I am delighted to have received the honour
of becoming a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Security Professionals.
The Worshipful Company of
Security Professionals is the 108th Livery Company of the City of London.
Liveryman is considered the highest level of membership within the Worshipful
Company and qualifies a member for election to the Court of Assistants.
Membership is drawn from the
security industry in its widest sense and includes the industrial and retail
sectors, serving and retired members of the police and armed services,
consultants, academics, heads of security for corporate businesses,
investigators and electronic surveillance practitioners.
A Liveryman is the highest
level of membership within the Company and qualifies a member for election to
the Court of Assistants from which further election, through the levels of
Warden, to Master is possible. In keeping with City of London traditions there
is a cap on the number of Liverymen within the Company. It is the prerogative
of the Court to identify those Freemen who fit the qualifying criteria and
invite them to be clothed in the Livery of the Company.
The ceremony took place on the
17th July 2020 via a ‘Virtual Ceremony’ with Raymond, (pictured), being
invested into the Livery in a ‘clothing ceremony’ by the Master, Michael Barley.
Commenting on his most recent accolade, Ray explained: "Having been a Freeman of the Worshipful Company for several years, it is an absolute privilege to achieve the honour of Liveryman.
Whilst the industry continues
to evolve and grow thanks to new technologies, it is important to preserve the
knowledge and traditions that the Company so graciously stands for. I would
like to extend my thanks to everyone involved with the Company and my peers in
Australia for their support and best wishes."
It is not the first time Ray
has been recognised for his contribution to the profession. He was awarded the
Freedom of the City of London in 2014 - a privilege bestowed on valued members
of the community, visiting dignitaries, and those who have achieved success or
recognition in their chosen field - in this instance – security. Ray was also
awarded the Australian Security Medal for Conspicuous Service in 2017 for his
service to the security profession in Australia.
Some background to City of
London Livery Companies.
The livery companies of the
City of London were originally mediaeval guilds, of a kind which were common in
cities all over Europe in the Middle Ages. In many ways they were the
forerunner of modern trade bodies or professional associations.
The term “Guild” is said to
derive from the Saxon word “gildan”, to pay, since members paid towards the
costs of the brotherhood. Guilds were craft or trade societies. They protected
consumers and employers against incompetence or fraud by training sufficient
apprentices to provide an adequate supply of skilled craftsmen selling goods of
true quality and weight. They helped workers by preventing unlimited
competition and ensuring reasonable wages and conditions. They searched out
inferior work and punished the offenders. They settled trade and domestic
disputes by arbitration, while their halls served as centres for meeting and
recreation. They generally held a monopoly over practicing their particular
trade within city limits - to be a tailor, for example, you had to be a member
of the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors. Becoming a member would entail
serving an apprenticeship and passing a practical exam, ensuring that
professional standards were maintained.
They were responsible for
checking the quality of goods, weights and measures, and imposed severe
penalties on those who broke the rules. They controlled imports and immigrant
labour, set wages and working conditions. They trained the young and looked
after members in sickness and old age.
In mediaeval times these trade
guilds often performed a military role as well. Most of the large employers of
a city were members of guilds, and so in an emergency they could quickly
assemble all their apprentices and craftsmen to form a large, organised body of
men of military age. Wealthy guilds could also afford to issue those men with
high quality arms and armour at their own expense, turning them into a
formidable military unit that was a match for any lord or baron's feudal
levies.
This was a source of both raw
power and civic pride, and many guilds - including those of the City of London,
encouraged their members to train and drill at weekends to make themselves even
more effective as soldiers, and then allowed them to parade through the city
streets to show off their skills. Even as late as the English Civil War of
1642, the fact that London, with its trained bands of disciplined militia,
decided to fight for Parliament instead of the King was a major factor in
Charles's defeat.
These trade guilds morphed
into Livery companies that continued the traditions and work of the guilds but also served a social function, bringing
members of the particular craft together and help them network, as well as
staging banquets and ceremonies, both secular and religious. The money they
collected in membership dues or as bequests was also used for charitable purposes
- primarily for their own members who fell on hard times, but also sometimes to
the general public. Over the centuries some livery companies became extremely
wealthy, and funded schools, hospitals, alms-houses, churches, libraries and
many other institutions.
In modern times these
functions have almost all been abolished. A few livery companies still carry
out traditional functions, but now on behalf of the State and with statutory
authority. The social functions of the livery companies are still alive and
well today, of course, and members benefit from the ability to go to banquets
or attend open days etc.
The role of Livery Companies
in charitable work has continued throughout the ages and the Worshipful Company
of Security Professionals provides support to the education of children from underprivileged backgrounds,
providing them with opportunities for an insight into the many and varied
employment and career opportunities in the City of London.
The Company also supports the
benevolence of those working in the security industry, supporting them in their
times of distress when urgent welfare support is needed.
The Company sponsors The Sheriffs
Award that is open to members of the public as well as members of the Emergency
Services, the Armed Forces and people employed in the Security Industry in the
UK, recognising their acts of bravery in crisis situations, providing a
Certificate of Recognition as well as a financial reward.
The Worshipful Company of
Security Professionals continues the ideals of its founding fathers and mediaeval
trade guilds supporting youth, education, professional development within the
industry and its charitable works.
As an Australian citizen it is
an honour to be able to maintain a direct ancestral connection to the London Livery
Companies that goes back to the late 1700’s and a privilege to be ‘enclothed’
as a Liveryman of the Company.
