Charter Night 2024
April 6, 2024
March 21st was a big night in the Shrewsbury Drapers Company’s Calendar as it was their Charter Night. This means that the current Master is
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Shrewsbury Drapers Company is a long-established Guild which was granted a royal charter in 1462 and was historically responsible for the importation of unfinished Welsh cloth into England. The Guild has been running almshouses continuously since 1444.
The Company operates through a Court who appoint a Master, a Senior Warden and a Junior Warden to serve for one year.
The officers of The Company are appointed on Charter night – for the 2024/2025 year this was on March 21st
From Left to right. Clerk – Jan Boyd, Master – Trevor Hunt, Senior Warden – Nancy Sykes Waller and Junior Warden – Mandy Thorn.
| Years | Master | Senior Warden | Junior Warden | Clerk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | Mr Trevor Hunt | Mrs Nancy Sykes Waller | Mrs Mandy Thorn | Mrs Jan Boyd |
| Years | Master | Senior Warden | Junior Warden | Clerk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | Mrs Gaynor Bowen | Mr Trevor Hunt | Mrs Nancy Sykes Waller | Mrs Jan Boyd |
| 2022/23 | Mr Brian Newman | Mrs Gaynor Bowen | Mr Trevor Hunt | Mrs Jan Boyd |
| 2021/22 | Mr John Crackett | Mr Brian Newman | Mr Henry Milward | Mrs Jan Boyd |
| 2020/21 | Mrs Christine Holmes | Mr. John Crackett | Mr Brian Newman | Mrs Jan Boyd |
| 2019/20 | Dr.Tom Taylor | Mrs Christine Holmes | Mr. John Crackett | Mrs Jan Boyd |
| 2018/19 | Mrs Mary Rose Bone | Dr.Tom Taylor | Mrs Christine Holmes | Mrs Jan Boyd |
| 2017/18 | Dr Ashley Fraser | Mrs Mary Rose Bone | Dr.Tom Taylor | Mrs Jan Boyd |
| 2016/17 | Mr Gordon Crofts | Dr Ashley Fraser | Mrs Mary Rose Bone | Mrs Jan Boyd |
| 2015/16 | Mr Richard Clowes | Mr Gordon Crofts | Dr Ashley Fraser | Mrs Jan Boyd |
| 2014/15 | Mrs Jan Boyd | Mr Richard Clowes | Mr Gordon Crofts | Mr Richard Auger |
| 2013/14 | Mr Gareth Jenkins | Mrs Jan Boyd | Mr Richard Clowes | Mr Richard Auger |
| 2012/13 | Mr Andrew Cross | Mr Gareth Jenkins | Mrs Jan Boyd | Mr Richard Auger |
| 2011/12 | Mr Nigel Hinton | Mr Andrew Cross | Mr Gareth Jenkins | Mr Richard Auger |
| 2010/11 | Mr David Tudor | Mr Nigel Hinton | Mr Andrew Cross | Mr Richard Auger |
| 2009/10 | Dr Robert Hatts | Mr David Tudor | Mr Nigel Hinton | Mr Richard Auger |
| 2008/09 | Mr Adam Lofthouse | Dr Robert Hatts | Mr David Tudor | Mr Richard Auger |
| 2007/08 | Dr Margaret Simmons | Mr Adam Lofthouse | Dr Robert Hatts | Mr Richard Auger |
| 2006/07 | Mr Maurice Galliers | Dr Margaret Simmons | Mr Adam Lofthouse | Mr Richard Auger |
| 2005/06 | Mr Barrie Davey | Mr Maurice Galliers | Dr Margaret Simmons | Mr Richard Auger |
| 2004/05 | Mr Robert (Bob) M.J. Freeman | Mr Barrie Davey | Mr Maurice Galliers | Mrs Susan B Auster |
| 2003/04 | Mr Ronald Gee | Mr Robert (Bob) M.J. Freeman | Mr A B Davey | Mrs Susan B Auster |
| 2002/03 | Mr John A Clayton | Mr Ronald Gee | Mr Robert (Bob) M.J. Freeman | Mr Barry Davey |
| 2001/02 | Mr Michael G Robins | Mr John A Clayton | Mr Ronald Gee | Mr Barry Davey |
| 2000/01 | Mr Brian G Callard | Mr Michael G Robins | Mr John A Clayton | Mr Barry Davey |
| 1999/00 | Mrs Susan B Auster | Mr Brian G Callard | Mr Michael G Robins | Mr Barry Davey |
| 1998/99 | Brigadier Nigel Sturt | Mrs Susan B Auster | Mr Brian G Callard | Mr Barry Davey |
| 1997/98 | Mr Richard N E Raven | Brigadier Nigel Sturt | Mrs Susan B Auster | Mr Dennis Spencer |
| 1996/97 | Lt Colonel Richard W Osborne | Mr Richard N E Raven | Brigadier Nigel Sturt | Mr Dennis Spencer |
| 1995/96 | The Rt Hon The Lord Kingsland | Lt Colonel Richard W Osborne | Mr Richard N E Raven | Mr Dennis Spencer |
| 1994/95 | Professor J H Patrick | Sir Christopher Prout | Lt Colonel Richard W Osborne | Mr Dennis Spencer |
| 1993/94 | Dr Patrick C Anderson | Professor J H Patrick | Sir Christopher Prout | Mr Dennis Spencer |
| 1992/93 | Judge A K Freeman | Dr Patrick C Anderson | Professor J H Patrick | Mr Dennis Spencer |
| 1988 | Mr A K Freeman | Mr A W J Houghton | Mr B Wright | ~ |
| 1987 | His Honour Judge P Northcote | ~ | ~ | ~ |
March 21st was a big night in the Shrewsbury Drapers Company’s Calendar as it was their Charter Night. This means that the current Master is
On the 27th June the Shrewsbury Drapers and residents of the Drapers Almshouses enjoyed some extremely delicious cakes and scones (purchased from the Refresh cafe
Recently the Master, Brian Newman and the Clerk of Shrewsbury Drapers Company, Jan Boyd attended a Royal Garden Party at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh in recognition
A group of Shrewsbury Drapers, friends and family were treated to a private tour of the Military Museum within Shrewsbury Castle. The museum was originally curated by Mr Parfitt, the father-in-law of one of our very own Drapers.
The exhibition of the Shropshire Soldiers evolution going back nearly 300 years from 1755 to 1968 was fascinating and impressively displayed. There is a spectacular collection of uniforms, weapons, medals and silverware.
Towards the end of the tour we were given a very informative talk about the history of rifles, showing examples of muskets from the 18th century right up to guns used in the present day. We were also shown (and allowed to handle and try to pick up) the enormously heavy equipment and protective gear that a modern soldier has to carry.
If you haven’t already been to the museum it is well worth a visit! #shrewsburycastle ... See MoreSee Less
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March 21st was a big night in the Shrewsbury Drapers Company's Calendar as it was their Charter Night. This means that the current Master is replaced with whoever has been the Senior Warden for the past year, the Junior Warden becomes the Senior Warden, and a new Junior Warden is appointed. The immediate Past Master is Gaynor Bowen, the new Master is Trevor Hunt, the Senior Warden is now Nancy Sykes Waller and Mandy Thorn is the new Junior Warden. It is also an occasion to give a warm welcome to the new Drapers who also attended the evening.
The evening saw the tradition of the loving cups being used, but not in the same way as previously, because since Covid the cups have not been passed round to share as obviously they could spread germs! So now just the Master and the Wardens drink from individual silver loving cups. The loving cups are a symbol of friendship and fraternity but the full ceremony when they are passed round for all to drink from has a less convivial origin.
The Loving Cup's Tradition History.
The Ceremony of the Loving Cup is linked with the assassination of the Anglo-Saxon King Edward in 978.
The story goes that King Edward's stepmother plotted his death so that her son Ethelred (the Unready) should succeed him. On arrival at Corfe Castle in Dorset, Edward was stabbed in the back whilst he was drinking from a goblet of welcome held in both his hands. To prevent any repetition of this dreadful event, the back of the drinker is now guarded by their neighbour in the Ceremony.
During Celtic times, the Loving Cup Ritual was a regular feature of banquets and ceremonial toasts. In Scotland, this cup is known as a quaich, which comes from the Celtic word cuach, meaning cup. It can symbolise the unification of two families and strengthens the tie between the two who drink from the two-handled cup.
The Ceremony
When your neighbour with the Cup in their hand turns round to face you, you rise from your seat and you each bow to each other, then they drink and wipe the Cup. The drinker hands you the Cup and you bow to each other again.
You turn round to face your second neighbour, on your other side. They rise and you bow to each other. You then hand the cup to them, and you bow to one another for the second time.
You then turn your back to the person to whom you have just handed the cup thus guarding their back to prevent assault in the manner suffered by King Edward. When they have finished and handed on the cup, you resume your seat.
No more than three persons should be standing at the same time.
This is just one of the many traditions that The Drapers try to preserve, the main one being the running of Almshouses which we have been doing since the 1440's. Today we have 51 Almshouse units in 5 different sites providing safe, comfortable and affordable homes for people in their later years. ... See MoreSee Less
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Today a few of the Shrewsbury Drapers Company were treated to a tour of the new kitchens at the restaurant Rhubarb, at Drapers Hall in Shrewsbury. We were given a short, but very informative talk by Robin Gough (chairman of the Drapers Hall Preservation Trust) who has worked closely with Adrian and Miriam (proprietors of Rhubarb) on the project. We were extremely impressed that it only took 6 weeks to complete considering the amount of work involved which included digging out 4 feet of earth from the floor!
The restaurant and boutique hotel are now open again and ready to welcome customers old and new! ... See MoreSee Less
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Wow, great looking kitchen there you have, chefs dream, good effort
A PRESENTATION OF LETTERS FROM BUCKINGHAM PALACE To Shrewsbury Drapers Company took place at FAIRFORD PLACE
A presentation of two framed letters from Buckingham Palace was made at a residents Coffee Morning at Fairford Place on Tuesday 12th March 2024. The presentation was made by the current Master Gaynor Bowen and the Immediate Past Master Brian Newman in the company of residents, Drapers and members of staff.
The first letter received on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the second letter on the Coronation of King Charles III will be displayed alongside each other in the Mulberry Room at Fairford Place, Shrewsbury. ... See MoreSee Less
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A sneaky peeky of Rhubarb’s new kitchen at Drapers Hall, Shrewsbury. ... See MoreSee Less
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The restaurant Rhubarb at Drapers Hall, Shrewsbury, is re-opening on the 29th of February 2024
Miriam and Adrian and their team will be serving a full new menu with food from their new kitchen following a 6 week rebuilding project. ... See MoreSee Less
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