The theme of the walk was the City’s obsession with death. Be it the many different ways life in the City was precarious and some of the expressions that arise from this. Our walk took us to the Old Bailey (Newgate Prison) where there were frequent executions by hanging. Or if you did not answer your interrogator’s questions, you might be pressed to death by having heavy stones placed upon you to encourage your co-operation. If the hanging did not happen outside the prison, y

Supporting our charities is a fundamental reason why people enjoy being part of a Livery Company. Free Warden Chris Turner, CEO of the Fan Makers Charity Trust Richard King and Liveryman Mary Kitson visited Your Place Earlier in the summer. The Fan Makers team is flanked by Chris Vasey, Trust and Foundation Manager on the left and Dan Beacon, Head of Fundraising and Communications on the right. Your Place, formerly known as Caritas Anchor House – which the Company has suppor

The Worshipful Company of Fan Makers welcomed Honorary Liveryman Frédérick Gay to the membership last Thursday and afterwards we enjoyed some of his wonderful fans at a display before the Court dinner at Saddlers' Hall. Monsieur Gay is a well-known, contemporary French fan maker and currently has an exhibition called "Swaying in the Wind" at The Fan Museum in Greenwich. He also made the fan which the Master, Dinesh Naidu, presented to HM The Queen earlier this year. He is als

Fabulous food at a restaurant where a significant portion of the staff have been recruited from young care leavers, prison-leavers and neurodiverse people. "130 Primrose" trains them to springboard into other jobs in the catering and hospitality industry. Easy to get to from Chalk Farm station and a fun place for a sociable lunch or dinner. The Fan Makers will plan more relaxed social meetings here! We also support The Soup Kitchen with regular volunteers.

Haven't you always wanted to drive a flock of sheep across London Bridge?! As a Liveryman, with the Freedom of the City of London, one is entitled to be part of this ancient tradition. Thankfully the sheep remain carefully tended in a pen and are not let loose to cause traffic chaos and human bewilderment!! The Master, Dinesh Naidu, and Assistant Antoinette Hayes joined this lovely event last month to continue the charity event organised by the Worshipful Company of Woolmen.

Fans have been a beautiful fashion accessory throughout the past few centuries and no less than for many royal personages across Europe. The Fan Museum in Greenwich kindly hosted a private tour for members of the Company to visit their summer exhibition "Monarchy: An Exhibition of Royal Fans". Assistant HC Anne-Marie Benson gave an excellent talk about the fans and huge thanks are due to Liverymen Mary Kitson and Lisa Andrews for organising the evening. Thanks also to Sophie

What better way to spend a warm summer evening than tasting champagne with friends in a quiet courtyard in the City of London? The Master, Dinesh Naidu, had won a private champagne tasting, run by Champagne Occasions, which he then kindly donated to the Company. 16 of us enjoyed 6 different champagnes from the Borel-Lucas Champagne House, situated in the village of Etoges, near Epernay. Many thanks to Chris and Sarah of Champagne Occasions for an enjoyable and fascinating pre

Thrilled to have been able to support the Lady Mayor Dame Susan Langley in the Lady Mayor's Ride Out, supporting the The Lord Mayor's Appeal. Not your average Friday, well over 100 motorbikes outside St Paul's Cathedral, London certainly caught the eye of tourists and other passers by. Liverymen Simon Cole and Richard Lovell were representing us on the ride out. Super to see so many Livery Companies represented and not a black tie in sight!

Liverymen Gail Sharp, Tim Davies and Assistant Carole Plant spent the morning volunteering at The Soup Kitchen near Tottenham Court Road. The old cabin, in which drinks, breakfast and snacks were served has recently had an impressive makeover; it is shortly to open. We served hot and cold drinks, fruit salad, soup and lunch to about 180 visitors, all of whom must be finding the current hot weather very trying. The Soup Kitchen offers more than just free meals, clothing and to

May 2026 Beautiful sunshine greeted us at Highgrove as we welcomed the participants to our third fan making workshop at The King’s Foundation Workshops at Barley Court where we were allocated a workshop with an outdoor space under a marquee making a very pleasant working environment. After an introduction to the company and fans, Sophia Mace introduced the day then Helen Marr talked through her display of fans and books to introduce the different types and to give an idea o

The Master, Dinesh Naidu, and Senior Warden and Military Liaison, Gary Blaker, visited No 2 Squadron Royal Flying Corps at the Battle Honours Update and the re-dedication of the Shiny Two Memorial and the unveiling of later Battle Honours to the plinth. These were for Afghanistan 2001 - 2014, Iraq 2003 - 2011 and Libya 2011. The squadron, known as Shiny Two, is one of the oldest squadrons in the world and has a rich history; their mottos are "Hereward" and "Second to None". T

Photography by - Niki Gorick Photography The Worshipful Company of Fan Makers has a long tradition of marking important Royal occasions with the presentation of a commemorative fan. The tradition began in 1897, when Queen Victoria received a fan for her Diamond Jubilee, followed by Queen Alexandra at her Coronation in 1902. More recently, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester accepted a fan to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Following the Coronation in

We all must be looking forward to some warm summer months, and this fan painted with a woodland party might bring them nearer. The fan is a French one dating to the early 18th Century and is of the type known as a brise fan. It is composed of a carefully placed group of identically shaped ivory sticks: each stick is painted to be part of an overall scene which becomes visible when all of them are linked together. The linking ribbon at the outer edge of the fan is of green

The Worshipful Company of Fan Makers hosted an online presentation and discussion given by Mr Andrew Kent, OBE, Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. He is also vice-chair of the Faculty of Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare at the Royal College of Surgeons - Edinburgh and a Trustee of Life and Limb / the Primary Trauma Care Foundation. As a retired Lt. Colonel, RAMC, his vast experience in the field of trauma care has taken him to ma

The Master Dinesh Naidu, Free Warden Christopher Turner, Foreign Warden Richard Jeffery, their Consorts and the Clerk were joined by other members of the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers at the 2026 United Guilds Service at St Paul's Cathedral. The service is known for its immense colour and pageantry with Masters, Wardens and Clerks of various companies wearing their traditional, distinctive robes and badges of office. It highlights the continued relevance and charitable com

The Company was invited to take part in “The Twelve Days of Craftsmas” at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge in December. Fan Making was one of twelve sessions that the hotel ran to raise money for charity. The hotel looked really Christmassy with a giant fan on the front and drinks and nibbles were provided. Assistant Helen Marr led a simple session making two cockade fans using Christmas wrapping paper and also a paper specially designed by Chloe Campbell, a pa

The Master Dinesh Naidu and Assistant Carole Plant Grant Secretary with Liverymen Carolyn Hutchings and Sally Wyllie visited Headway East London on Thursday 26th February. welcomed by Grace Bailey who introduced us to one of the members Matt, who took us on a tour. Matt visits every Tuesday and Thursday following a head injury he sustained in 2018 - about which he knows nothing at all. He spent 6 months in hospital and it took 2 years from him to come off the huge waiting l

A 2-day fan making course will be held at the RAC Club, Pall Mall on 16th & 17th March. Club members will be given the chance to make their own fan under the supervision of expert Caroline Adlington on behalf of the Worshipful Company. This has been arranged by The Immediate past Master, Antony Robson who has been a member since 1973. The Company is striving to raise the interest in fans and develop new fan makers.

The Worshipful Company of Fan Makers celebrated the election of their new Master, Dinesh Naidu, Free warden Christopher Turner and the new Foreign warden Richard Jeffery at a dinner held at Saddlers' Hall with over 140 Liverymen, freemen and their guests. The celebrated French fan maker M. Frederick Gay attended, and brought a fabulous collection of his fans which were on display during the evening. The Master's Principal Guest was Richard Clifford, a Trustee of the Charity

On January 29th, The Master, Wardens, Clerk, and members of the Court joined a number of new joiners to the Company for a social evening to get know other members of the Fan Makers. The evening was held in Martha's Bar in the basement of Williamson's Tavern in Bow Lane. This building was originally the home of the Lord Mayors and the original pub dates to the 17th Century. There is a portrait in there of a previous Master of The Worshipful Company of Fan Makers, Sir James Whi