Apothecary 2020

Emma keeps us all grounded about the realities of
working in the NHS and juggling work, home and social
interests. I hope that there other younger members of
the Society who may wish to join us. Other members
of the Committee agreed to extend and Chris Khoo and
Vanessa Jenkins rejoined. Chris, as many of you are
aware, organises the excellent overseas trips each year
and we are very grateful for all the effort he puts into
these.
Following the AGM it was time for Apothecaries,
guests and members and staff to gather at St Andrewby-the-Wardrobe
Church to enjoy the Annual Carol
Service. This was coordinated by John Jolley. The
Venerable Luke Miller, Archdeacon of London,
conducted the service and everyone enjoyed the singing
of the Stellae Cantores choir and the music played by
the organist Paul Gobey.
After the service over one hundred members of the
congregation retired to Apothecaries’ Hall where they
enjoyed an excellent reception and buffet dinner
prepared by Party Ingredients. Despite the extensive
advertising, many of the newly admitted Yeomen were
not aware that they would be very welcome at this event
and we hoped that more members of the Society would
be able to come to the next Carol Service. Like all, we
had expected this to be in December 2020, more on this
later.
Apothecaries enjoying lunch and conversation at The Reform Club
Apothecaries enjoying their day at at The Reform Club
The New Year started on a positive note. We were
privileged that John Schofield facilitated a very
interesting trip to the Reform Club in Pall Mall in
February. Apothecaries were met by the Honorary
Archivist, Dr Peter Urbach, who took them “Around the
Club in 80 Minutes”. The Clubhouse is known to many
as the start and finish of Phileas Fogg’s epic journey, as
laid out in the well-known book published by Jules
Verne in 1872. Fogg makes a wager of £20,000 (roughly
£2 million today) with members of the Club that he can
circumnavigate the world in 80 days or less. On the day,
all bets were off, and Peter began by explaining the
political scene in the 1830s.
The Reform Club was founded in 1836 in Pall Mall,
right in the centre of what is often called London's
Clubland, and next door to the Tory Carlton Club.
Membership was restricted to those who pledged
support for the Great Reform Act of 1832, and the many
MPs and Whig peers among the early members
developed the Club as the political headquarters of the
Liberal Party.
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