Court meetings
The Livery year starts in late October with the Admission Court. At this Court meeting the new Master, Senior and Junior Wardens are installed as officers. The ‘old’ master becomes Deputy Master.
This Court meeting is followed by the Admission Court Dinner, at our hall, at which the new Master and officers are presented to the livery. In addition to this Court meeting, the Court meets three times a year.
- The New Year Court is normally in February and is followed by a livery dinner. This dinner is for members of the livery and their guests from the industry.
- The Spring Court is held in April and is followed by a dinner for the Court and their family members.
- The Election Court is held in July and is followed by a supper. In alternate years it is preceded by a church service at St Margaret Lothbury .
Church services
In December we hold a carol service jointly with two of the ward clubs of the City.
Members of the company are invited to the United Guilds Service which is held in St Paul’s cathedral in early April.
The July service in St Margaret Lothbury mentioned above is where we remember our members who have died in the previous years.
Lord Mayor
Liverymen are expected to attend Guildhall in June each year for the Election of Sheriffs and in September for the election of the Lord Mayor.
The Master and Wardens join their counterparts from the other modern livery companies on their float at the Lord Mayor’s Show each November. In addition to this, our company cutters (rowing boats) participate in the Lord Mayor’s flotilla which takes the Lord Mayor (who is also Admiral of the Port of London) from Westminster to Tower Bridge before the Lord Mayor’s Show. (not happening this year!)
Lunches
Depending on demand informal lunches are held at our hall and we invite guests from the Institute of Measurement and Control, the Bridge Ward Club and other people connected with the Livery.
Education Trust Supper
Every Spring we have an informal networking supper for our Apprentices and Freemen where we invite a guest speaker. Also invited to this are the Apprentice Warden and Apprentice Masters.
Annual banquet
Every year, normally in June, the annual banquet is held. This is usually in one of the halls of the other livery companies. In 2022 it was held at the Mansion House to celebrate the award of our Royal Charter.
Lectures
Each year we hold an all-day SIMposium and the Minerva Lecture/webinar. Since 2020 WCSIM webinars have been held quarterly. There are no fixed dates for these – it is up to the Master to decide when they take place.
We also take part in the annual Four Liveries Event which is attended by members of the Spectacle Makers, the Clockmakers, the Lightmongers and the Scientific Instrument Makers. Each company takes it in turn to organise the lecture. When it is our turn, we don’t hold the Minerva Lecture/webinar in that year.
We are also founders of the annual Edwards Lecture which is now held at City University.
Weekend away
Each year the Master usually arranges a weekend away for SIM members and their partners. Recent Masters’ weekends have been to Cambridge, Delft, Norwich, Edinburgh, Fort Worth, Berlin, Oxford, Cornwall and Oporto.