...Construction Provides a Civilised World

The Master, Court and Past Masters

The Master for 2009 / 2010 Dr Christine Rigden, BSc PhD FGS CGeol

The Master Constructor is elected to serve for one year in September, and is installed in October (and that evening presides over their own Installation Dinner). Subject to election and continuing support in the Company throughout his passage to the Chair, the Master will have achieved his high office after serving some time as a Court Assistant, and then advancing through the ranks of the wardens. 

   

The Court comprises the Senior, Middle, Renter and Junior Wardens, the Pastmasters (not all with voting powers) and the Court Assistants. The Company is required to have a minimum of 10 Court Assistants, and may also appoint Honorary Court Assistants, whose experience and abilities will contribute to the management of the Company.

The Court meets 5 times each year. All those who seek the Freedom of the Company, or who wish to enter the Livery, must appear before the Court to make the appropriate commitments. The Court is assisted in the exercise of its duties by several management committees, and by the Clerk.

The Clerk is elected annually, and is the Company's executive officer, responsible for day to day management. The Beadle has a formal role in the management of Court meetings and large formal gatherings.

On 15 October 2009 the following members of the Company were elected to serve as officers for the year 2009/2010 

The Master Dr Christine Rigden, BSc PhD FGS CGeol 

Dr Christine Rigden (seen here above with her gentleman husband and Constructors` Renter Warden Stephen Rigden. Stephen is to be known as "Her Gentleman") was born on 7th January 1965 in County Durham, and raised in King’s Lynn, Norfolk. She attended The University of Sheffield, graduating with a BSc in Geology in 1986 and a PhD in Materials in 1990, with research topic concentrating on the use of industrial waste products as partial replacements for cement in concrete. Following a move to London Christine joined Queen Mary College, London University, as a Lecturer in Geomaterials in 1992. Here she was able to combine her academic interests in geology and cements with research focussed on the use of geological materials in the construction industry, especially in the materials properties and durability of concrete and building stone. During this time Christine was also much involved in the Geological Society of London, serving two four year terms on their Council and one term as an Honorary Secretary.

Dr Rigden moved to Canterbury in 2000 and joined Stephen Rigden at Project Management and Design Services Limited, a small civil and structural engineering consultancy. Christine and Stephen married in 2006 and sold PMDS Ltd the following year, both retaining the position of company Directors.

Dr Rigden’s involvement in the City began shortly after moving to London, on becoming a Freeman and Liveryman of the Constructors in 1993. Christine was elected the first lady Master Constructor in September 2009 and installed on 14th October 2009. Christine is also a member of the Masons Company, becoming a Freeman and Liveryman in 2008 and being appointed a Steward in 2009. Dr Rigden is also one of the elected Officers of the City of London, having been elected as an Ale Conner since 2007.

Christine is the first female to hold this post in over 700 years; on request, she carries out the duties of testing ale in the City in the traditional leather breeches. Dr Rigden is a member of the City Livery Club, the City Livery Yacht Club, Candlewick Ward Club, and the Little Ship Club.

     

Both Christine and Stephen enjoy sailing. Having spent the previous three summers cruising in the Baltic, they have now returned with their yacht to St. Katharine’s Dock for her year as Master. They live just north of Canterbury, and run their 150acre arable farm.

The Master and Wardens for 2009 / 2010 taken at The Installation Dinner in Drapers Hall.

Senior Warden Patricia Newton RIBA FFB BAE FRSA

Middle Warden Sir Michael Latham DL MA Hon FREng Hon FCIB Hon FICE Hon FRIBA Hon RICS Hon FCIBSE Hon FLI Hon FRIAS Hon FCIPS

Renter Warden Stephen Rigden BSc MSc CEng MICE MCIM 

Junior Warden, Alan Longhurst BSc, BArch, RIBA

The following Court Assistants were installed in The Court for 2009 / 2010:-

CA 1 (M 14/15) Doug Barrat FRSA
CA 2 (M 15/16) Victoria Russell LLB (Hons) FCIArb FCIOB FFB
CA 3 (M 16/17) Graeme Monteith BSc (Hons) CEng MICE FIHT
CA 4 (M 17/18) Sir Vivian Ramsey MA MICE
CA 5 (M 18/19) Robert (Bob) Heathfield PPCIOB
CA 6 (M 19/20) Ian Mason MRICS
CA 7 (M 20/21) Mike Parrett FCIOB CSCI FRSA FIMMM FIOD
CA 8 (M 21/22) Artin Hovsepian BSc (Hons) MCIOB MASI
CA 9 John Sayers MAPM
CA 10 Stephen Wells BSc (Hons) CEng C DIP FICE FCIWEM
CA 11 Henry Lamb BSc (Hons) DipIs FCIOB FBEng MAPM
CA 12 Tim Fitch BSc MSc DIC CEng FICE

Court Assistant Emeritus:

Professor Ian Colquhoun BArch, RIBA, MRTPI;

Keith Wilson, ARIBA

Honorary Court Assistants:-

Hon CA 1 David Rundle RIBA FCIOB PPASI PPFB HonFGIS
Hon CA 2 Kenneth Kent FCIOB MRICS FASI MCMI and Chairman of The Charitable Trust Trustees
Hon CA 3 Arthur Seymour FCIOB FFB, (Hon Treasurer)
Hon CA 4 Godfrey Crook MSc FICE FIStructE ACIArb Formerly Chief Civil Engineer British Airways.

Court Illustrator;

Henry Stephenson FRSA FADAI MCSD

Honorary Chaplain;

Awaiting appointment on retirement of The Reverend Prebendary David Burgess MA

Committee Past Masters:-

PM Martin Wade FRICS FCIOB
PM John Trussler PPCIOB FRICS
Immediate PM Roger Adcock FCIOB FFB

Committee Chairmen & Reporting (to GP & the Court) Wardens.

Scholarships and Awards; Chairman Bob Heathfield, Reporting Warden, Sir Michael Latham.

Events; Chairman Doug Barrat, Reporting Warden Stephen Rigden.

Sponsorship; Chairman Mike Parrett, reporting Warden, Alan Longhurst.

Steward 1 (Senior Steward) David Fell F Weld I,
Stewards 2, 3 & 4; Julian Kent MCIOB, Jon Coles MCIOB ACIArb, Andrew Hornby RMaPS TechIOSH MIIRSM MRSPH FFB

Almoner & Archivist PM John Burrell BSc MICE

Pastmasters:

*A Maxwell Caplin MBE FFS FRSA; 1977/78 (Painted by Maurice Pickering in 1980).

*Brian Scruby CBE FEng FICE FIStructE FASCE M Cons E M Soc C E (Fr); 1978/79. Brian was also President of The Institution of Structural Engineers in 1967/68, Chairman of The Association of Consulting Engineers Association for 1974/75. George Frederick Brian Scruby was born in 1912 and for 50 years lived in the Sutton and Cheam area of Surrey. Essentially a practical engineer, Brian attended Wimbledon Junior Technical College until 1927 and, by part time studies, first at Wimbledon Technical College and later at Borough Polytechnic, He became a Graduate Engineer in 1935 and an Associate Member in 1937 finally a full Member in 1944.

*Peter Allen FRICS; 1978/80

*Merrick J Burrell FCIOB FRSH; 1980/81

*Dr Socrates P Christie PhD BSc (Eng) FICE CEng FIStructE MConsE MSocCE(Fr) MInstHE FIArb FFB; 1981/82 (photo from Mrs Lilian Stephenson achieves) Doctor of Philosophy

*George A Rooley CBE FICE FIMechE FInstF PPIHVE MConsE FFB; 1982/83

*Ron F Fielding FRIBA FFB; 1983/84

*Maurice Emmitt Pickering FRIBA FRSA; 1984/85
Landscape Architect

Born in 1927 in Lincolnshire and educated in Coventry. He was then involved in Civil Defence and later commissioned into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. After the war he trained as an architect at Birmingham University before moving to London to study landscape architecture at University College London. He set up his London based practice in 1959. He became a Freeman of the City in 1977. Maurice served as President of the Faculty of Building in 1983 and became an early and enthusiastic member of the fledgling Company of Chartered Architects in 1988. On other fronts Pickering, a voter in the Farringdon Ward of the City, became a member of the United Wards Club and the Royal Society of St George. He also joined the City Livery Club and progressed through the council to become its president in 2004-2005. His civic interests went beyond the City. He became heavily involved in the Freemen of England and Wales and became its president for a two year spell between 2002 and 2004. He died on January 22, 2008, aged 81.

*Ronald G Taylor BSc CEng FICE FIStructE FFB FWeldI; 1985/86

John Pryke, MA(Cantab) CEng FICE FIStructE MSocCE(Fr); 1986/87 (Senior Past Master 2009)

*Dr Ken Brown MSc(Eng) Phd(Eng) CEng FICE FIStructE;   1987/88

*Jack Neary FRICS CC; 1988/89 - Sheriff of The City of London 1985/86 - President City Livery Club 1983 - 84

*Geoffrey Perfect JP FCIOB; 1989/90

Geoffrey generously presented The Master Constructors Badge of Office to The Company in 1989.  Designed by Court Assistant David Tong, in 9ct yellow gold, square panel with matted ground, applied with the Constructors` Company crest in coloured enamels, and white gold, loop top and black enamel tapered terminal with ruby cabochon below, engraved to verso. Birmingham 1990 made by T Fattorini.

The Master`s Badge is the basic square shape of a building stone or marble representing the square mile of The City of London.  The four corner patterns representing the main disciplines of Architect, Engineer, Builder and Surveyor.  The original sixteen intermediates were meant to represent the other older Guilds connected with the construction industry.

Declaring the motto "Consructio Cum Honori" (Build with Honour).

Kenneth Sidney Ansell Davis, ARIBA; 1990/91

Michael May, FRSA; 1991/92

Richard Rooley, BAI FREng FICE FCIBSE; 1992/93

Richard founded the TEAMBUILD competition, originally called Build-a-building in 1990. He recognised that poor communication was the cause of numerous problems within the industry and so designed the competition to try and enhance those skills in young professionals. Richard has worked tirelessly on the organisation of the competition every year since.

Richard is a consulting engineer in London, in the fields of building services and project management. He also acts as an arbitrator, expert witness, and mediator in disputes. He has links to many institutions including acting as president of ASHRAE.

Peter Olley, FICE FIStructE MICE MSocE(Fr); 1993/94

Denis Blackburn, FCIOB; 1994/95

Anthony Appleton, BEd FRICS FCIOB; 1995/96 and former Learned Clerk.

Philip Everett, FRICS; 1996/97

Robert Wharton, PPCIOB PPFB FHKIE MCIArb FAIC; 1997/98

Peter Heath MA (Cantab) CEng FICE MConsE MSocCE(Fr)1998/99

David Hutchison MBE, BA RIBA FRSA; 1999/2000

John Burrell, BSc MICE; 2000/01

*Paul Lacey FICE FIStructE FIHT, FRSA, FFB; 2001/02

Chartered Engineer, Fellow of Institution of Civil Engineers , Fellow of Institution of Structural Engineers, Fellow of Institution of Highways and Transportation, Fellow Royal Society of Arts, Fellow of Faculty of Building

John Robson, JP FRICS; 2002/03

David Hattersley, MBE BSc(Eng) FCGI FICE FCMI; 2003/04

Peter Knight, FRICS FCILA ACII ACIArb FRSH; 2004/05

Bob Craig FCIOB MCIArb MaPS; 2005/06

John Trussler PPCIOB FRICS Hon AIC FRSA; 2006/07

Martin Wade FRICS, FCIOB; 2007/08

A Chartered Surveyor and a Chartered Builder, Martin was an equity partner in private practice for many years, working not only in the UK but also in Continental Europe, North America, North Africa and Asia Pacific providing project and cost management services to a wide range of international clients.

Martin is a Past President of the RICS Quantity Surveyors' Division and also chaired the Institution's International Committee for a number of years - which led on the successful globalisation of the Chartered Surveying profession. He has been a director St. Albans Enterprise Agency for nearly 25 years, helping in the development of some 30,000 square feet of office accommodation for start up businesses in the area, and as chairman of Harpenden Cricket Club was responsible for rebuilding its ground some 15 years ago.

Roger Adcock FCIOB, FFB: 2008/09