Anyone watching the Lord Mayor's parade?

[TressiliansStone]

The London Livery Companies (trade guilds) are looking very fine in the march.

Just to let you know the membership papers for the Livery Companies are available online at Ancestry under "London, England, Freedom of the City Admission Papers, 1681-1930".

Being a member of a Livery Company was one of the ways one could become a Freeman of the City. There's often lots of really interesting detail in the apprenticeship indentures.

Here's one I prepared earlier.

This Indenture Witnesseth, That Ann Deshons Daughter of John Deshons late of Southwark in the County of Surry Distiller deceased doth put herself Apprentice to James Wharton Citizen and Spectacle Maker of London to learn his Art and with him after the manner of an Apprentice to serve from the day of the date hereof, unto the full end and term of seven Years from thence next ensuing and fully to be compleat and ended during which Term the said Apprentice her Master faithfully shall or will serve his secrets keep, his lawful Commands everywhere gladly do she shall do no Damage to her said Master, nor see it to be done of others but to her Power shall let or forth with give Notice to her said Master of the same. The Goods of her said Master she shall not waste nor the same without Licence of him to any give or lend Hurt to her said Master she shall not do. Ale houses she shall not haunt. At Cards Dice Tables or any other unlawfull Game she shall not play nor from the service of her said Master Day or Night absent herself but in all Things as an honest and faithful Apprentice shall and will demean and behave herself toward her said Master and all his during the said term. And the said James Wharton in consideration of the Sum of Forty two pounds of lawfull money of Great Britain to him in hand well and truly paid by Melchior Wagner of Pallmall in the County of Middlesex Hatter Uncle of the said Ann the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged the said Apprentice in the same Art of a millinor which he now useth shall teach and instruct or cause to be taught and instructed the best way and manner that he can finding and allowing unto his said Apprentice sufficient Meat Drink Washing Lodging and all other Necessaries during the said Term according to the Custom of the City of London.
And for the true Performance of all and every the Covenants and Agreements aforesaid either of the said Parties bind themselves unto the Other firmly by these Presents. In Witness whereof the Parties abovesaid to these Indentures interchangeably have put their Hands and Seals, the Fourth Day of March in the twenty Seventh Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and in the Year of our Lord 1754.
Ann Deshons [signature]

My Dad always watched it because he went to Christ's Hospital, and it's their school band that lead the march.

Oh marvellous! I missed that bit.

Didn't see all of it, but enjoyed what I saw. I thought the commentary could have been better, though.