The Master is delighted to invite new Liverymen and Freemen to join her along with the Wardens and fellow Livery members for a Reception followed by an informal Lunch within the historic and elegant surroundings of Watermen’s Hall.
Details:
Date: 2nd June 2026. Time: Reception at 12.30pm for Lunch at 1pm.
Venue: Watermen’s Hall, 16 – 18 St. Mary at Hill, London EC3R 8EF
Cost: £110 per person (inclusive of VAT) which includes Reception Drink, 3 course Lunch and wine.
Dress Code: Business Attire (with Company tie)
Please book your tickets by 22nd May.
The event is specially designed for new Liverymen and Freemen to meet and get to know other members of the Company; it offers an excellent opportunity to learn more about the Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants and the Livery movement in general. You will also be able to ask any questions and engage in meaningful discussions about the Company.
Over Lunch, the Master and some of our more established Liverymen will be available to discuss events – both within our Company and within the City – and explain ways to get more involved. Our Company serves as a valuable networking platform for industry members with varied events organised throughout the year.
We are pleased to welcome new members to our Company, and the Master and Wardens very much hope you will be able to attend this special lunch.
More on the history of Watermen’s Hall:
The Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames was founded in 1514, when King Henry VIII gave Royal Assent to an Act of Parliament regulating watermen, wherrymen and bargemen. In 1700, under a new Act of Parliament, the Company of Watermen was granted authority to regulate Lightermen as well.
Watermen were responsible for ferrying people across and along the Thames, often in small rowing boats known as wherries. Lightermen handled cargo, transporting goods to and from ships moored in the river aboard flat-bottomed barges known as lighters. Together, these skilled professionals have formed the backbone of river life and trade in London for centuries.
This Hall was not the first Hall that the Company occupied, but it is the first one to be owned and purpose-built for the Company. It was constructed on a site previously occupied by a tavern, a coffee house, and a domestic building, reflecting the vibrant social and commercial history of the area.
William Blackburn (1750–1790), a silver medallist of the Royal Academy, was commissioned to design a small and modest Hall, and created what is now a wonderful example of Georgian architecture, complete with the Parlour, Court Room and a magnificent staircase. If you look at the ceiling of the Court Room, you can see stylistic similarities to the work of Josiah Wedgwood, who is believed to have been a friend of Blackburn and may have influenced the design.
The Hall opened for business in 1780, and it remains one of the few surviving examples of Blackburn’s work. In two and half centuries, the Hall has seen many changes, including restoration work following World War II completed in 1950, a new decorated ceiling for the Parlour Room in 1961, and a major extension opened by HRH Princess Alexandra in 1984 that doubled the size of the Hall.
Today, the Hall continues to serve as a gathering place for the Company’s Freemen and apprentices, who come together here in the spirit of fellowship and tradition. We welcome visitors to enjoy this beautiful and historic space through tours, events, lunches, and afternoon teas, and the Hall serves as a vibrant base for many heritage events that keep our rich river legacy alive.