30. 10th November 2019

Up quite early on a chilly and sunny Remembrance Sunday morning. Judy and I took the bus down to St Paul’s.

At 9.00am on Remembrance Sunday, Café Paul was the only café in St Paul’s Churchyard that was open – indeed the only establishment of any kind that was open! It therefore attracted the gathering City Livery as wasps to a honey pot. It was outside the Café that I put on my robes, offering mutual assistance to the Master Farrier!

Around 9.15, Judy and I entered St Paul’s  to attend A Service of Remembrance with The Commemoration of the Fallen . We were seated in the South Transept, almost under the dome. As we waited for the congregation to gather, my eyes were once again drawn upwards to gaze in wonderment at the perfection of Wren’s dome at St Paul’s – how did he manage such a prodigious workload, not only in the City , but elsewhere as well?

The Service was dignified. For me the highlights included some beautiful anthems sung by the Choir of St Paul’s , and some majestic and sonorous organ music that at times seemed to shake the very foundations of St Paul’s as it reverberated around the dome.

The timing of the Service was impeccable. As the last bugle notes of a perfectly executed Last Post echoed round the Cathedral, the first chimes of 11.00 o’clock struck , and the massed congregation observed the 2 Minutes Silence ,  finally broken only by the optimistic bidding of the Reveille.

Following the conclusion of the Service, the Livery processed down Cheapside to take up position for the laying of wreaths at the War Memorial outside The Royal Exchange. Once all units were present , a lone piper played a wistful lament in the chilly November air, and, with the skirl of the bagpipes as a backdrop, we were all left to our private Remembrance Sunday thoughts as wreath after wreath  was solemnly laid at the base of the War Memorial – the most poignant being that laid by the Veterans.

The Livery was then bidden to cross the road and to take up position under the Mansion House Dais to witness the march past, and the “ eyes left” salute by each unit  to the Lord Mayor as it marched past the Mansion House.

When the last unit had marched off down Cheapside , Judy and I walked back to the Guildhall to enjoy a traditional Sunday Lunch  in the entertaining company of a number of other Masters ,  and Clerks and their respective Consorts.