5. The Jug Ceremony and visit to the Old Bailey

THE JUG CEREMONY WITH THE LORD MAYOR

All Governments are always short of money. This was as true in 1197 as it is true today.

In 1197, King Richard I was running short of money (no doubt because of the cost of the crusades), and he resolved to sell the conservancy of the River Thames to the Corporation of The City of London for the sum of 1500 crowns. And so he did on the 14^th July 1197.

This event is commemorated today by a ceremony at Mansion House involving the Master of the Water Conservators and The Lord Mayor.

And so it was that on Monday morning the 22^nd July I found myself at Mansion House to present The Lord Mayor , The Rt. Hon. Peter Estlin with a  specially engraved water jug filled with Thames water ( from the tap!) . The ceremony was also attended by The Lady Mayoress, The Thames Warden Rob Casey, Alderman Dr Sir Andrew Parmley, Past Master Keith Tozzi, and our Learned Clerk Ralph Riley.

VISIT TO THE OLD BAILEY AND DINNER

In the evening, Judy and I attended the Old Bailey as guests of the two Sheriffs , Liz Green and Vincent Keaveny  for a most interesting tour, followed by dinner in the Great Hall of the Old Bailey. The Great Hall hosted around 100 Masters and their consorts last night. It is a strikingly beautiful Hall sitting under a dome- essentially Victorian in its “feel” although Edwardian in its vintage. Much of the wall space is faced with beautiful green and white marble – the coolness of which was most welcome on a warm July night. The preceding tour of the Old Bailey was conducted by the two Sheriffs and was most instructive – not least our visit to the cells located in the basement of the building, and the contrast between the Grade I Listed Court No 1, which is substantially in its original layout and state, and the more modern layout of the other Courts in the building .