Jailed and Bailed
In which twenty Masters are banged up and (hopefully) released
Surely we cannot have such a criminal class leading our City's oldest and finest organisations - oh yes we can when the Mayor and British Red Cross are involved ...
Yes, this was a fundraising exploit a regular feature in the Civic City Year, all part of our philanthropy and the support that the Mayor and Livery gives to the British Red Cross and we achieved some £33,000 between us. The day starts when the Lord Mayor hosts an At Home - morning coffee, nothing too fancy, for a group of Masters. All goes well until the strong arm of the law interrupts and accuses all present of being criminals, guilty of heinous crimes, you know: being Just-Too-Late, rather than Just-In-Time; Falling-Asleep-on-the-Tube and taking the Scenic Tour home (via Heathrow); terrifying neighbours by wielding a chainsaw or two when taming a large yew tree; using ten words when one or two might suffice: "Guilty" ...
OK - enough about my charges. Actually, as the set of pictures below shows - the Sheriffs led the proceedings and sent each one of us "down to The Tower" in the presence of the Chairman of the British Red Cross and a delightful volunteer Audrey Tibbles (87!) who has been a fundraiser and first aider with the charity since - wait for it - 1943, during WW2 when she was just 16. Subsequently she was on duty at the Queen's Coronation in 1953 and at Winston Churchill's funeral - and then continued as a first aider until 2000 when she turned to supporting the charity's fundraising team. The pictures tell the story of the day: the criminals being read their charges, being lined up for transport, frog-marched through The Tower (to the great enjoyment of the tourists), enjoying the hospitality of the Garrison, and being shown the door (with their fingerprint records and time for a final photo-call!):
I am delighted that there were sufficient members of WCoMC willing to contribute to my Bail and I was duly released from the hardship of the Garrison, as shown above, although I am sure some hoped that by posting bail, I would be kept in The Tower.
Sorry! That is not how it works. Mind you, one colleague (who should best remain nameless) has suggested that the Master with the lowest "bail" contribution to the fundraising effort should be kept in The Tower for longer, possibly overnight?