The Court of Assistants
The Court of Assistants (or ‘Court’ as it is usually known) is established by Royal Charter to assist the Master and Wardens (the Officers) in running the affairs of the Company. The role of the Court is to determine the Company’s Mission, Supporting Objectives and other policies and is the ultimate authority for any Company issue. It will delegate the identification of Company Tasks and the detailed running of the Company’s affairs to subordinate committees.
The Officers are elected at Common Hall (essentially the AGM of the Company) in June each year, in a vote conducted in accordance with the Company’s Standing Orders and Executive Rules.
Volunteers sit on committees such as Finance, Craft & Training, Communications, Membership Development, Fundraising and Social Committees. All committees report to the Court. There are also two independent charities the Trustees of which are members of the Company.
Master: Alistair Wood LVO MBE

Alistair Wood is a former Regular Army Officer with service in the UK, Australia, Germany, and Pakistan between 1974 and 1993. While being educated in England his early life was divided between family in New Zealand and Scotland, largely on the Isle of Skye. He graduated from the Army Staff College Quetta in Pakistan, and completed staff appointments as an Instructor at the Army Staff College (Junior Division) and in the Ministry of Defence. He has a Masters degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Aberdeen, and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
On leaving the Army he has worked as an Advisor at two and three star level to a number of UK Government Departments including the Home Office, FCO and DfID specialising in security coordination, governance, and operational delivery within the national security sector, principally in conflict and post conflict environments. Seconded assignments have included the Balkans, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Ethiopia on national security stabilisation programmes.
He returned to the UK to take up the role of Private Secretary to TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at Kensington Palace where his duties included substantive representation of the Monarchy in its global duties. On leaving the Royal Household he established with colleagues a group of commercial and not for profit entities that promote the development the potential of the Commonwealth in the areas of collective security, resilience, trade, and education.
In 2016 he joined the London Scottish Regimental Trusts as Clerk. The Trusts are currently engaged in a substantive programme of change at the heart of which is the development of a financially viable community hub to the underpin the concept of Scotland in London. From 2019 he became director and Chief Executive of the charities trading arm, London Scottish Volunteer Enterprises Ltd, and is overall project director for the refurbishment of London Scottish House. He also runs an eye charity in Nepal funding medical camps that provide cataract surgery to remote communities above 2000 metres.
Upper Warden: Alderman & Sheriff Alastair King DL

Founder of the Naisbitt King Group, a fund management house, headquartered in the City of London. Alastair originally qualified as a solicitor and practiced with Baker & McKenzie in London and in Asia. He moved into venture capital/private equity with NewMedia Spark (now Spark Venture Management) and then, with a small investor group, took control of Galahad Capital PLC where he was Managing Director. He then founded Glendevon King Limited, a fund management company, and Eredene Capital PLC, an AIM-quoted investment company specialising in Indian Infrastructure projects prior to starting Naisbitt King Group. Alastair also has an MSc in Finance from London Business School. He has represented his home Ward of Queenhithe in the City of London first as a member of Common Council then as Alderman, continuously since 1999. Among his charitable involvements, he is Vice Chairman of Breast Cancer Haven. His interests are boxing and mountain climbing. Alastair is also Aldermanic Sheriff for the year 2022-23.
Renter Warden: Peter Blincow

Peter Blincow holds separate honours degrees in Law and History of Art, a Master’s Degree in Construction Management and a number of other Diplomas and Certificates by examination. He was also a member of a number of Professional Bodies by examination, including being Fellows of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. In addition, he was published as a Barrister and is a member of The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn. He trained at two international Surveying Practices. Upon leaving the second firm, Peter commenced practicing, as a Chartered Surveyor, on his own account on 1 October 1988 and that continued through to 31 October 2019. He never practiced at the Bar as a Barrister, but became involved in Alternative Dispute Resolution within the Construction Industry.
Peter has been a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors for the whole of his career. He was involved with the Young Surveyors rising to be Treasurer of the Junior Organisation – some 33,000 Members under the age of 33. In due course, he became Honorary Secretary of Central London Branch of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (6,500 Members) – a post he held for 5 years. A work commitment prevented him becoming Chairman of the Branch. The intervening commitment was an Appointment to resolve two difficult Trade Packages for the construction of the Extension to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. That commitment continued for 2 years because one Trade Package became a complex dispute which resulted in an Arbitration.
The Extension to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre hosted the Handover Ceremony of the Colony of Hong Kong at midnight on 1 July 1997. That Ceremony formally transferred authority for the Colony from the United Kingdom to the People’s Republic of China.
In the very early 1990s Peter became a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors having been granted the Freedom of the City of London. Subsequently, he joined the Worshipful Company of Masons in 2013.
Peter’s interests include paintings, architecture, reading, wine, cooking, fishing, shooting and skiing.
Peter lives in Central London.
Masters
1600-1821
Year | Firstname | Surname |
1620 | James | Gilder |
1621 | John | Dowse |
1622 | Henry | Parkins |
1623 | William | Warde |
1624 | Richard | Middleton |
1625 | Thomas | Turpin |
1626 | William | Wilson |
1627 | Thomas | Jordan |
1628 | John | Hince |
1629 | Gilbert | Arnold |
1630 | Richard | Midlleton |
1631 | Richard | Midlleton |
1632 | Richard | Chilton |
1633 | Nicholas | Stone |
1634 | Nicholas | Stone |
1635 | Edmund | Kinsman |
1636 | Thomas | Priestman |
1637 | Francis | French |
1638 | Hugh | Jones |
1639 | John | Gardiner |
1640 | William | Smith |
1641 | John | Shuttleworth |
1642 | Richard | Llewellyn |
1643 | Thomas | Moore |
1644 | William | Dorbar |
1645 | Thomas | Stanley |
1646 | John | Young |
1647 | Richard | Bancks |
1648 | John | Collis |
1649 | Henry | Wilson |
1650 | Edward | Marshall |
1651 | Thomas | Richardson |
1652 | Richard | Mildmay |
1653 | Humfrey | Moyer |
1654 | Roger | Lewes |
1655 | Henry | Wilson |
1656 | Thomas | Jordaine |
1657 | John | Younge |
1658 | Benjamin | Richardson |
1659 | John | Parker |
1660 | Thomas | Stanton |
1661 | Thomas | Moore |
1662 | Richard | Herenden |
1663 | Clement | Cole |
1664 | Thomas | Shorthose |
1665 | Stephen | Switzer |
1666 | George | Dowswell |
1667 | John | Shuttleworth |
1668 | Thomas | Shadbolt |
1669 | Henry | Banckes |
1670 | Joshua | Marshall |
1671 | James | Bryan |
1672 | James | Masters |
1673 | Thomas | Cartwright |
1674 | Richard | Cooke |
1675 | Thomas | Place |
1676 | Thomas | Berrowe |
1677 | Mr. | Marshall |
1678 | Mr. | Bumpsted |
1679 | Mr. | Noble |
1680 | Abraham | Storey |
1681 | Thomas | Wise |
1682 | Nicholas | Young |
1683 | Henry | Wilson |
1684 | Abraham | Storey |
1685 | Abraham | Storey |
1686 | John | Shorthose |
1687 | John | Martin |
1688 | William | Stanton |
1689 | William | Stanton |
1690 | John | Thompson |
1691 | Christopher | Kempster |
1692 | Edward | Mitchell |
1693 | William | Stanborough |
1694 | Thomas | Cartwright d1702 aged 85 |
1695 | John | Young |
1696 | Edward | Strong |
1697 | John | Clarke |
1698 | Thomas | Wise |
1699 | Thomas | Hill |
1700 | Christopher | Kempster |
1701 | Ephraim | Beacham |
1702 | Thomas | Craven |
1703 | William | Wise |
1704 | William | Collins |
1705 | William | Kempster |
1706 | John | Walker |
1707 | William | Collins |
1708 | William | Woodman |
1709 | Thomas | Stainer |
1710 | Thomas | Cartwright II (Son) |
1711 | James | Hardy |
1712 | Richard | Garbutt |
1713 | Richard | Crutcher |
1714 | Thomas | Slemaker |
1715 | James | Padget |
1716 | Edward | Buckingham |
1717 | William | Holland |
1718 | Edward | Strong Jr |
1719 | Capt. Edward | Stanton |
1720 | Barth. | Woolfe |
1721 | Capt Thomas | Cartwright |
1722 | Charles | Gardiner |
1723 | John | Gilbert |
1724 | John | Cooper |
1725 | Christopher | Cass |
1726 | Capt. Samuel | Saunders |
1727 | Thomas | Dunn |
1728 | Robert | Kidwell |
1729 | Richard | Lissiman Jr |
1730 | Joshua | Channing |
1731 | John | Stanley |
1732 | James | Watts |
1733 | Robert | Taylor |
1734 | Christopher | Horsenaile |
1735 | Thomas | Iden |
1736 | Martin | Wardell |
1737 | Oliver | Kidwell |
1738 | Edward | Townsend |
1739 | Samuel | Warrall |
1740 | Richard | Charlton |
1741 | Walter | Lee |
1742 | Andrew | Jelf |
1743 | David | Shrimpton |
1744 | James | Crofts |
1745 | Thomas | Scott |
1746 | Thomas | Bull |
1747 | Richard | Bowles |
1748 | Joshua | Fletcher |
1749 | Edward | Anderson |
1750 | James | Wardell |
1751 | John | Bell |
1752 | Benjamin | Hunt |
1753 | Walter | Lee |
1754 | Charles | Easton |
1755 | Alexander | Rouchead |
1756 | Charles | Clavey |
1757 | John | David |
Mr. Deputy | Horsenaile | |
1758 | William | Walker |
1759 | William | Dellar |
1760 | John | Davall |
1761 | Samuel | Gainsborough |
1762 | Joseph | Renleside |
1763 | George | Mercer |
1764 | William | Richards |
1765 | Samuel | Steemson |
1766 | William | Annis |
1767 | Moses | Wayte |
1768 | John | Dueffell |
1769 | Ralph | Hotchkin |
1770 | Henry | Gregory |
1771 | Thomas | Stevens |
1772 | James | Wardell |
1773 | Thomas | Gayfere |
1774 | John | Scott |
1775 | John | Dixon |
1776 | John | Rawlinson |
1777 | William | Gates |
1778 | John | Richards |
1779 | Richard | Tunks |
1780 | John | Wynne |
1781 | Thomas | Beard |
1782 | Richard | Buddle |
1783 | Thomas | Burnell |
1784 | John | Devall |
1785 | Richard | Jones |
1786 | William | Bailey |
1787 | Mr. | Harper |
1788 | John | Walter |
1789 | Thomas | Green |
1790 | George | Gwilt |
1791 | John | Hinchcliff |
1792 | Thomas | Waller |
1793 | George | Prince |
1794 | George | Prince |
1795 | George | Scott |
1796 | Henry | Scrimshaw |
1797 | Andrew | Nicoll |
1798 | John | Prince |
1799 | Henry | Gregory |
1800 | James | Perry |
1801 | John | Dueffell |
1802 | Thomas | Swithin |
1803 | George | Whitlock |
1804 | Thomas | Burnell Jn |
1805 | Samuel | Ireland |
1806 | Thomas | Wood |
1807 | John | Green |
1808 | Peter | Holloway |
1809 | Benjamin | Marshall |
1810 | John | Codogan |
1811 | John | Richards |
1812 | John | Malcott |
1813 | Thomas | Piper |
1814 | Joseph | Meymott |
1815 | Henry | Burnell |
1816 | William | Cadogan |
1817 | Thomas | Grundy |
1818 | William | Henshall |
1819 | William | Dixon |
1820 | Martin | Stukely |
1821 | John | Moginie |
1822 – Present
Year | Firstname | Surname |
1822 | Robert | Shout |
1823 | Geroge (sic) | Parminter |
1824 | Richard | Heale |
1825 | John | Rowden |
1826 | William | Storey |
1827 | John | Paulin |
1828 | John | Harkness |
1829 | William | Freeman |
1830 | Thomas | Burnell |
1831 | John | Richards |
1832 | John | Malcott |
1833 | Thomas | Piper |
1834 | Henry | Burnell |
1835 | George | Gwilt |
1836 | William | Cadogan |
1837 | John | Moginie |
1838 | John | Rowden |
1839 | William | Storey |
1840 | James | Richards |
1841 | Thomas | Piper Jn |
1842 | Martin | Stukely |
1843 | Philip | Flood Page |
1844 | John | Meriscoe Pearse |
1845 | Thomas | Burnell |
1846 | George | Gwilt |
1847 | John | Richards |
1848 | Henry | Nicholson |
1849 | William | Piper |
1850 | Alfred | Gwilt |
1851 | William | Freeman |
1852 | Thomas | Piper |
1853 | Henry | Burnell |
1854 | George | Gwilt |
1855 | John C. | Storey |
1856 | Henry | Nicholson |
1857 | John | Pearse |
1858 | Phillip | Page |
1859 | Henry | Burnell |
1860 | William (resigned) | Piper |
Henry | Burnell | |
1861 | Joseph | Freeman |
1862 | Edward | Bull |
1863 | George | Wales |
1864 | Geo. | Burnell |
1865 | John | Freeman |
1866 | Henry | Robertson |
1867 | Wilson | Piper |
1868 | William | Piper |
1869 | Alfred | Gwilt |
1870 | Henry | Burnell |
1871 | Edward | Bull |
1872 | George | Wales |
1873 | John | Freeman |
1874 | Henry | Robertson |
1875 | Sir | Hawkshaw |
1876 | John | Greenwood |
1877 | Edward | Condor |
1878 | William | Piper |
1879 | Alfred | Gwilt |
1880 | Henry | Burnell |
1881 | Arthur | Baker |
1882 | The Hon. Gerald | Talbot |
1883 | John | Hunter |
1884 | Henry | Sarson |
1885 | Russel | Freeman |
1886 | John | Greenwood Jr |
1887 | Edward | Bayley |
1888 | Edward | Cozens-Smith |
1889 | John | Cox |
1890 | Henry | James |
1891 | Thomas | Wigglesworth |
1892 | E.S. | Stidolph |
1893 | L.J. | L.J. Williams |
1894 | Edward | Conder Jr |
1895 | Henry | Sarson |
1896 | Fredrick | Shadbolt |
1897 | Dr. Edwin | Freshfield |
1898 | Frederick | Cox |
1899 | Thomas | Peet |
1900 | Herbert | Moore |
1901 | Henry | Theobald |
1902 | George | Pocock |
1903 | William | Clarke |
1904 | Percy | Peet |
1905 | Alfred | Dodson |
1906 | Arthur | Donne |
1907 | Frederick | Dray |
1908 | William | Harry Rylands |
1909 | Sir Frederick | Alliston |
1910 | Alfred | Lister Blow |
1911 | F.T. | Shadbolt |
1912 | G. | Pocock |
1913 | A.S. | Dodson |
1914 | A.W. | Donne |
1915 | A.W. | Donne |
1916 | George Henry | Judd JP |
1917 | Frederick | Dray |
1918 | Frederick | Dray |
1919 | Robert | Hunter |
1920 | Sidney | Young |
1921 | John Francis | Greenwood |
1922 | Robert | Hunter |
1923 | Thomas | Deighton |
1924 | Henry | Grover |
1925 | Frederick | Dray |
1926 | Alfred | Page |
1927 | William | Pumfrey |
1928 | George | Emmerson |
1929 | Alfred | Whealler |
1930 | John | Kipling |
1931 | George | Emmerson |
1932 | Willougby | Bullock |
1933 | Edward | Richardson |
1934 | William | Thomas Osborne |
1935 | A. | Page |
1936 | Alderman Sir Harry | Twyford |
1937 | Sir Herbert | Morgan |
1938 | George | Reynolds |
1939 | John | Theobald |
1940 | John | Theobald |
1941 | Richard | Wyatt |
1942 | Charles | Pearcey |
1943 | John | Byram |
1944 | Henry | Sarson |
1945 | Arthur | Bennion |
1946 | George | Ridley |
1947 | Stanley | Phillips |
1948 | Charles | Shill |
1949 | Henry | Watlling OBE JP |
1950 | Claud | Dennis JP CC |
1951 | Evan | Rees |
1952 | Charles | Emmerson |
1953 | William | Woellwarth |
1954 | Hugh | Clowes |
1955 | Henry | Bell |
1956 | Andrew | Woodman CC |
1957 | Vincent | Richardson |
1958 | William | Parsons |
1959 | Hubert | Dennis MC CC |
1960 | Frederick | Friday |
1961 | Henry | Hubble |
1962 | Aubrey | Christlieb |
1963 | Gordon | Coates |
1964 | Sir Graham | Rowlandson MBE JP CC |
1965 | Sidney | Loweth |
1966 | Leslie | Gale MC |
1967 | Spencer | Rodgers |
1968 | Sir John | Rodgers Bart |
1969 | Frank | Webster |
1970 | Robert | Mansell |
1971 | Alan | Phillpotts |
1972 | Cyril | Thatcher |
1973 | Clifford | Culpin OBE |
1974 | Howard | Lobb CBE |
1975 | Rupert | Wood MVO |
1976 | John | Bentley |
1977 | Richard | McCarthy |
1978 | Howard | Greenacre |
1979 | Anthony | Woellwarth |
1980 | Robert | Nott TD DL |
1981 | Thomas | Hollister |
1982 | Alwyn | Waters CBE GM |
1983 | Gordon | Tait |
1984 | Colin | Jeffries MBE |
1985 | Harry | Turner |
1986 | Rex | Wisby |
1987 | Colin | Jeffries MBE |
1988 | Robert | Woodward |
1989 | Richard | Rowlandson OBE |
1990 | Charles | Woodward |
1991 | Graham | Gale |
1992 | John | Bysouth |
1993 | Robert | Waters |
1994 | Sydney | Mason |
1995 | Ralph | French OBE |
1996 | Barry | Woodman |
1997 | Patrick | Copland |
1998 | Neil | Barnes |
1999 | Basil | Rushton |
2000 | David | Ruffle |
2001 | Thomas | Ackland |
2002 | Peter | Johnson |
2003 | Gavin | Tait |
2004 | Michael | Peachey |
2005 | John | Wilson |
2006 | David | Beattie CMG |
2007 | Gerald | Everett |
2008 | Derek | Mottershead |
2009 | Adrian | Sarson |
2010 | Richard | Woodman-Bailey |
2011 | Derek | Sayer JP |
2012 | David | Blake JP |
2013 | John | Burton MBE |
2014 | Robert | Morrow |
2015 | William | Gloyn |
2016 | Nicholas | Payne TD |
2017 | Peter | Clark |
2018 | Andrew | Bowles |
2019 | Christopher | Radmore |
2020 | Christine | Rigden |
2021 | Martin | Low |
Clerks
Year of Appointment | Firstname | Surname |
1620 | Thomas | Paskins |
1625 | Edmond | Robarts |
1638 | Edmond | Hamlet |
1639 | John | Pickering |
1660 | William | Broome |
1671 | William | Broome Jr |
1677 | William | Hammond |
1678 | Samuel | Draper |
1681 | Thomas | Stampe |
1695 | Laurence | Purchase |
1708 | David | Le Gros |
1720 | Miles | Mann |
1738 | Edward | Grose |
1741 | Richard | Newton |
1770 | Joseph | Newton |
1796 | John | Aldridge |
1839 | Frederick | Gwatkin |
1872 | John | Hunter |
1881 | Arthur | Gwatkin |
1886 | Robert L | Hunter |
1913 | Robert C | Hunter |
1920 | Hugh | Clowes DSO |
1947 | Alan | Phillpotts |
1969 | John | Maddocks |
1986 | Thomas | Bishop |
1987 | Thomas | Ackland |
1999 | Peter | Clark |
2009 | Heather | Rowell |
2013 | Peter | Clark |
2014 | Giles | Clapp |