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The Honourable Company of Master Mariners is one of the livery companies of the City of London.^[1] While the other livery companies are entitled to the style Worshipful,^[1] 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.^[2]

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.^[3]^[4]

The company works with other industry organisations such as the International Federation of Shipmasters' Associations.^[5] This includes the organisations of lectures and command seminars.^[5]

History

The company was formed and incorporated in 1926.^[6] In February 1928, His Royal Highness, 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.^[1]

In February 1952 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II became royal patron of the company.^[7] In June 1954, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was made a Master of the company.^[8]

From 2005 to 2007, Her Royal Highness Anne, Princess Royal served as Master of the company.^[9]

Masters

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–present: S Hanlon

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.^[1]^[10] The Company purchased the Grimsby-class sloop from the Admiralty in 1947 following donations from their members.^[10]^[11] She was subsequently converted for use as a floating livery hall in Chatham Dockyard.^[10] The conversion was paid for by donations from Lloyd's of London, private benefactors, shipping companies and other livery companies.^[10] In December 1948, the ship was moved to her permanent mooring along the Victoria Embankment.^[10] In 1991, the ship was extensively refurbished following a period of dry-docking in the private yards at Sheerness Dockyard.^[10]

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.^[10] 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.^[12]

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.^[13]

Coat of arms

Coat of arms of Honourable Company of Master Mariners
	Crest On a wreath of the colours, In front of a sun in splendour proper a quadrant Or. Escutcheon Argent, on waves of the sea a representation of the ship 4 The Golden Hind' in full sail all proper; on a chief arched azure a terrestrial globe also proper between two mullets of the field. Supporters On either side a sea horse proper gorged with a naval crown Or, that on the dexter supporting a staff proper headed Or, flying therefrom the Union Flag, and that on the sinister supporting a like staff, flying therefrom the Red Ensign also proper. Motto 'Loyalty and Service'^[14]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Engel, Matthew (21 December 2012). "British institutions: livery companies". ft.com. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
^ Vaughan, Roy (2015). The Last of a Salty Breed. Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency. p. 64. ISBN 9781681811680.
^ Admiralty Jurisdiction and Practice. Taylor & Francis. 2017. p. 783. ISBN 9781317424215.
^ The Annual Practice. Volume 1. Great Britain. Supreme Court of Judicature. Sweet and Maxwell. 1964. p. O.58(r.9).
^ ^a ^b Terror on the High Seas. Volume 1. Praeger Security. 2009. p. 580.
^ Spectre, Peter (2007). The Mariner's Book of Days 2008. Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. ISBN 9781574092431.
^ Transactions of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. Volume 95Royal Institution of Naval Architects, 1953. PAGE XXVII
^ Cawthorne, Nigel (2021). I Know I Am Rude, but It Is Fun. Prince Philip on Himself and Others. Gibson Square Books.
^ "The Princess Royal – 70 facts at 70". The Royal Household. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Smith, David (2007). The Honourable Company of Master Mariners and the Floating Livery Hall HQS Wellington. The Wellington Trust. ISBN 9780955340512.
^ Robins, Nick (2021). From War to Peace. The Conversion of Naval Vessels After Two World Wars. Seaforth Publishing. p. 81. ISBN 9781399009614.
^ "HCMM's Departure from HQS Wellington". London: Honourable Company of Master Mariners. 4 April 2023. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
^ Fullerton, Susannah (2009). Brief Encounters. Pan Macmillan Australia. p. 88. ISBN 9781741984866.
^ "Honourable Company of Master Mariners". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 31 January 2024.