City Livery Companies Speeches

‘The speech went down a storm. I have not seen the thank you letters but I have had many verbal expressions of approval. I think that it was the right balance of weight and gently humorous.‘ MN

London’s City Livery Companies are some of the most ancient and venerable institutions in the world. But few speakers come to us looking for ancient and venerable after dinner speeches!

We take pride in balancing sensitivity to the formal requirements for such occasions with an original, compelling and engaging approach.

Whether we are writing for incoming or outgoing Wardens or Masters, Aldermen, other office holders or guest speakers, we begin by getting a clear idea of both what is expected of them and what they want to get across to their audience. We then make sure the speech achieves both these goals and more. So whether you are speaking to The Worshipful Company of Mercers or The Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers, you will be armed with something both original and relevant.

Speeches for City Livery Companies often draw on the rich history of these ancient guilds, especially for functions in one of the remaining 41 historic Livery Halls. Many speakers also like to discuss the contemporary trade, recognising that while many members will not be practitioners, they do typically take an interest. For example, Carpenters, Masons, Joiners, Ceilers and Plaisterers in the modern construction industry, Dyers in the print business and so on. Many speeches will also touch on charity work, a key activity of City Livery Companies today, and our job is to understand what this involves, and make it inspiring and engaging rather than simply worthy and predictable.

Overall, we both understand the necessary etiquette and protocol required in City Livery speeches, and the need to go beyond ticking all the right boxes. It’s all very well to keep on top of which of The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors and The Worshipful Company of Skinners has precedence this year, but the real key to success is to tailor your speech to the needs of the occasion. Which is where we come in!

Please do call us for a chat about your forthcoming livery speech.  We are happy to work with an existing draft you provide or to help write it from scratch.