MASTERS, CLERKS & BEADLES THROUGH THE AGES
In accordance with the Royal Charter the Company elect a Master and four Wardens on the 31st December every year or within 13 days of that date.
In theory there is no limit to the number of times someone can be the Master,
but usually they only do one year unless there are exceptional circumstances,
such as COVID.
The Master is the Chairman of the Company and for their year runs the Court. Three Masters of the Company have been the Lord Mayor. Sir Percy Vincent Bart was Lord Mayor in 1935/36 but was never the Master.
The Clerk is a full time employee of the Company and acts as the CEO. They are normally not members of the Company during their time in office though there have been some exceptions.
The Beadle was the Company’s policeman, enforcing the judgments of the Court. It is now a ceremonial role.
LIST OF THE MASTERS OF THE COMPANY
From the grant of the Second Royal Charter to date
| 1693 | Nathaniel Smith | |
| 1694 | Nathaniel Smith | |
| 1695 | Thomas Wright | |
| 1696 | Thomas Bracee | |
| 1697 | Daniel Biddle | |
| 1698 | Robert Rhodes | |
| 1699 | Robert Rhodes | |
| 1700 | Daniel Field | |
| 1701 | Daniel Field | |
| 1702 | Christopher Blower | |
| 1703 | Henry Southouse | |
| 1704 | Francis Greene | |
| 1705 | Thomas Price | |
| 1706 | John Shayler | |
| 1707 | Edward Page | |
| 1708 | Richard Andrew | |
| 1709 | John Lane | |
| 1710 | Charles Hosier | |
| 1711 | Charles Hosier | |
| 1712 | John French | |
| 1713 | Walter Turner | |
| 1714 | Walter Turner | |
| 1715 | Joseph Tucker | |
| 1716 | Joseph Tucker | |
| 1717 | Richard Taylor | |
| 1718 | George Prestland | |
| 1719 | George Prestland | |
| 1720 | William Southouse | |
| 1721 | William Southouse | |
| 1722 | Pauncefort Green | |
| 1723 | Pauncefort Green | |
| 1724 | William Harker | |
| 1725 | William Harker | |
| 1726 | Walter Crew | |
| 1727 | Walter Crew | |
| 1728 | Godwin Washbourne | |
| 1729 | Godwin Washbourne | |
| 1730 | Daniel Mallory | |
| 1731 | Daniel Mallory | |
| 1732 | Daniel Mallory | |
| 1733 | Lionel Barnes (Died) Samuel Morris (Successor) | |
| 1734 | Richard Drury | |
| 1735 | Richard Drury | |
| 1736 | John Haynes | |
| 1737 | John Haynes | |
| 1738 | John Dodsworth | |
| 1739 | Edmund Tanner | |
| 1740 | Richard Cook | |
| 1741 | Robert Berkeley | |
| 1742 | Robert Pitter | |
| 1743 | Nicholas Cunliffe | |
| 1744 | Robert Glyde | |
| 1745 | Thomas Gardiner | |
| 1746 | John Embry | |
| 1747 | Benjamin Lane | |
| 1748 | Benjamin Lane | |
| 1749 | William Jephcote | |
| 1750 | Robert Crew | |
| 1751 | Samuel Crouch | |
| 1752 | John Walklate | |
| 1753 | Andrew Aylesbury | |
| 1754 | John Court | |
| 1755 | John Court | |
| 1756 | Daniel How | |
| 1757 | William Read | |
| 1758 | John Waller | |
| 1759 | Samuel Plumb | |
| 1760 | George Vaughan | |
| 1761 | George Vaughan | |
| 1762 | Hewson Scott | |
| 1763 | Edmund Tanner | |
| 1764 | John Macartney | |
| 1765 | Joseph Atkinson | |
| 1766 | Stephen Crouch | |
| 1767 | William Dracutt | |
| 1768 | Benjamin Goffe | |
| 1769 | Henry Questead | |
| 1770 | George Naylor | |
| 1771 | Thomas Brown | |
| 1772 | Thomas Dewin | |
| 1773 | Benjamin Dewin | |
| 1774 | William Stackhouse | |
| 1775 | Adam Bellinger | |
| 1776 | Richard Sturley | |
| 1777 | Samuel Roberts | |
| 1778 | John Studdard | |
| 1779 | William Turner | |
| 1780 | John Read | |
| 1781 | Thomas Taunton | |
| 1782 | William Gomme | |
| 1783 | Joseph Carter | |
| 1784 | Joseph Allen | |
| 1785 | Charles Scott | |
| 1786 | John Scarnell | |
| 1787 | John Miles | |
| 1788 | Charles Lockwood | |
| 1789 | Thomas Boys | |
| 1790 | William Wigginton | |
| 1791 | William Stackhouse | |
| 1792 | John Richardson | |
| 1793 | Richard Lowther | |
| 1794 | Richard Birch | |
| 1795 | Samuel Fearne | |
| 1796 | Edward Hale | |
| 1797 | Edward Utton | |
| 1798 | John Proudley | |
| 1799 | John Chupcey | |
| 1800 | Edward Mottrom | |
| 1801 | William Turner | |
| 1802 | Thomas Chapman | |
| 1803 | William Reeves | |
| 1804 | Henry Turner | |
| 1805 | James Norton | |
| 1806 | John Uffington | |
| 1807 | John Mills | |
| 1808 | John Mills | |
| 1809 | Richard Lowther | |
| 1810 | Joseph Fearne | |
| 1811 | Lewis Mills | |
| 1812 | Joseph Turner | |
| 1813 | Joseph Turner | |
| 1814 | Joseph Turner | |
| 1815 | Thomas Boys | |
| 1816 | Thomas Boys | |
| 1817 | Thomas Boys | |
| 1818 | Thomas Boys | |
| 1819 | Robert Reynolds | |
| 1820 | William James | |
| 1821 | Joseph Johnson | |
| 1822 | John Fearne | |
| 1823 | James Scovell | |
| 1824 | Samuel Mcclary | |
| 1825 | Nicholas Boys | |
| 1826 | Joseph Fearne | |
| 1827 | William Lewis | |
| 1828 | Bilcliffe Martin | |
| 1829 | James Reynolds | |
| 1830 | Thomas Burgin | |
| 1831 | Ferdinand Camroux | |
| 1832 | James Scovell | |
| 1833 | William Walker | |
| 1834 | John Atherley | |
| 1835 | Henry Appleford | |
| 1836 | Edward Stillwell | |
| 1837 | James Boys | |
| 1838 | James Mcclary | |
| 1839 | George Scovell | |
| 1840 | Henry Johnson | |
| 1841 | William Bullmore | |
| 1842 | Thomas Hacktett | |
| 1843 | Michael Solomon | |
| 1844 | Ferdinand Camroux | |
| 1845 | Alfred Mcclary | |
| 1846 | Henry Bland | |
| 1847 | John Lane | |
| 1848 | Samuel Mcclary | |
| 1849 | William Burgin | |
| 1850 | Thomas Burgin | |
| 1851 | John Burgin | |
| 1852 | Benjamin White | |
| 1853 | Owen Clutton | |
| 1854 | Frederick Campbell | |
| 1855 | Frederick Campbell | |
| 1856 | Richard Miles | |
| 1857 | Edward Stillwell | |
| 1858 | Edward Stillwell | |
| 1859 | James Reynolds | |
| 1860 | George Benton | |
| 1861 | George Simons | |
| 1862 | William Claydon | |
| 1863 | Charles Corney | |
| 1864 | Edwin Newell | |
| 1865 | Charles Gammon | |
| 1866 | Charles Gammon | |
| 1867 | John Marshall | |
| 1868 | George Camroux | |
| 1869 | William Mashman | |
| 1870 | Frederick Stanton | |
| 1871 | David Jacobs | |
| 1872 | Edward Burke | |
| 1873 | Henry Johnson | |
| 1874 | George Foster | |
| 1875 | Isaac Johnson | |
| 1876 | Francis Pendered | |
| 1877 | Francis Pendered | |
| 1878 | George Davenport | |
| 1879 | George Davenport | |
| 1880 | John Luck | |
| 1881 | Thomas Fletcher | |
| 1882 | George Kenning | |
| 1883 | George Kenning | |
| 1884 | Major Hymen Joseph CC | |
| 1885 | Major Hymen Joseph CC | |
| 1886 | Major Hymen Joseph | |
| 1887 | James Abel | |
| 1888 | Horace Stewart | |
| 1889 | Gabriel Lindo CC | |
| 1890 | Gabriel Lindo CC | |
| 1891 | Gabriel Lindo CC | |
| 1892 | William Hays | |
| 1893 | William Hays | |
| 1894 | Edmond Fuller | |
| 1895 | Lt Col Phineas Cowan | |
| 1896 | Lt Col Phineas Cowan | |
| 1897 | Lt Col Phineas Cowan | |
| 1898 | James Bishop | |
| 1899 | Benjamin Cohen MP | |
| 1900 | Col Sir James Roper Parkington JP DL | |
| 1901 | Matthew Righton Webb | |
| 1902 | Edward Lee CC | |
| 1903 | Edward Lee CC | |
| 1904 | Alfred Hollington JP | |
| 1905 | Thomas Blair | |
| 1906 | William Shurmur JP | |
| 1907 | Sir Richard Stapley JP CC | |
| 1908 | Edwin Fox | |
| 1909 | Major Sir Harry North JP DL | |
| 1910 | James Speller | |
| 1911 | Sir Thomas Brook-Hitching | |
| 1912 | James Crowther JP | |
| 1913 | Cuthbert Wilkinson | |
| 1914 | Col & Alderman Sir William Dunn Bart – Lord Mayor in 1916/17 | |
| 1915 | Alfred Latter | |
| 1916 | Robert Cuthbertson | |
| 1917 | David Haes | |
| 1918 | William Norwood | |
| 1919 | Albert Slazenger CC | |
| 1920 | Sir Harry Foster JP DL | |
| 1921 | Cdr Enrico Arbib | |
| 1922 | Sir Harry Hepburn CC | |
| 1923 | R. Stafford Charles | |
| 1924 | H Cart De Lafontaine | |
| 1925 | W Trice CC | |
| 1926 | Alderman Sir Maurice Jenks Bart – Lord Mayor in 1931/32 | |
| 1927 | Fred Gillett CC | |
| 1928 | A. Rochester Brown | |
| 1929 | R Hedderwick | |
| 1930 | A. Stanley Bell CC | |
| 1931 | Sir Harold Downer | |
| 1932 | Col. Stephen Simpson NA TD DL | |
| 1933 | A Watts CC | |
| 1934 | Charles Syrett | |
| 1935 | Sir Henry Curtis-Bennett KC | |
| 1936 | Arthur Jarratt | |
| 1937 | Lt Col H Cart De Lafontaine OBE TD | |
| 1938 | Col Norman Ball JP | |
| 1939 | C. Digby Stillwell | |
| 1940 | C. Digby Stillwell | |
| 1941 | James Morton CC | |
| 1942 | Roland Benton | |
| 1943 | Alderman Sir George Wilkinson Bart – Lord Mayor in 1940/41 | |
| 1944 | John Cridlan | |
| 1945 | Harold Fairweather | |
| 1946 | Wilfred Nops | |
| 1947 | Alderman Sir Frederick Tidbury-Beer | |
| 1948 | William Brett CC | |
| 1949 | Leslie Johnson | |
| 1950 | Edgar Wheeler CC | |
| 1951 | Alderman Sir Denys Lowson Bart – Lord Mayor in 1950/51 | |
| 1952 | Howard Hicklenton | |
| 1953 | Frank Guttridge | |
| 1954 | Hubert Gill Cmg | |
| 1955 | Leonard Bingham | |
| 1956 | Ernest Watts CC | |
| 1957 | Ernest Fairbairn | |
| 1958 | Leslie Johnson | |
| 1959 | Benjamin Arthur CBE CC | |
| 1960 | James Perry | |
| 1961 | Herbert Toye | |
| 1962 | Frederick Grant JP | |
| 1963 | George Baker | |
| 1964 | Dennis Johnson | |
| 1965 | Albert Gregg | |
| 1966 | Bernard Thorpe | |
| 1967 | Philip Cresswell CC | |
| 1968 | George Perkins | |
| 1969 | Leslie Boyd | |
| 1970 | Frank Smith | |
| 1971 | Andrew Johnson | |
| 1972 | Clifford Jeapes | |
| 1973 | Douglas Dunstan | |
| 1974 | Robert Horton | |
| 1975 | Leslie Cork | |
| 1976 | R. A. Ralph Hedderwick CC | |
| 1977 | George Goobey | |
| 1978 | Rodney Fitzgerald | |
| 1979 | Lionel Mayhew | |
| 1980 | John Amey MME AFC JP | |
| 1981 | Montague Garrett DL | |
| 1982 | Ronald Nichols | |
| 1983 | Norman Harding CC | |
| 1984 | Bryan Toye | |
| 1985 | Richard Payne | |
| 1986 | Ronald Elliott | |
| 1987 | Richard Thorpe | |
| 1988 | Godfrey Davis | |
| 1989 | Peter Nathan Obe | |
| 1990 | Malcolm Hollins | |
| 1991 | Albert Clover | |
| 1992 | Derrick Kaye | |
| 1993 | Geoffrey Perkins | |
| 1994 | Roy Rutter | |
| 1995 | Geoffrey Brunning | |
| 1996 | Richard Vanderpump | |
| 1997 | Nigel Nichols | |
| 1998 | Peter Padley-Smith | |
| 1999 | George Constantinidi | |
| 2000 | Keith Kirby | |
| 2001 | Sir Peter Yarranton | |
| 2002 | Kenneth Blundell | |
| 2003 | Michael Roberts | |
| 2004 | Frank Saunders | |
| 2005 | James Walker | |
| 2006 | Stuart Holmes MVO | |
| 2007 | Brian Jones | |
| 2008 | James Simmons | |
| 2009 | Timothy Waller | |
| 2010 | John Edgcumbe | |
| 2011 | Vernon Knapper | |
| 2012 | Rodney Brody | |
| 2013 | Timothy Fitzgerald-O’Connor | |
| 2014 | Robin Hope | |
| 2015 | Michael Powell | |
| 2016 | Robert Lampitt | |
| 2017 | Paul Constantinidi | |
| 2018 | John Walsham | |
| 2019 | Malcolm Craig | |
| 2020 | Michael Gunston | |
| 2021 | Michael Gunston | |
| 2022 | Brian Turner | |
| 2023 | Catherine Carr | |
| 2024 | Catherine Carr | |
| 2025 | Timothy MacAndrews TD JP |
LIST OF THE CLERKS OF THE COMPANY
| 1694 | John Borrett (the City Solicitor) | |
| 1702 | William Borrett | |
| 1714 | William Hilditch | |
| 1718 | Samuel Briggs | |
| 1721 | Andrew Osborne | |
| 1739 | Nathaniel Stable and Joseph Brian | |
| 1740 | Jasper Bull | |
| 1748 | Thomas Harris | |
| 1774 | Joseph Ducker | |
| 1778 | William Robins | |
| 1820 | Richard Taylor | |
| 1822 | Jacob Mould | |
| 1824 | Samuel Lepard | |
| 1865 | Charles Gammon | |
| 1879 | Wynne Baxter JP DL | |
| 1919 | A. Charles Knight JP CC | |
| 1955 | Philip Cresswell CC – Member of the Company | |
| 1967 | Norman Harding | |
| 1968 | Philip Cresswell CC | |
| 1974 | David Reid | |
| 1987 | John Williams | |
| 2000 | Timothy Waller – Member of the Company | |
| 2005 | Cdr Robin House RN | |
| 2016 | Cdr Mark Dickens RN | |
| 2022 | David Utting DL VR |
LIST OF THE BEADLES OF THE COMPANY
| 1694 | Richard Brady | |
| 1701 | George Meakins | |
| 1723 | John Leech | |
| 1736 | Richard Drury | |
| 1743 | Robert Wrathall | |
| 1767 | James Dennis | |
| 1796 | William Wiggington | |
| 1810 | Richard Pugh | |
| 1826 | John Burgin | |
| 1856 | George Burgin | |
| 1866 | Abraham Hervey | |
| 1880 | Lovell | |
| 1931 | Rawles | |
| 1956 | Reginald Baldock | |
| 1976 | H F Moore | |
| 1993 | John Hollingsworth | |
| 2024 | Janice Scott |