The 78th United Guilds Service

On Friday 1 April the Master, Wardens and Liverymen of the Brewers’ Company attended the 78th United Guilds Service at St Paul’s Cathedral.

In 1943 the Livery Companies of the City of London were at a low ebb. The country was still in the midst of the Second World War and the City of London had suffered terribly in the Blitz. Many Livery Companies, the Brewers’ included, had had their Halls destroyed in the bombing. At a meeting of the Masters and Prime Wardens of the Great Twelve Companies held at Goldsmiths’ Hall on 1 February that year, it was decided to hold a service in St Paul’s Cathedral to lift the spirits of the Livery Companies and Guilds of the City of London. As far as records show, this was the first occasion on which all of the Livery Companies and Guilds of the City combined to hold a religious service and it has been held annually ever since.

This year the Brewers’ Company Master, Wardens and members of the Livery joined representatives from all 110 Livery Companies, as well as other Guilds, at a very special service. Very sadly, though of course rightly for safety reasons, it had not been possible to hold the Service in 2020 and 2021, so it was with great joy that everyone returned this year. The event began with the grand spectacle of the Masters of a number of Livery Companies in their full regalia processing into the Cathedral accompanied by City Officers and Beadles. During the service the Very Reverend Dr David Ison, Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, reflected particularly on the philanthropic work of the Livery Companies, which between them distributed over £76 million to charitable causes in 2021.

Usually the Company is delighted to invite members of the Livery, as well as the Distillers’ and Coopers’ Companies, to lunch at Brewers’ Hall following the service and we look forward to doing so again next year. This year, due to the ongoing redevelopment of Brewers’ Hall, a scaled back lunch with the Master at a nearby Fullers pub was a lovely way to conclude this event celebrating the spirit of friendship and solidarity which remains as strong as ever between the Livery Companies and Guilds of the City of London.