Category: Newsletters

Watermen’s Hall was the venue for the Court & Livery Dinner on the 9th November 2018, it was a sell out event, enjoyed by Liverymen and their guests. Catering by Mark Grove and his The Cook and The Butler team, as ever a delicious meal.

[gdl_gallery title=”Livery Dinner 9th November 2018″ width=”150″ height=”150″ ]

The entertainment this year was provided by Martin Toal, Tenor and Violinist Honor Watson, the unique mix of music between courses, accumulated with a splendid sing-along, which I am well informed, was also enjoyed by passers- by in the street below.

A Kelly Bronze Turkey raffle, with all proceeds being donated to the Master’s Charity for the year, The Coombe Trust, was a huge success. The winning envelope was chosen by the Company’s Guest, the Deputy Honorary Colonel of the Royal Anglian Regiment, Brigadier Woodham CBE., MC. The Master Robert Haynes and his Wife Mary, hope the evening will be forever remembered by those who attended.

Photographs courtesy of Ben Broomfield

On a windy but lovely sunny day, a group of Poulters descended on Kelly Farms, Danbury, Chelmsford. For some of us harden City types this was quite an experience!

Those travelling by train arrived at Chelmsford Station to be greeted by Paul Kelly and his ‘old’ Land Rover, which we piled into the back of via a mobile step, health and safety would have had a field day with it!!! On arrival at Kelly Farms, we joined the rest of the party who had arrived the night before and had been generously fed and watered by our superb hosts Paul and Derek Kelly. Following an informative presentation on the Kelly Bronze Turkeys, we had a tour of the Hatchery and then on, in convey, to see the free range turkeys, in their natural environment.

We were greeted by gobbling and squeaks and that was just Paul!  It was fascinating to see them in the field and forest roaming with nature, friendly birds, which did peck some of our party! Onto lunch, which was you guessed Turkey, cooked and carved expertly by Paul, what he doesn’t know about turkeys, isn’t worth knowing!  After a delicious buffet lunch, it was onto the Processing Plant, vast buildings, that often remain empty many months of the year, but that are a hive of activity for the Christmas Turkey production, it was easy to imagine how much work went on at that busy time.

The day went far too quick and it was time to depart, I know I and my fellow Poulters, will never forget the excellent day out and the enthusiasm and hospitality of Paul, his family and staff, Kelly Bronze is a real testament to their hard work and dedication, long may they continue as one of the fore runners in the Turkey world!

Julie Pearce, Clerk

Photographs – Reginald Beer JP, Renter Warden

http://www.kellybronze.co.uk

The Master’s Charity Bike Ride from London to Paris

22nd June 2017

‘Poulters to Paris’

Bike Ride for the RABI the Masters chosen charity.

Way back in the depths of Winter Master George Harris sent an email asking if anyone was into cycling, the only person mad enough to reply was one of the newest members of the company; me. We met up to discuss plans, John O’ Groats, Moscow, Paris or the Pub, we settled on Paris but never wanting things to be too easy we settled on a route via the Great War Battle Fields. 2000 miles of training & 15 weeks later the day finally arrived, we had a very nice Mid-Summer Lunch before an early night ready for the big off from the Armourers Hall in the Old City of London.

Day one consisted of fighting our way through the London traffic & into the Kent countryside, picking up a couple of punctures & riding through a heavy thunderstorm on the way to Dover, we rolled in just in time for the ferry to Calais where we spent the night; ready for the next leg to Arras.

Day two was a lovely ride through the French countryside, the route kept us mainly on single track roads & at one point we ended up on a gravel farm track! The farming was excellent, professional & large scale, we saw 7 pea viners working in one field & the crops were amazing.

After a night in the lovely city of Arras day 3 was through the Somme to Compiegne, we had a few Poulters who had relatives lost in the Great War & we had promised to try & find there memorials. This resulted in a detour & having got a little lost we ended up with nearly 100 mile day.

We visited the Thiepval Memorial to the Fallen of the Battle of the Somme, The British Army suffered over 60,0000 casualties in one day on July 1st 1916, neither of us could speak during the visit, it was overwhelming & even writing this now the emotion is powerful. We found the inscription of Fred Byrtles a soldier of the Lincs & Derby Regiment. We both said a prayer then back in the saddle. Within 10 miles we had crossed the old front lines & came across the German Cemetery, this was just as emotional, just farm lads & ordinary people just like our lads, what a waste, we had some deep conversations for the rest of the days ride about the order of society & its injustices back then.

After a night in a grotty hotel in Compeigne we had our last leg to Paris, through beautiful woodlands & Villages.  The villages & Chateaus getting bigger & grander as we neared Paris, eventually we came over the crest of a hill & there it was, the Paris skyline, the Eiffel Tower, Domes & towers all laid out ahead of us, only 20 miles to go… the traffic in Paris was like being attacked on all sides but after battling through it we arrived at the famous Arc du Triumph where we rode around it & down the Champs Elyse just like the end of the Tour de France. 

We had a great trip, rode 334 miles, 15,000 feet of ascent, 15,000 calories & in the process over £10,000 for Farmworkers & Farmers less fortunate than us.

Yours

Major Bumsaw

To date they have raised £13,411.43.