CALL SIGN LOOKS AT LONDON'S GUILDS AND LIVERIES
CARPENTERS
Before the great fire of 1666, Carpenters were paramount
in the building trade with most buildings being of the greater part wooden.
Their fraternity dates from 1333 and their charters were granted in 1477,
1558, 1560, 1607, 1674 and 1686; the company controlled the craft with
religious and charitable aims.
After 1666, London was mainly rebuilt from the fire devastation in brick,
but interestingly, the Hall escaped the conflagration and was let to several
Lord Mayors during the rebuilding of their own mansions, so now, each newly
elected Lord Mayor dines at the Hall.
The Officers are crowned with the original 1561 crowns and use
the four early seventeenth-century steeple cups.
The Queen of the Netherlands and the late Field Marshal Montgomery have been
awarded its freedom.
The Carpenters are unique in that they have had an offshoot in
America at the Carpenters Company of the City and County of Philadelphia
dating from 1724, the President and Master both being honorary members of
each others Company. At least seven Carpenters have served as Lord Mayor of
London.
The Hall at 1 Throgmorton Avenue dates from 1429 with
additions in1550 and 1664, but the new Hall, built between 1876 and 1880 was
gutted in May 1941 to be reopened in 1960. It shows the craft of carpentry
to great advantage.
There are two books on the Carpenters; An Historical Account
of the Worshipful Company of Carpenters by E.B. Jupp and W.W.Pocock. Copies
of this 1887 book are rather rare and you may have more luck with the 1968
book by B.W.E.Alford and T.C.Barker called A History of the Carpenters
Company.
More next month....
COMFORT - THE
WORLD'S LARGEST TAXI
GROUP - VISIT DAC
Mr Goh Chee Wee
The Comfort Group of Singapore has long been acknowledged as the
largest transport group in the world, boasting amongst its other forms of
transport and businesses, an incredible 11,000 taxis.
In Singapore, Comfort's biggest competitors are CityCab who are
owned by Delgro - now, of course, the owners of London's ComCab. The rivalry
is, Call Sign was assured, of a business-like but friendly nature.
In early September, the Comfort Group's Managing Director and
CEO, Mr Goh Chee Wee together with General Manager Mr Yang Ban Seng, stopped
off in London while on their way to a short golfing holiday in Scotland,
just to visit Dial-a-Cab and Brian Rice who they have known for several
years. Call Sign was assured that our distinguished guests were not here to
make an offer for DaC...!
The Dial-a-Cab Chairman proudly showed our guests around
Brunswick House.
They were impressed with our Call Centre, which is bigger than
theirs. There are several reasons for that: Many of their outgoing phone
calls are automated, many
Mr Yang Ban Seng
incoming cab orders are made via TOT's (Taxi Order Telephones which are
scattered around high density usage areas) and much of their work is cash
with very few account trips. Needless to say, both of our Comfort guests
were very impressed with the new DaC in-cab mobile.
In addition to repairing their own vehicles, Comfort also
sell diesel fuel to their drivers at a cheaper rate that they could get at
normal pump outlets. The group also sells vehicles, has a luxury car
service (Sovereign Mercedes), a courier service and also has several
outlets in mainland China.
Both Dial-a-Cab and Comfort expressed a desire to maintain
these friendly relations and although Mr Goh and Mr Yang obviously forgot
to invite Call Sign's Editor and his wife to come and take some photos of
their business in Singapore, Call Sign will still run the occasional
update on the progress of the Comfort Group!
Later this month, Comfort Taxis will celebrate their 30th
anniversary. All at Dial-a-Cab and Call Sign Magazine send their
congratulations to our friends in Singapore...
