WCCA Guild day, in association with Temple Bar Trust

This first Saint Thomas Day celebration by the Worshipful Company of Architects, together with the Temple Bar Trust, will hopefully establish a long lasting tradition for many years to come and something that can grow. The idea resulted from a suggestion by our Master that - as we were in lockdown and unable to meet in person- we try to encourage greater activity and events on social media to keep the Company in contact.

Liveryman and Court Assistant, Chris Williamson had been reading about the formation of the Livery Companies  and that they celebrated their “Guild Day” usually on the Feast Day of the Patron Saint of their particular trade of profession.
The Guild Day was an opportunity for the Companies to focus on their charitable giving and their apprentices which is a particular focus of the Master.  After some research and discussions with the Chaplain Canon Revd David Parrott from St Lawrence Jewry, we established that Saint Thomas was acknowledged to be the Patron Saint of Architecture. Saint Barbara has a claim owing to her being imprisoned in a tower by her Father who wanted her to renounce Christianity. But Thomas has the greater claim, not because of his doubting and need for proof but his mission to India where he built several churches.

Any the same time Renter Warden Chris Dyson was devising a sketching competition inspired by lockdown on the theme of “isolation” and our Master of Students John Assael had proposed and initiated a new Student Hardship Fund. It was decided to incorporate the two ideas and to charge an entry fee for the competition and also ask the entrants to donate their work for auction to raise money, to be split equally between the hardship Fund, the Temple Bar Trust and the Church of St Lawrence Jewry. As Saint Thomas’ Day is July 3rd that date became a sensible focus for the events. 

Perhaps next year we will join in a lunchtime service and meet in person to continue the tradition of the Guild Day. But in the meantime thank you to the Chaplain for supporting and for Chris Dyson for initiating and Chairing the judging of the drawing competition, to all the entrants and the judges, Stella Ioannou, Sherin Aminossehe,  Soraya Khan and the Master, and special thanks to Steve Edge for agreeing to be the Auctioneer, to John Assael for initiating the Student Hardship Fund, and Temple Bar Trust and the Church of St Lawrence Jewry, which will benefit from the monies raised at Auction., to the Clerk and Cheryl for the organising, administration and support, and finally to the Master Valerie for pulling all the threads together.

This is the 1620 Velazquez depiction of Saint Thomas

The pictures are on the website at:

https://architectscompany.org/st-thomas-day-annual-drawing-competition-2020/

3 July 2020

1600 - Zoom Opens

          Topic: WCCA Guild Day Service

          Time: Jul 3, 2020 03:30 PM London

           Join Zoom Meeting

              https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8029420698?pwd=VDZ4c1dWckMwb2ZwQ01EcDJyWUZtQT09

            Meeting ID: 802 942 0698

            Password: wcca

1615 - Master/Chairman TBT Introduction

1620-1635 - Short reflective service led by the Company Chaplain with members participation

1635 -  Results of Drawing Competition

1650 (ish) - Results announced

After WCCA Drawing competition results, announcement of the Jonathan and Victoria Ball Student Drawing prizes for 2020, to Part 1 and Part 2 students

after this Zoom will remain open for social interaction (bring your own refreshments)

THERE IS NO CHARGE TO ATTEND

The Auction at 16:00, on 10 July, will be conducted by Steve Edge, of SED

FYI - St Thomas is the Patron Saint of Architects