Taylorian

News

Lord Mayor’s Show

Lord Mayor’s Show

After the show, we were invited for tea with our families at Merchant Taylors’ Hall. To our surprise, we were asked to perform on stage in front of the Lord Mayor. This was the most nerve-wracking part of the day, but we danced together perfectly. Reuben, who was playing the dhol, deserves a special mention because he had a fractured finger while playing. The parade was a wonderful event, and all the practice we had done paid off. Special thanks go to Chair of Governors, Mr Eggar, Governor Ms Morgan, and Mr Evans-Evans for all their hard work in making the day so special. Azlan Latif (Divs) MTS Dixieland Band Waking up on the Saturday morning, we, the MTS Dixieland Band, knew that this was our biggest gig yet, and after breakfast at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall, we were ready. We put on our vibrant varsity jackets and readied our instruments. Accompanied by a wind band from St John’s and MTP, and a steel drum band from St Saviour’s and St Olave’s School, we boarded our float. As our journey started, we unveiled our first piece: ‘Down by the Riverside’. With a virtuosic solo from prodigious clarinettist Matthew Schiff, we had perfectly set the tone for the jubilant afternoon that followed. There were knights on horses, Lords on camels and horse-drawn carriages, but all were outshone by Merchant Taylors’ very own Bhangra Boys, led by Gursimar Puri, who drummed and danced with vim and vigour and were met with thunderous applause from the crowd. As the parade made its return journey to Merchant Taylors’ Hall, we played ‘Down by the Riverside’, ‘Oh When the Saints’, and ‘High Society’. Solos from Jaeden Cutt, Ivan Nabarro, Edward Richardson and Max Witt rang out through the blue autumnal sky, as Kai Elvey and Zac Rosenbaum kept perfect time throughout.

In 1882 the Taylorian announced in its notes that the concurrence of the Lord Mayor’s Show and the anniversary of Sir Thomas White’s birthday would be the occasion of a two-day holiday, much to the delight, one can imagine, of the school population in Charterhouse Square. The announcement reflected the strength of a relationship that dates back many centuries, and which was again celebrated on November 12th 2022, when the School was part of the procession for Nicholas Lyons – a Merchant Taylor - who was be installed as the 694th Mayor of London. Below we read accounts from two pupils about their experiences of being involved in the show, and we give thanks to Mr Evans Evans for all his hard work in organising the School’s contribution to the event. Mr J. G. Taylor Bhangra Dance Back in March 2022, Gursimar Puri and Mr Evans-Evans asked for volunteers to take part in a Bhangra dance for the Lord Mayor’s Show, an annual event that dates back to the 13th Century which celebrates the inauguration of the new Lord Mayor. Bhangra is a traditional Punjabi dance (both in Pakistan and India) that is performed at special occasions.

Veer (4ths), Yuvraj (Divs), Trish (Divs), Puneet (U6th), Reuben (L6th), Arjun (L6th), Gursimar (U6th) and I met every Friday after school to learn and practice the moves to the beat of the dhol (double-headed drum), which was played by Reuben. After weeks of practice, the day of the show finally arrived and was an unforgettable experience. Setting off from Mansion House at 11.00am for the 3-mile-long parade, we performed our well-rehearsed steps in time with the dhol, while the governors rode on camels right behind us. The staff and crowd were incredibly supportive, cheering us on the whole way through.

43

Taylorian 2023