Furniture Makers take part in inter-livery pancake race

The annual inter-livery pancake race took place today (28 February) outside Guildhall, London.

The Worshipful Company of Poulters started the inter-livery pancake race in 2004.

Originally restricted to livery companies in some way associated with the making of pancakes (the Poulters take the eggs, the Fruiterers the lemons and the Cutlers the plastic forks), the event has been extended for all livery companies to take part in.

The event includes competitors running in their livery gowns and/or fancy dress. Each team consists of four competitors who compete for the trophy – frying pans are awarded to the winner of each class final.

Our Master Ben Burbidge led the Furniture Makers team, alongside the clerk Jonny Westbrook, Liveryman Gary Smith, who entered the fancy dress race as a fantastic ‘Moo-sician’, and Young Furniture Maker Francesca Rossi.

All came second in their race, and the ‘Moo-sician’ was awarded a well-deserved second prize in the fancy dress competition.

Traditionally the Gunmakers start each heat with a bang, the Clerk to the Clockmakers is responsible for the accuracy of the timing, the Fruiterers provide lemons, the Cutlers plastic forks, the Glovers white gloves worn by each runner, and the Poulters the eggs essential in the making of the pancakes. A recent welcome additional attraction has been a specially commissioned piece sung by the Musicians Company.

Any surplus funds from the event and pancake sales are donated by the joint organisers, the Poulters’ Company and ‘The Cook and The Butler’, to the Lord Mayor’s Charity.