Furniture Makers take part in Lord Mayor’s Show

The Master and Wardens of The Furniture Makers’ Company joined thousands of others on the streets of the City of London at the Lord Mayor’s Show earlier this month to commemorate the new Lord Mayor of London taking office.

The Lord Mayor’s Show, the noisiest, largest, and most colourful event in the City of London’s calendar, took place on Saturday 9 November, bringing together over 6,500 people, 120 horses and over 60 decorated floats in a major spectacle that dates back to the 13th century.

William Russell, who was appointed as the 692nd Lord Mayor of the City of London on Friday 8 November, rode in the procession in the golden State Coach, which has been used in every Lord Mayor’s Show since 1757 and is the oldest ceremonial vehicle in regular use in the world.

The annual event, which celebrates the City’s ancient past and modern outlook, enables the Lord Mayor to ‘show’ himself or herself to people across the City of London, as well as to swear an oath of allegiance to the sovereign.

Master Dids Macdonald OBE, Senior Warden David Woodward and Junior Warden Tony Attard OBE DL took part in the modern livery companies procession.

Cheered on by tens of thousands of people lining the streets and millions watching the live BBC coverage and online streaming of the event, the procession left Mansion House, the Lord Mayor’s official residence, at 11.00am.

Lord Mayor William Russell said: “There is nothing quite like the Lord Mayor’s Show, in terms of size, colour, or ability to bring together so many diverse participants, including young people from London’s schools and community groups, in one celebratory and inclusive event.

“Championing innovation, growing our global trade and investment, and promoting culture and the arts will be the three key themes of my mayoral year, all of which contribute towards making the City, London, and the UK such appealing places in which to live, learn, work, and to visit.”

The Master said: “The Lord Mayor’s show, now 804 years old, is one of those annual, glamorous and diverse celebrations that has been a fixture of London life for generations. Today it is a celebratory civic parade of over 6000 people when we, as The Furniture Makers’ Company, join many other livery companies, military bands and ceremonial displays to march together as a fantastic pageant to salute our great City. Thousands lined the street including children who were eager recipients of the hundreds of packets of sweets we handed out.”