
The Court
The Court of Assistants 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: Dr Christine Rigden

With a first degree in Geology, and a PhD in Materials, Christine served for several years as a Lecturer in Geomaterials at Queen Mary College, London University. Her main areas of research were the use of industrial waste materials as cement replacement in concrete, the durability of concrete, and the durability of building stone. Following a move to Kent she and her husband, Stephen, ran their Civil & Structural Engineering practice.
Christine has been involved in the Livery for 27 years, serving as non-Aldermanic Sheriff in 2015/16. A Liveryman of two Companies in addition to the Masons – the Constructors (Master 2009/10) and the Tylers & Bricklayers – she is an active member of many City organisations.”
Now retired, Stephen & Christine enjoy sailing, having spent several summers cruising their Moody 47 in the Baltic, circumnavigating the British & Isles & Ireland, and the Biscay area. They live on their arable and solar farm near Canterbury.
Upper Warden: Martin Low

Martin is a Chartered Civil Engineer of 35 years standing with corporate membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation. He was educated to 1st degree level with a BSc (Hons) in Civil Engineering from the City University followed up with a Diploma in Management Studies (Local Government).
Martin has been responsible for many high profile schemes including the £35m Whitehall Streetscape Project providing anti-terrorism measures within a high quality award winning public realm scheme; Oxford Circus Diagonal Pedestrian Crossings; and restoring two way working to Pall Mall, Piccadilly and St James’s Street where he got to meet Her Majesty the Queen, the Duchess of Cornwall and Duchess of Cambridge at the opening ceremony.
He has worked for four London Boroughs (Westminster, Bexley, Bromley and Southwark) and the former Traffic Director for London.
Martin served Westminster City Council as a chief officer with responsibility for Westminster City Council’s roles as highway authority, street authority and traffic authority discharged through about 300 staff employed by the City Council and its providers. Martin took part in a Top Gear programme on cycling in 2015 and had frequent TV and radio appearances for the portfolio of services covered by him.
Following Martin’s retirement from Westminster City Council in 2016, he set up a business, City Transportation Solutions Limited, which helps property owners and developers implementing developments negotiate with local, regional and national government.
Martin is also a Director of the St James’s Conservation Trust, which works closely with residents and businesses to preserve and enhance the St James’s area in the City of Westminster.
Renter Warden: Alderman Alastair King

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.
Past 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 | Ernest | 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 |
Clerks of and to the Company
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 |