Horn Blower

Alderman Gordon Haines helps to distribute the
gifts
THE FATHER OF THE COMPANY LEAVES US
At the funeral of the Father of The Company,
Honorary Court Assistant Basil Lawrence (Chris)
Leverton at the Golders Green Crematorium on
28 th January 2012, the Company was well
represented by Past Masters, Court Assistants and
their wives, together with our Master David
Williams and our Clerk Raymond Layard. The
service was conducted by the Vicar of Hendon, the
Reverend Gwyn Clements and the address was
given by our former chaplain Prebendary Alan
Tanner, OBE, who first met Basil in 1954. It was
Basil who revived the Chaplaincy of the Company
and Alan who became its Chaplain in 1977. It was
also Alan who had been there when Basil married
Joan, and it was Alan who had conducted her
funeral. Their two sons took part in the funeral
service, with Philip reading the lesson and Tim
providing a moving tribute to Basil in his role as a
devoted husband and father.
Basil’s enthusiasm for the stick dressers of England
and the formation of a link between the Company
and the craftsman Norman Tulip and later, his
widow Evelyn and their sons was mentioned. Basil
will be remembered for his activities in those
areas that led to the donation by Norman of the
‘fine sticks’ carried by the Officers of the Company
and especially the ‘Victory Stick’ with the
signatures of the Allied leaders including Churchill.
Another of Basil’s attributes was his dedication to
investigating the detailed background of horn
artefacts wherever he could find them, often
obtaining them and giving them to the Company.
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Basil and Joan Leverton
The role of a company almoner, an important
feature of Medieval Guilds, was revived during
Eric Hunt’s Clerkship by his wife, Mary. When the
Almoner’s Committee was formalised by John
Hunt, Basil became its first Chairman and Court
Representative. Although he was not directly
involved in the Almoners’ activities he provided
very helpful guidance and an excellent ‘sounding
board’. His devotion and service to the Company
were considerable and together with his wise
counsel will be sadly missed.
Dr. Eric Hunt
JOHN RATCLIFFE REMEMBERED
John Nielsen Ratcliffe was the CEO from 1956 to
1985 of the Plastics Institute (PI) and later the
Plastics and Rubber Institute (PRI) (after
amalgamation with the Institute of the Rubber
Industry). He died at the age of 91 on 18 October
2011. Tributes and records of his outstanding
contributions to the plastics and rubber industries
both nationally and internationally during this
time of rapid expansion have been published by
the Plastics Historical Society (PHS), of which he
was the principal instigator in 1986, and by the
Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3)
with which the PRI merged in 1992. I do not wish
to repeat them here.
John was not able to attend many Horners
functions although he had been a Liveryman since
1977. He was, however, a great supporter and
contributor behind the scenes.