The Entertaining Cleaners

On Monday last I was at the Court and Visiting Masters Luncheon of the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners in Armourers Hall. It is a hall I have never eaten in before although I have been inside it, as it is the start point for the Livery Halls Walk which takes place every year. The hall has a magnificent collection of armoury including what is claimed to be the most perfect and complete suit of armour in the country-although probably not the oldest.

The Master of the Environmental Cleaners has only recently been installed and this was his first 'Great Event'. He handled it with aplomb and had the great advantage of knowing that there would be post lunch entertainment-and he didn't have to provide it.

There were 7 Masters of other Companies as guests and after lunch each had to stand and speak for 4 minutes about their Company. Timing was critical since at 3.5 minutes the Clerk to the Company stood up holding a large yellow card with 3.5 written on it in large letters warning the speaker that he has only 30 seconds left. Dead on the 4 minute mark the Clerk stands again with a large red card with 4 written on it whilst simultaneously and loudly 'gonging out' the speaker if he is still speaking. 2 Masters were thus gonged out for not sticking within the allotted 4 minutes and had to sit down before finishing. All, of course, taken in good spirit.