The Court and the Officials of the Company

The Court - 2008/09

The Court of Assistants comprises the Master, Upper Warden, Renter Warden, Deputy Master (who is the immediate Past Master), the Master's Steward (who is the Senior Assistant), Past Masters and other senior Liverymen nominated by the Court for their personal qualities on the understanding that they will be willing, subject to formal election, to serve in turn the offices of Renter Warden, Upper Warden and Master.

The Company's Charter lays down that the annual election of the new Master and Wardens shall take place on Ascension Day.

The Master and Wardens for 2008/09 were elected at the Election Court held at Apothecaries Hall on 1 May 2008.

Christopher Roberts , Upper Warden		Peter Ellis, Renter Warden

Officials of the Company

The Clerk, appointed by the Court, is the Administrator of the Company.  He deals with the day-to-day running of the Company and is the keeper of its records.  For a full listing of Clerks of the Company since incorporation, click here.


The present Clerk, Edward Windsor Clive, has held the post since 1999.




The Beadle is elected by the Court, and has responsibility “to summon persons of the mistery and make return of their answers, and for warning every person concerning any controversy between party and party”.  In 1608 he was entitled to be paid 4d (approximately 1½ pence in today’s money) for entering every order.  The Beadle’s staffhead dates from 1784 and is a handsome George III silver mace made in the form of an upright arm grasping the bottom rim of a Catherine wheel.

The current Beadle is Stephen Grundy.