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Sir Robert Lee, Lord Mayor of London 1602 It would be fair to say that participation in the Lord Mayor’s show has been accompanied by some exotic requests by the incoming mayor. Aside from being the last Lord Mayor of Elizabeth I’s reign, Lee is notable for the cost and damage of his procession in 1602. As noted by Brian Rees in the St Barnabas Day speech of 1970, Lee’s procession involved the demolition of a shop to give it access: “In the bill which came in for the Lord Mayor’s Show in 1602 we find the item: 43. 6d. “for breaking up part of a shop for ye pageant to pass out of Christ Church”. Brian Rees related the anecdote as part of his review of the year in which the Army Section of the CCF had processed alongside the Lord Mayor’s Show in 1970. He compared their experience favourably to their predecessors

in 1602 who had been required to pose as the nine muses in Cheapside – in ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric songs, and myths that were related orally for centuries in ancient Greek culture. Rees reflected that this was less of an ordeal than the drenching of the 1970 contingent in the November rain. Apparently, the Lord Mayor, Sir Peter Studd, Merchant Taylor, had suggested one of the rugby players attempt a drop goal over Ludgate Bridge. The 1973 Procession Sir Peter Studd became the Master of the Merchant Taylors’ Company in 1973 and, as a former Lord Mayor, we can assume that he would have instigated the participation of the school in the Lord Mayor’s Show of that year. The idea was for three members of each of the CCF sections and the Community Service section to process alongside the Merchant Taylors’ Company coach, with Sir Peter Studd in it. The coach arrived just in time for the procession to start: The procession made its way at a leisurely pace past St. Paul’s and the TV cameras soon after noon, and to the Law Courts, where a somewhat meagre lunch was taken in Electra House before the return trip. This took the party through large crowds along the Embankment, and eventually, somewhat footsore, to the Mansion House. This was the end of the parade, and the party returned to the Merchant Taylors’ Hall for further refreshment. It had certainly proved a worthwhile and enjoyable experience, and the cadets were most grateful to the Company for the opportunity to take part, and for their hospitality and generosity.

Concordia Winter 2022

Below: Ludgate Bridge – the police banned an attempt to launch a drop goal attempt In the 1970 Lord Mayor’s Show.

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Above: Sir Peter Studd

Right: The Merchant Taylors’ Coach, 1973