadjacent to Buckingham Palace, to view the majorexhibition of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Drawings.

The evening began with a fascinating lecture by one ofthe curators followed by a leisurely tour of themagnificent artifacts and paintings in the stunningGalleries.

www. londonmayors.org.uk

The Mayor & Mayoress of Kingston Upon Thames, The Mayor of Kensington & Chelsea & the Mayor & Mayoress of Sutton

The Mayor of Hammersmith & Fulham

The Mayors of Merton & Waltham Forrest

QUEEN’SGALLERYSELL OUT TOUR

The Queen’s Gallery

NEW MAYORS’ RECEPTION

Shortly after the round of MayorMaking Ceremonies, the Lord Mayor ofWestminster, Cllr Jan Prendergast,continued the new tradition of jointlywith the London Mayors’ Associationinviting all the newly elected Mayors ofthe London Boroughs to aReception in Westminster CityHall.

This year most of the newlyelected Mayors attended asdid Robert Finch the recently

The Mayors of Greenwich & Bromley

Helen Watson withthe Mayor of Bexley

The Mayor and Mayoress of Hounslow

The Mayoress of Brent, the Mayor of Hillingdon & theCivic Ambassador of Newham

The Lord Mayor of Westminster & the Mayor of Lambeth

After the tour of the Queen’s Gallery, Members adjourned to Westminster City Hall for a very enjoyable Dinner.

Cllr Ronnie Barden & Hon Ald Margaret Calcott JamesSheila Lyon & the Mayor & Mayoress of Barnet

Mr Stephen Bourne & the Mayor of HaringeyThe Mayor of Tower Hamlets & Mrs Gaye BranchThe Mayor of Greenwich & the Civic Ambassador or Newham

elected Lord Mayor of London and hiswife Patricia. The new Mayors were allimpressed by the views from the LordMayor’s Parlour of the whole of centralLondon. This was also a wonderfulopportunity for everyone to meet eachother. In fact, this year’s intake of newMayors has been the most active in theLondon Mayors’ Association in recentyears and now all but one of the 33London Boroughs have their civic leaderas a member of the London Mayors’Association.

The evening was also an opportunity forone of our Sponsors, Bob Bone of theLondon Parade, to tell all the newMayors about the New Year’s DayLondon Parade.

For the first time in many years, theLondon Mayors’ Association’s AnnualCivic Service in Westminster Abbey sawevery single London Boroughrepresented.

Twenty five Mayors, three DeputyMayors, the Speaker of Hackney, theChairman of Lewisham Council, theCivic Ambassador of Newham and theLord Mayor of Westminster processedfully robed and wearing full insignia,preceded by their Macebearer and Macethrough the Cloisters of Westminster

The Mayor of Dagenham, her Macebearer and a bust of the first Queen Elizabeth

The Mayors of Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulhamenjoy the post Service Reception

The Speaker of Hackney followed by the Mayor of GreenwichThe Mayor of Lambeth preceded by his MacebearerThe Mayor of Waltham Forest

Cllr Joe Trotter, Peter Moore the London Town Crier & Cllr Heather Johnson The Mayors of Richmond, Hillingdon & Havering

CIVIC SERVICEAbbey making quite a sight. The LordLieutenant of Greater London, LordImbert accompanied by many of hisDeputy Lieutenants also attended inuniform.

The service was led by Canon RobertWright, Chaplain to the Speaker of theHouse of Commons. The fullWestminster Choir sang beautifully andthose present were fascinated by theSermon given by Monsignor MarkLangham, Administrator of WestminsterCathedral.

A reception followed in the Great Hall ofWestminster School at which the LordMayor of Westminster was presentedwith a Birthday Cake with a candle on,which she blew out in a single puff tocelebrate a special birthday thatweekend.

Thanks go to the Chapter and staff ofWestminster Abbey, the Head Master ofWestminster School, Jenny BiancoCaterers and Helen Watson for allcontributing to make this one of the bestCivic Services in recent years.

Clarence HouseVisit

(Above) Members congregateoutside the gates toClarence House

Rosemarie Barden & purchasesfrom the Clarence House gift shop

Graham Holland & Cllr Robert Davis at tea in the East India Club

Jonathan Munday& Cllr DoreenWeatherhead

The Mayor of Mertonand her consort afterthe visit to ClarenceHouse

A portrait of the Queen as a young girl, in Clarence House

The London Mayors’ Association wereone of the first (and possibly the last)group of people allowed the honour totour Clarence House, the current homeand working office of the Prince of Walesand before him, Her Majesty QueenElizabeth The Queen Mother.

Such was the popularity of this specialvisit that we had to double the numberof tickets available and then turnedaway over 50 members who applied toolate. As it was, 108 members attendedthe staged visits in six groups of 18.

Those attending in the morning latermet up at the East India Club in StJames’s Square where a lavish lightlunch was served. Those attending inthe afternoon were given a sumptuousafternoon tea including scones andcream as well as pastries and cakes.

The tour of the five State or entertainingRooms on the Ground Floor of ClarenceHouse was very interesting, particularlybecause of the well briefed guides whoexplained everything about each of therooms. Much was similar to the state of

the House during the late QueenMother’s tenure, but had recently beenredecorated, whilst certain rooms hadundergone major renovation under thedirection of the Prince of Wales. After thetour, members then spent a little fortunein the specialist gift shop in St. James’sPalace. A very special day for everyonewho attended and as there are rumoursthat the Prince of Wales may notcontinue to open Clarence House tovisitors, a rare one too. Thanks go toGraham Holland who helped organisethe day

Cllr Marie Collier enjoying a lavish tea at the East IndiaClub after touring Clarence House

Cllr Marie Collier

ExhibitionThe Summer

Cllr Sheila Peacock & the Mayor of Barnet

The Mayor andMayoress of

Kingston uponThames

In July, members were honoured to be entertained by the President of the RoyalAcademy, Prof. Philip King CBE to Breakfast, then to a private view of the SummerExhibition. We were given a tour of the exhibits by the President himself who wasable to ‘try’ to explain what some of the exhibits were! Thanks go to RonnieRaymond Cox who organised the very enjoyable and illuminating visit.

Prof. Phillip King CBE President of the Royal Academy

and Cllr Ronnie Raymond Cox(with a sculpture by Prof. King)

The Mayor of Camden, Cllr Nazim Ali and his wife Amandahave produced a potential new member of the LondonMayors’ Association. Rio Ali was born in September andwithin weeks of his birth was performing his first mayoralengagement as escort to the Mayor of Camden at the LondonMayors’ Association Civic Service. He was the recipient ofmore kisses than even the Lord Mayor of Westminster, butdespite this, Rio behaved himself throughout the service, noteven crying when his Dad processed past fully robed. In fact,he slept throughout both the Service and Reception.

The London Mayors’ Association were treated to a wonderfulevening in August with a splendid Dinner at the OpusRestaurant in the Mayfair Intercontinental Hotel followed bythe best seats in the house for a production of John Godbar’scomedy April in Paris at the Mayfair Theatre. The Membersattending thoroughly enjoyed the evening and were greatlyamused by the play about a northern couple who win acompetition with the prize being their first visit abroad.Laughter was in the air as we watched them try French foodfor the first time and see the sights of Paris before falling inlove again.

There is no better way tospend a balmy summer’sevening in July, than inthe Open Air Theatre inRegent’s Park. And sothe visit of the LondonMayors’ Association wasa wonderfully enjoyableoccasion. Starting withsupper and Pimms on thepicnic lawn during alovely sunny summerevening, the productionof Shakespeare’s TwoGentlemen of Verona

was innovative, colourful and very enjoyable.

“A broad, sunny and sumptuously costumed newproduction” said the Metro Newspaper. Attended by fiftymembers and a number of incumbent Mayors, this was ahighly enjoyable evening.

Cllr Ronnie Barden with actors from Two Gentlemen of Verona

The Mayors of Waltham Forest & Camden with their Mayoresses

The Mayor of Camden with his wife and infant son

Cllr Robert Davis with the stars of the show Martin Barrass & Leda Hodgson

Future New Mayor

April in Paris

LONDON MAYORS’ MASONIC LODGEThere is a Masonic Lodge in London which was formed in 1911 in order thatMayors and Past Mayors of London Boroughs could meet and where thediscussion of politics and religion was not permitted. That rule still holds goodand the Lodge, although it now has an open membership with only four pastMayors still in active membership, continues to meet regularly in FreemasonsHall and dines together after the meeting.

If you would like further details, please contact Cllr. Albert Kanjee on 01494 873707 or Malcolm Hall on 020 8857 6286.

The Mayor & Mayoress of Sutton

Two Gentlemen of Verona

Luke Patrick O’Connor was Mayorof Camden in 1966. During theprevious six years, 23 children hadbeen run over in Robert Street,NW1. The 23rd child was JanetThorn, who was very badlyinjured.

Our local tenants leader Mrs ElsieComley, went along with, then,Cllr Dick Collins, to meet adelegation of about 30 tenantsprotesting about the lack of acrossing at the shopping area onRobert Street. They agreed to holda protest at 6.00am on thefollowing Monday. The Mayor,Cllr Paddy O’Connor was presentand offered to participate.

At 6 am on that Monday morningeveryone had arrived at RobertStreet to protest, as agreed,including myself. During thedemo, I picked up a trestle tableto block deliveries to the adjacentCo-Op, when Mayor O'Connortook it from me and as he placedit down, he was arrested by thePolice and taken to ClerkenwellMagistrates Court.

On my arrival to bail the Mayorout, I was informed that he hadalready been charged. Paddy’strial was at the SouthwarkAssizes. However, after a threeday trial he was acquitted.

On leaving the court, I said toPaddy “That was a bit of goodluck”. Paddy however replied“No, that was not good luck. TheJudge does not get on with hiswife and only goes home once amonth and it is now time for hismonthly visit”.

Whether this was Paddy’s sense ofhumour, or the truth, I will neverknow!

We finally got our crossing, thirtytwo years later!!

Jim TurnerFormer Mayor of Camden

HON ALDERMAN IAN CROFT, Mayor of Croydon 1992/3 writes

It was fascinating chatting to BBC TV NewsreaderDarren Jordan at the London Mayors’ AssociationAGM; like me, his first career was in the forces andwe found we’d been to similar dangerous placesand both had even jumped from airplanes.

Looking back, I didn’t set out to have militarythemes in my own Mayoral Year, but it happened,and my most memorable event was giving theFreedom of the Borough to all the Territorial ArmyUnits based in Croydon.

Because of my globe-trotting, the AGM was myfirst London Mayors’ Association meeting for fouryears. From my commuter’s desk in London during

the 1970s and 80s, I had this dream of permanent sunshine and so on retirement Imade it happen.

With the proceeds from our Croydon house, we bought an equivalent home in WestDorset, where my wife, Barb, and I live from May to October and one in WesternAustralia to spend the Oz summer.

There was enough left from the house transactions to fund our travel between thetwo homes for years. The cost of living in Australia is about half that of the UK. Inaddition we have no winter heating costs. So I can afford exotic stopovers. Last yearit was a train journey from Kanchanaburi along the Death Railway and this year itwill be Labuan where I served during the Confrontation war with Indonesia.

Our Australian home is just south of Perth, right on the coast and surrounded by golflinks and sand dunes. There, it has arguably the best climate in the world. I am oftenaccused of living the life of Riley and even of selling Croydon Town Hall - and there’sno answer to it, I can only grin from ear to ear. But that’s partly because I can stillcome back to savour these privileges, like meeting in the Banqueting Hall, which ourAssociation enjoys.

Ian Croft

Joan Dutton MCSPMayor of Sutton 1992-93

Joan set up a first when she was madeMayor of Sutton in 1992 as she wasfollowing her husband Ted in office andthis was the first time a husband andwife team had held this office. Hergrandfather had served as Mayor ofHaslington in Lancashire in 1927.

During her year of office, Joan set up‘Connect 2’ a buddy scheme for peoplewith learning difficulties. Joan was aCouncillor for 12 years until the 1994elections. Being a keen golfer and bridgeplayer she remained active until the end,despite a long illness. w

Sir Gordon Pirie CVO CBELord Mayor of Westminster 1974-75

After retiring from the RAF in 1946 heserved 32 years in local government inWestminster where, having overseen theamalgamation of the old Boroughs ofMarylebone, Paddington and West-minster in the 1960s, he became the firstLeader of the new Westminster CityCouncil and subsequently Lord Mayorof the new authority in 1974-75 and anactive leading member of the LondonMayors’ Association.

He was first elected to the old City ofWestminster in 1949. As well as beingLord Mayor of the new City he had beenMayor of the old City of Westminster in1959-60.

An arresting time remembered by Jim Turner (Mayor of Camden 1991-2)

Patrick O’ConnorMayor of Camden

in 1966View from afar

Obituaries

Saffron Court, 14b St Cross Street, London EC1N 8XA Telephone: 020 7421 8222 Fax: 020 7421 8199

This newsletter is sponsored by:

Visit to Pinewood StudosFRIDAY 30TH JANUARY 2004

Want to be in the movies? Well for fifteen minutes offame, you can join the London Mayors’ Association on atour of Pinewood Film Studios to watch majorinternational feature films being filmed. As we went topress the studios are currently filming Andrew LloydWebber’s “Phantom of the Opera”, “Thunderbirds” and“Alexander the Great”. Not only will we be given apersonal tour of the studios in small groups but we willalso join the executives from the Studios at a luncheon inthe Commissary. The cost will be £45.00 per personwhich will include a return coach trip from and toWestminster City Hall and lunch as well as the tour of thestudios. Due to Pinewood’s demands, the number ofplaces are very limited and so will be sold on a first comefirst served basis. An application form is enclosed.

Ceremony of the KeysWEDNESDAY 4TH FEBRUARY 2003

Members are invited on a tour of the Tower of Londonfollowed by Supper in the Officers’ Mess and a front lineview of the ancient Ceremony of the Keys. The price willbe £25.00 per person. Cheques to Robert Davis, 8 Bentinck Street London W1U 2BJ

103rd Annual Dinner SATURDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 2004

The London Mayors’ Association Annual Dinner will beheld in the Ballroom of the Radisson SAS Portman Hotel

in Portman Square London W1. A five-star Hotel with adistinguished ballroom, the Annual Dinner will bepresided over by the Lord Mayor of Westminster andattended by many members and guests. A bucks fizzreception will be followed with a three course dinner andwines. The price will be kept below that of last year at£55.00 per person. An application form is enclosed withthis Newsletter which should be sent with cheques to: Helen Watson of 7 Highview Court, 57a AugustusRoad London SW19 6LU.

Visit to MadridTHURSDAY 25TH MARCH 2004 TO SUNDAY 28TH MARCH 2004

Following the success of earlier foreign civic visits, theLondon Mayors’ Association will be travelling to Madridin March. We will stay at the recently renovated 4-StarEmperador Hotel, located in Gran Vía and close to allkind of shops, banks, cinemas, theatres and with easywalk of the historic city centre.

The visit will include tours of this beautiful City, a visit tothe fabulous Royal Palace and time to wander throughthe famous Prado Museum. On the Saturday we willtravel to the town of El Escorial (Not only the mausoleumof the Spanish Monarchs, but a Palace and monasterycomplex) and then to the Valley of the Fallen, anunderground church and tomb topped with a 500 footstone cross, which can be seen from a distance of 30miles. Although supposedly honouring all the dead inthe Spanish Civil war, only two names arecommemorated, those of General Francisco Franco and ofJosé Antonio Primo de Riverva, founder of the Falange.

DIARYAll meals, travel (including flights by British Midlandsfrom Heathrow Airport) and hotel are included in a priceper person of £550.00. (The price is the same whethersharing a double room or occupying a single room).

This is likely to be a popular trip and tickets will be soldon a first come first served basis. Application forms areincluded in this Newsletter and should be sent to: RobertDavis at 8 Bentinck Street London W1U 2BJ withcheques.

Half Yearly General Meeting andWallace Collection VisitThe Half Yearly General Meeting will be held at 4.15pmon Tuesday 6th January 2004 in the Lecture Theatre ofthe Wallace Collection, Manchester Square London W1.At 3pm that day, Members will be able to join a tour ofthe Wallace Collection given by its Director RosalindSavill. After the formal Meeting, members will be invitedto attend a Reception in the new Atrium. Tickets for theTour (£10.00) and the Reception (£10.00) can bepurchased by returning the application form whichaccompanies this Newsletter. Attendance at the GeneralMeeting itself will be free.

For the FutureOn the evening of the 6th July 2004 we will be visitingthe Magic Circle for Supper and a series of magic shows.Put this in your diary. Details to follow in a futureNewsletter. If you want to put your name down now,write to Robert Davis at 8 Bentinck Street, London W1U 2BJ.

In the midst of the grandsplendour of the BanquetingHouse, the only remaining partof Whitehall Palace, the homeof the Tudor and Stuartmonarchs from Henry VIII toWilliam III, just yards from theplace where King Charles I wasbeheaded, the newly installedLord Mayor of Westminster, CllrJan Prendergast chaired theAnnual General Meeting of theLondon Mayors’ Association.

Attended by a record breakingnumber of members, includingthe Lord Mayor of London, theformalities of the AGM werefollowed by a fascinating andenjoyable speech by BBC TVNews Reader Darren Jordan.This was followed by a winereception with canapes in theGreat Hall of the BanquetingHouse beneath the famousRubens ceiling. Thanks go toLin Kennedy, the Chief Exec-utive of the Banqueting Housefor allowing us to use the

facilities but for also attendingherself and giving us all adetailed history of the building.At the AGM, the followingofficers were elected:

Chairman:The Lord Mayor of Westminster

Vice-Chairman:Cllr Ronnie Barden

Treasurer: Michael Chartres

Secretary: Helen Watson

At the subsequent meeting ofthe Executive Committee, CllrRobert Davis was electedExecutive Chairman and CllrDiana Whittingham ExecutiveVice-Chairman. CouncillorsEdith Macauley (Merton) BryanCollier (Newham) JosephineBarrett (Hillingdon) and PeterGardner (Havering) weresubsequently co-opted on tothe Executive Committee forthe first time.

Annual General Meeting

Cllr Robert Davis and Darren Jordan (BBC TV Newsreader)

Lin Kennedy (Manager of the Banqueting House)with the President, Margaret Calcott James andher husband Colin

Cllr Joe Trotter and Cllr Frances Blois