- (d) When it shall happen that a person, other than one eligible by Patrimony or Apprenticeship, is suitably associated, in the opinion of the Court, with the trade of builders’ merchants and is desirous of taking up his Freedom of the Company and of the City of London, the Court shall admit him to the Freedom of the Company and present him to the Corporation of London to be made a Freeman by Redemption. Any such Freeman shall be liable to pay such Fines and Quarterages as the Court shall from time to time decide.
- (e) When it shall happen that a person is apprenticed to a Liveryman or Freeman of the Company, the Company shall cause a record of the Indentures of such apprentice to be entered in the books of the Company and the Master of such apprentice shall cause the Indenture to be entered in the Books of the Corporation of London to the intent that such apprentice, having served the term of his apprenticeship, shall on proof of faithful service be admitted to the Freedom of the Company and be presented to the Corporation of London to be made a Freeman by Apprenticeship. Any such Freeman shall be liable to pay such Fines and Quarterages as the Court shall from time to time decide.
- (f) If the conduct or circumstances of a Freeman shall in the opinion of the Court be injurious to the character and interest of the Company, the Court shall have power to exclude him from the Freedom of the Company either generally or for any specified period. Before exercising any such power, the Court shall give the person concerned the opportunity of being heard either by the Court itself or by a Committee thereof.
2 ADMISSION TO THE LIVERY
- (a) The Court shall admit into the Livery of the Company such and so many persons being Freemen of the Company and of the City of London as it shall think right so to do.
- (b) If the conduct or circumstances of a Liveryman shall, in the opinion of the Court, be injurious to the character and interest of the Company, the Court shall have power to exclude him from the Livery of the Company either generally or for any specified period. Before exercising any such power, the Court shall give the person concerned the opportunity of being heard either by the Court itself or by a Committee thereof.
3 GOVERNING BODY
- (a) Every member of the Court shall on election pay the Fine and satisfy the Court that he is prepared to serve as Keeper of the Roll, Warden and Master in due course unless prevented therefrom by just and reasonable cause made known to the Court.
- (b) Normally the Court shall meet four times each year.
- (c) The Master, or in his absence the Immediate Past Master, shall preside at Meetings of the Court. In the absence of both the Master and the Immediate Past Master, the Senior Warden shall preside.
- (d) Seven voting Members of the Court shall constitute a quorum, but no Meeting shall be held unless the Master or a Warden be present.
- (e) The decision of the chairman of the meeting shall be conclusive on all points of order.
- (f) In the event of an equality of voting, the chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote.
- (g) At any meeting of the Court at which a resolution to elect an Assistant is proposed, any two members of the Court may demand a ballot on such resolution.
4 ELECTIONS AND INSTALLATIONS
- (a) The Master, the Senior Warden, the Junior Warden, the Keeper of the Roll , the Bursar and the Almoner shall be elected out of the members of the Court at a Court General {to be known as “the Election Court General”) held in Spring each year and shall be admitted to office at a Court General (to be known as “the Installation Court General”) held in Autumn of that year, save that the Bursar need not be a member of the Court.
- (b) The Clerk shall be confirmed in office at the Election Court General each year.
5 INSURANCE
The Clerk and the Bursar shall be guaranteed with reputable insurers under a Fidelity Guarantee Bond for such sum as the Court may require, the Company paying the premium.
6 CASUAL VACANCIES
- (a) In the event of the death, retirement, or removal of a Master, Warden or other Officer, or of the Clerk, the Court shall have power to make a temporary appointment for the remainder of the term of office of the person so dying, retiring or being removed.
- (b) In the event of the temporary indisposition of the Master, the Immediate Past Master or, failing him, the most recent Past Master shall deputise for the Master.
7 DECLARATIONS
- (a) By Freemen
Every Freeman of the Company who is a British citizen shall upon admission to the Freedom of the Company make his declaration here set forth as follows:
“I solemnly and sincerely declare that I will be true and faithful to God and to our Sovereign Lady the King’s Majesty and to His Heirs and successors and in all matters lawful and honest be obedient to the Master and Wardens of the Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants for the time being in these Offices. I will observe and keep the Bylaws and Ordinances and conscientiously do my utmost at all times to promote and further the efficiency of the craft of a Builders’ Merchant generally, and uphold the integrity, status, dignity and prestige of the Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants in particular. I will at all times reasonably assist and counsel a Liveryman or Freeman of the Company to the best of my ability should he require it. I will not, without the permission of the Court, disclose anything that may transpire at any meeting of the Court or of the Company at which I may be present to any person not a Liveryman or Freeman of the Company. I make this solemn declaration conscientiously intending and being resolved faithfully and truly to abide by, perform and fulfil the same.”
Every Freeman of the Company who is not a British Citizen shall, upon admission to the Freedom of the Company, make the same declaration, save that the first sentence shall be replaced by the following:
“I solemnly and sincerely declare that I will be true and faithful to God and to Her Majesty the Queen and to Her Heirs and successors and in all matters lawful and honest be obedient to the Master and Wardens of the Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants for the time being in these Offices”.
- (b) By Liverymen
Every Freeman upon admission to the Livery shall confirm the appropriate Declaration made by him upon admission to the Freedom.
- (c) By Assistants
Every Member of the Court upon election shall reconfirm the appropriate Declaration made by him on admission to the Livery, and make a further declaration here set forth as follows:
“And I further declare that if I am duly and lawfully called upon to do so, I will serve the Company as Keeper of the Roll, Warden or Master and faithfully fulfil the duties of such office unless prevented therefrom by just and reasonable cause made known to the Court.”
8 COURT PROCEDURE
- (a) The Clerk shall issue a copy of these procedures to each newly appointed Assistant, and shall report to the Court when this has been done.
- (b) Each Liveryman elected as an Assistant must be prepared, if elected, normally to serve in the Offices of Keeper of the Roll, Warden and Master. This undertaking shall be a condition, not only of being elected but also of remaining a member of the Court, in order not to prevent other suitable Liveryman from serving on the Court
- (c) A Liveryman who declines to be nominated for election to the Court may be offered the nomination again if that Liveryman requests deferment for specific reasons given to the Court.
- (d) A Liveryman who is not elected when nominated may be nominated for subsequent election.
- (e) New Assistants will be called upon to make the appropriate Declaration at their first Court meeting.
- (f) Officers, Assistants and the Clerk will be gowned at Court meetings, unless otherwise directed by the Master. The Beadle shall be gowned whilst attending the Master.
9 ELECTION OF MASTER, WARDENS AND KEEPER OF THE ROLL
- (a) Only those members of the Court who have served in the Office of Warden or who have previously served in the Office of Master shall be eligible for nomination for election as Master,
- (b) Only those members of the Court who have served in the Office of Keeper of the Roll shall normally be eligible for election to the Office of Junior Warden, and only those who have served in the Office of Junior Warden shall normally be eligible for election to the Office of Senior Warden.
- (c) The eligibility of a member of the Court for election to any of these Offices will normally be conditioned by his seniarity on the Court, unless varied by the Court, but not by his seniority in the Livery.
10 COMMITTEES AND THEIR TERMS OF REFERENCE
The Court may annually appoint both standing and ad hoc committees and shall appoint their chairmen with such terms of reference as the Court may from time to time determine. Each committee shall have the power to co-opt members of the Court or of the Livery for consultation. Such Committees may include:
- (a) Master’s Committee
The Master’s Committee shall consist of the Master, the Immediate Past Master, the Senior Warden, the Junior Warden, the Keeper of the Roll, the Bursar, the Almoner, the Clerk and any Past Master or Liveryman co-opted by the Committee. This Committee shall consider any matters concerning the affairs of the Company, with powers to act in emergencies subject to report at the next Court of any action taken, and it shall be responsible for the safe-keeping, insurance and maintenance of the Company’s possessions and records.
- (b) Charities & Education Committee
- (c) Election Committee
- (d) Development Committee
- (e) Events Committee
- (f) Finance Committee
- (g) ESG Committee
11 ADMISSION OF NEW CANDIDATES
The procedure for the proposal of 3 person for Admission to the Freedom, and ultimately to the Livery, of the Company shall be as follows:
- (a) A Liveryman wishing to introduce a person to the Company shall first mention his name, and submit a biographical note on such person, to a member of the Election Committee. The Liveryman making the nomination shall take such action as he considers necessary to satisfy himself as to the suitability of the person before making his recommendation to the Election Committee.
- (b) If the person nominated is acceptable to the Election Committee, the chairman or a member of the Election Committee shall ensure that Court members are advised of the proposed candidate prior to the next Court meeting. The proposed candidate’s name will then be placed before the Court meeting for determination.
- (c) If a proposed candidate is approved by the Court for admission the Clerk shall be instructed to send an application form to the proposer. Each application form must be signed by the proposer and seconder, but if neither is a member of the Court, the form must also be countersigned by a member of the Court.
- (d) Subject to satisfactory completion of the application form and payment of the appropriate Fine, the Clerk shall arrange a date for the candidate to be admitted to the Freedom at a meeting of the Court of Assistants or, when appropriate, to the Livery at a Court General.
12 NON-PAYMENT OF QUARTERAGE
Members of the Company who are six months in arrears in payment of Quarterage shall not receive notices of meetings or functions. Their names only (without address) will remain on the List of Members. The Bursar shall submit a list of all defaulters to the January Court Meeting next following the date when Quarterage has become due.
