2024 Sheffield Winter Gathering

This year’s Winter Gathering and AGM was held on Friday 13 December in Cutlers Hall, home of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, and Sheffield Cathedral.

Talk - The History of the Humble Fork

At 2.30, in perfect harmony with our venue Cutlers Hall, local cutlery expert Paul Iseard delved into the origins and development of that most mundane item of tableware – the fork.

From no forks used at all until around 1688 – ‘that’s what fingers were made for’ – to the two prong fork until the late 1700s helped by Samuel Pepys being an early adopter, to the three prong fork from 1780 to 1880 and the four prong fork thereafter, Paul drew back the curtain on the design and considerable influence of the ‘perhaps not so humble’ fork at all levels in society.

Paul’s subsequent narrative on the development of differing carving sets for fish, fowl, meat and so on was no less intriguing, with his straw poll of ‘who still carves at the table’ revealing Liverymen to be among the nation’s leaders in maintaining this venerated skill.

Annual General Meeting

Immediately following the talk, Adrian Waddingham CBE, Tribal Chieftain, chaired the 2024 Brigantes AGM.

Under his Chairman’s Report, Adrian reviewed the past year which included the 2023 Winter Gathering in Carlisle Cathedral, the Golf Day at Ganton this April and the Brigantes Breakfast at St Georges Hall Liverpool in June.

The Association’s new Treasurer Richard Geldard, currently Master Tax Adviser, presented the accounts and took questions. The accounts were passed unanimously, as was increasing the annual subscription in February 2025 from £40 to £50, the first change since 2019.

Reception and Supper

Our Reception this year was generously hosted by the Master Cutler following which, at 5.00, 220 Liverymen and guests, a record for a Winter Gathering, moved into the wonderfully festive Great Hall for a superb two course supper.

The Rt Revd Dr Peter Wilcox, Bishop of Sheffield, gave the formal welcome and said Grace. Richard Groome proposed the Loyal Toasts. Mark Levy, the new Vice Chairman West, proposed the Toast to the Guests. Mrs Jane Marshall DL, Vice Lord Lieutenant of South Yorkshire, responded.

Adrian Waddingham presented the Brigantes Charity Donation to the Bishop. Over coffee, we were entertained by the University of Sheffield Student Appalachian Musicians.

Christmas Concert

At 7.00 we crossed the road to Sheffield Cathedral and joined the audience for the Christmas Concert given by the Cathedral Choir and the string quintet Ensemble 360.

Tom Daggett, the Conductor and Director of Music, is a familiar face to many Liverymen, having served for nine years at St Pauls Cathedral until his move North in 2023.

The evening’s programme included delights such as Frank Bridge’s ‘Sir Roger de Coverley’ Christmas Dance, the ‘Sussex Carol’ arranged by David Willcocks and Benjamin Britten’s ‘A Boy Was Born’, all interspersed with traditional carols that saw and heard the audience in fine voice.

The evening closed with a nightcap or three at the Leopold Hotel, Brigantes HQ for the Gathering.