Breakfast in Carpenters' Hall
Guildhall at 0700 am

Masters' and Clerks' Common Hall Breakfast

24th June 2026

Carpenters' Hall

With the extreme temperatures this week, I daren't trust the trains to and from the West Country, so got up at 0400 on Wednesday 24 June to drive to London, making sure I was in the City in time for the Livery breakfast generously laid on by The Cook & Butler before Common Hall.

Parking at the Barbican at 0700 was perfect timing for a quiet and relatively cool walk to Carpenters' Hall, passing through Guildhall Yard en route. So sad to see the piles of rubbish left over from an event in the Yard the night before that will have to be dealt with by someone. What a shame people can't just tidy up after themselves! I sat outside the Dutch Church in Austin Friars for a while, looking across at Furniture Makers' pretty hall and watching the City pigeons feasting on more piles of rubbish around my feet.

Mark Groves welcomed us into Carpenters' Hall at 0800 with a glass of champagne or Buck's Fizz, and by 0830 the place was filling up with Masters, Clerks and various other City guests. We were soon enjoying a generous cooked breakfast and pastries, and the hall was loud with chatter and clatter. I sat next to the Master Fruiterer, Christopher Newenham, MD of that famous jam and marmalade-making company, Wilkin & Sons Ltd, Tiptree who was wearing his badge on a ribbon embroidered with beautiful fruit emblems. Just the best person to share a breakfast with! I was also joined by Mary Hardy, President of the United Wards' Club, so more learning to be done!

Then back into the heat of the morning to walk to Guildhall in time to meet Beadle Dan and gown up for Common Hall.