Honourable Company of Master Mariners
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The Honourable Company of Master Mariners is one of the livery companies of the City of London.<ref name=ft>Template:Cite news</ref> While the other livery companies are entitled to the style Worshipful,<ref name=ft/> the Master Mariners are styled Honourable, King George V having granted them that honour in 1928.
The Company aids nautical schools and promotes nautical research. Members meet regularly to socialise, discuss technical issues and assist with the mentoring and training of young officers, who will train at sea to reach master mariner status.<ref name="Vaughan">Template:Cite book</ref>
The Honourable Company ranks seventy-eighth in the order of precedence for livery companies. Its motto is Loyalty and Service. The organisation nominally has the right to allow two of its Masters to serve as nautical assessors in the Admiralty Court.<ref name="Admiralty">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="AnnualPractice">Template:Cite book</ref>
The company works with other industry organisations such as the International Federation of Shipmasters' Associations.<ref name="Praegar">Template:Cite book</ref> This includes the organisations of lectures and command seminars.<ref name="Praegar"/>
History
The company was formed and incorporated in 1926.<ref name="Spectre">Template:Cite book</ref> In February 1928, Edward, Prince of Wales was elected Master of the company. The company was made an official Livery Company by the City of London in 1932, making it the first new Livery Company to be formed since 1746.<ref name=ft/>
In February 1952 Queen Elizabeth II became royal patron of the company.<ref>Transactions of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. Volume 95Royal Institution of Naval Architects, 1953. PAGE XXVII</ref> In June 1954, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was made a Master of the company.<ref name="Cawthorne">Template:Cite book</ref>
Between 1988 and 1990, Charles, Prince of Wales was Master of the company.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> From 2005 to 2007, Anne, Princess Royal served as Master of the company.<ref name="Royal">Template:Cite web</ref> Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh was appointed Master in 2025.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Clerks
- 1926–1959: W T C Smith Esq
- 1959–1967: M H Disney Esq
- 1968–1991: D H W Field Esq
- 1991–2002: J A V Maddock Esq
- 2002–2005: Cdr I S Gregory RN
- 2005–2008: Cdr R W W Craig RN
- 2009–2020: Cdre A Menzies RN
- 2020–2025: S Hanlon
- 2025-present: M Jenkins
HQS Wellington
Between 1948 and 2023, instead of the usual livery hall, the Honourable Company of Master Mariners had a headquarters ship, HQS Wellington, moored on the Thames at Victoria Embankment.<ref name=ft/><ref name="Smith">Template:Cite book</ref> The Company purchased the Template:Sclass sloop from the Admiralty in 1947 following donations from their members.<ref name="Smith"/><ref name="Robins">Template:Cite book</ref> She was subsequently converted for use as a floating livery hall in Chatham Dockyard.<ref name="Smith"/> The conversion was paid for by donations from Lloyd's of London, private benefactors, shipping companies and other livery companies.<ref name="Smith"/> In December 1948, the ship was moved to her permanent mooring along the Victoria Embankment.<ref name="Smith"/> In 1991, the ship was extensively refurbished following a period of dry-docking in the private yards at Sheerness Dockyard.<ref name="Smith"/>
In July 2005, ownership of HQS Wellington was transferred from the Honourable Company to a new organisation, the Wellington Trust, although the company retained its home onboard and was largely responsible for leadership within the trust.<ref name="Smith"/> On 6 April 2023, it was announced that, due to safety concerns, the Honourable Company would leave the ship, though they were developing plans for a new floating livery hall.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On display on the ship was the steering wheel of the ship Otago, the Master Joseph Conrad having sailed on the Otago. Following her destruction in 1931, the wheel was presented to the Honourable Company.<ref name="Fullerton">Template:Cite book</ref>
Coat of arms
References
External links
Template:Livery companies in the City of London Template:Authority control