It’s been an interesting week – some difficult meetings in which we have tried to sort out some of the historic confusions bequeathed to us from the past. And we are getting there
But a little bit of contrast doesn’t come amiss. Alison and I are now in one of the State Bedrooms at the Mansion House in London We are in London at the invitation of The Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Roger Gifford, who comes from St Andrews and is therefore more a Scot than I am. Tomorrow we go to St Lawrence Jewry for the historic Spital Sermon of which more tomorrow.
This evening we went in the Rolls with The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress to Dinner at the Fishmongers’ Hall. Before we retire, we shall witness the historic ‘Putting out the Cat’ ceremony which goes back to the time of Dick Whittington and his cat Tomkin. Alison will of course immediately let it back in.
the mayor’s Mum helped run the Ladyhead bookshop at St Andrews, and his professorial Dad, who was a great support to me as chaplain, later himself had hands laid upon him to become, with Professor John Richardson, a lively chaplaincy team coordinated by Marie-Louise Moffett – and he looks just like his Dad.