The Beadle, sometimes perceived as a Master of Ceremonies ensures the smooth running of events, as well as playing a part at Freedom admission and Livery clothing ceremonies.  A good Beadle is much valued by the Clerk and Master.

The Beadle carries a staff at ceremonial functions of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers, preceding the Master and Court in processions at events such as dinners, banquets, and church services.  The upper part of the Beadle’s staff is matted and chased with four acanthus leaves, supporting an upright flat oval badge made in  two halves, and chased with the arms of the Company with plumed mantling; all within a gilt wreath surround and topped with an angel carrying a bundle of arrows.  The staff was first referred to in 1780 in the Company’s accounts, and the lower part, of tapering shape records:  “Repaired by order of the Court 22^nd July 1826 Edward Tewart, Joseph Panrucker Wardens”.  In 2019, the staff underwent further repairs by the Master, Roger Watson and his wife June, who also created a bag for transporting the staff around the City, from sail cloth.  It remains the Company’s most valuable item.

The earliest record of a Beadle was George Wightman – he was present at the first recorded Wardens’ election on 13^th October 1770. 

A limited edition of 600 mugs was produced to commemorate the 600^th anniversary of the battle of Agincourt in 2015.  The mug displays the Coat of Arms of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers, the Agincourt Coat of Arms, and the Agincourt 600 commemorative badge.  The sale of the mugs raised money for the Fletchers’ Charitable Trust, which supports archery for people with disabilities.

Several events were held to mark the 600th anniversary, including a dinner at the Guildhall in London, lectures and a service at Westminster Abbey.  The Fletchers also arranged an essay writing competition which was entered by six schools, with the title “Why has the Battle of Agincourt resonated through English and British history for the last 600 years and why does it have relevance today?”  The winner of the competition attended the City of London Freemen’s School and was presented with an arrow and £100 for the school’s charity.

To close the Agincourt year, a dinner was held at Cutlers’ Hall in April 2016 in the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent and attended by all five Warrior Companies.

The Stapleton Silver comprises seven beautiful Victorian Silver ornamental centrepieces, originally designed to hold fruit or flowers.  The two main pieces are of two stags with oak trees; six smaller side pieces also have oak trees and stags standing erect, browsing or simply lying down.  Collectively they are known as ‘The Stapleton Silver’ and are placed on the tables for the Fletchers’ dinners on special occasions.

The silver was commissioned in recognition of Robert Stapleton, a Fletcher and Loriner, for his ’21 years of valued public service and his unceasing labours in the freeing of Epping Forest and other open spaces for the people’.  Robert Stapleton became a Freeman and Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers in 1874, was elected Renter Warden on 13 October 1882 and Master in October 1884.

The Worshipful Company of Fletchers are delighted to be associated with four City Academies: the City of London Academy Islington, the City Academy Hackney (whose crest is shown above), the City of London Academy Southwark and the City of London Freemen’s School.

The longest link, dating back at least to 1978 is with the City of London Freemen’s School now based in Ashtead, Surrey although originally opened in 1854 in Brixton as the City of London Freemen’s Orphan School.  The school has been co-educational from the outset and now takes pupils from 7 to 18.  Our records show that between 1978 and 1987 we supported a series of Sixth form Scholarships but in 1982 we started giving an annual prize for “Junior Craft” which, for a while, was joined by a “Junior Needlework” prize but in 1998 this changed to the current arrangement which supports prizes for “Junior Design Technology” and for “Upper Junior Food Technology”.  In 2015, the 600th Anniversary of Agincourt, the Company held an essay competition for several City schools and the prize was awarded to a pupil from the City of London Freemen’s School.  Each year the Master Fletcher and Clerk are invited to attend Prize Day at the school along with the other Livery Masters and, frequently, the Lord Mayor.

First of the academies to join us was Southwark based in Bermondsey.  We started with an Upper Sixth prize for Art (coupled with a perpetual prize arrow trophy) and, later, we added an additional Upper Sixth prize for Music Technology (coupled with a perpetual shield trophy).  We now give book prizes to two pupils in each of the two prize categories.  Prize giving is usually in early Summer and the several fletchers who have attended over the years will carry the memory of a sea of purple blazers as well as the smiling faces.

The City of London Academy Islington was founded in 2008 and is supported by the City and the City University.  Its four houses are named after livery companies.  Fletchers’ House has the motto ‘Stay Sharp – Hit the Mark’.  Our prizes are exclusively awarded to Fletchers’ House recognising contribution rather than attainment. 

The City of London Academy, Hackney (co-sponsored by KPMG) where, since 2018 we have awarded two annual book prizes for GCSE history and geography coupled with a perpetual arrow trophy and a perpetual shield trophy, respectively.  The distinguishing feature of the Hackney Founder’s Day each November is that of surprise, in that none of the pupils attending is told in advance whether they have won or not, leading to a genuinely emotional event.

The Worshipful Company of Fletchers issued its first Ordnances on 16th June 1403, an extract from which is shown above.

The Ordinances were issued by John Walcote, Mayor, and the Aldermen of the City.  The Ordinances laid down that, every year on the Feast of the Translation of St Edward the King (13^th October), the Fletchers should elect two Wardens, who had power to survey and search into all types of arrowheads and quarrels made by citizens and foreigners (i.e. those who lived outside the City boundary), to seize defective work, and present it to the Mayor and Aldermen, who would have it destroyed.  Those responsible for defective work were, at the discretion of the Mayor and Aldermen, to be punished and fined, half the fine going to the Chamber of the City, half to the trade.

Nobody was to sell in the City arrows and quarrels until they had been assayed by the Wardens, under pain of forfeiture and payment of a fine; the Wardens were to be ready at all reasonable times to carry out these tests, on pain of fine.

The Wardens were also to see that all arrows and quarrels were made of good dry wood and had hard heads, and none was to be made at night, so that good workmanship was assured.  Nevertheless, both foreigners and freemen of the City were allowed to sell broad arrows and crossbow bolts, without any restrictions.  A last article forbade Fletchers to sell their wares to aliens, unless the King granted special leave, and it was quite certain that such a sale was not to the prejudice of the King or Realm.

From The Fletchers and Longbowstringmakers of London by James E Oxley, 1968

Image reproduced by kind permission of the London Metropolitan Archives, ref: Letter Book I, fol. 24v.  Copyright rests with the Corporation.

The Fletchers were delighted, as part of their 650 celebrations, to participate in this years Sheep Drive across Southwark Bridge.

Although only recently established as an annual event to raise money for the Lord Mayor's Charities, the right of Freemen of the City to drive their sheep over the Thames goes back into the mists of time.

Afterwards both sheep drivers and supporters enjoyed a delicious lunch in the Boot and Flogger in Southwark, one of London's oldest wine bars.

On 7 September 2021 a special service was held at St Vedast-alias-Foster to commemorate the 650th anniversary of the Company. We were honoured to be joined by Masters and Clerks representing - quite fortuitously -  65 other livery companies.

The service was held as close as possible to the feast of the Decollation of John the Baptist (29 August), the date on which, in our ordinances enrolled before the Lord Mayor in 1484, all Fletchers were required to gather in what was then the Austin Friars.

With rousing music, including The Agincourt Carol of 1415, and special prayers, including 'The Fletchers Prayer' of Roger Ascham's Toxophilus which our Gallant Clerk had found for the occasion, there was a great buzz in the air, and a real sense of fellowship.

Alderman Vincent Keaveny led the formal congratulations to the Company on reaching 650 years.

The Courtyard at St Vedast offered welcome shade for post service celebrations.

The annual holiday is an immensely enjoyable fixture of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers’ calendar of events.  Jeremy Garnett, Master  in 1995/96, was the first to arrange an overseas weekend trip, to the 14^th and 15^th century battlefields of France.  This has been followed by trips to places including Bruges, Paris, Guernsey and Andalucia, ranging from two nights to four.  The holidays always include a great mix of guided tours of famous sites, wonderful food and wine, great company and excellent hotels.  The photo above shows the Fletchers’ trip to Sicily in 2019, where several intrepid Fletchers braved the swinging cable car to visit the active volcano of Etna at 2,500 metres above sea level.

The Fletchers’ Disability Cup is the prize awarded to the winner of the Fletchers’ Disability Championship, an annual competition held at Lilleshall, home to Archery GB, British archery’s national governing body.  Initiated by and partly sponsored by the Fletchers’ Trust, the scores gained at the event count towards the selection process for international competitions such as the Paralympics.

The picture shows Captain Ken Hargreaves, with Fred his assistance dog in attendance. winner of the September 2018 competition, with Hazel Chaisty winner of the 2017 competition.

The brooch above is worn by the Master’s Consort during their time in office.

The badge was donated by Sir David Wootton at the end of his year as Master.  Sir David was Master Fletcher in 2005/06 and was elected as the 648^th Lord Mayor of London in 2011.  Further information about Sir David Wootton can be found here.