The Guild of Freemen of the City of London

Singing Auld Lang Syne
[View larger image]

Pipe Majors Tony Kelly and Dixie Ingram
[View larger image]

Burns Night Supper at Tallow Chandlers' Hall

23 January 2008

On this pleasant evening Pipe Majors Tony Kelly and Dixie Ingram played to welcome everyone to Tallow Chandlers' Hall and then led the procession into the dining hall, where Court Assistant Mr Roger Mallindine said the Selkirk Grace.

The Haggis was later piped in and Guild Member Mr John Knox gave the Address to the Haggis. Throughout the evening Court Assistant Mr Roger Mallindine introduced the exceptional variety of whiskies that he had arranged through Diageo (GB) Ltd to accompany the different courses.

After dinner the Master gave the toasts to The Queen, The Royal Family and The Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation. Then Court Assistant Dr John Smail gave the Immortal Memory, and he was followed by Guild member Dr Peter Cannon who proposed the traditional toast to The Lassies. The response was given by the Master's wife, Mrs Anne Gentry, in the form of a ditty immortalised to 'Gordon'.

The evening was brought to a conclusion by a stalwart group of Court and other Guild members leading the assembled company in singing 'Auld Lang Syne', accompanied by Past Master Leslie Lewis on the piano.