Only one representative per Livery Company were allowed to attend Common Hall this year in order to maintain social distancing.
Liveryman Ben Fernando kindly offered to go along, being somewhat younger and less at risk than many other Liverymen.
Ben said, “He reports that it was a pleasure to attend the Common Hall election of the Lord Mayor on behalf of the Livery this Michaelmas (29 September). Of course, things were a bit different this year to how I’m told they usually are, but it was still quite the experience to be able to be able to attend.
Although there were no grand parades of Masters and Aldermen, the stunning setting of the Guildhall and the intricacies of the City’s traditions and elections still made for quite the spectacle. I hope that I’ll be able to attend again in a future year when the full and usual pomp of the ceremony are restored.
P.S. I’m pleased to be able to report back to the Master that after some confusion on the part of the Liverymen present, I did vote for the ‘correct’ candidate (the only one of the three who wanted to take the role for the ensuing year).”