Past Masters of the Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights

Outlined below are a list of Past Masters of the Company. The First Master of the Company was appointed by the Royal Charter and held office until October 1670. Since the years of office overlap, the dates given are not those of Installation but of the substantive year of office.

All new Liverymen are given a book by Eric Bennett, titled “The Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights 1670 – 1970”. And so to add a bit of colour to our Masters, by their name, we have included some interesting information that exists on some of them or on events in their year, as featured in this book. One could also say that some of this very selected early Company history adds to a rather colourful past where corporate governance was not quite what it is today…. At the same time, one has to remember the good that these early Past Masters have done for the Company – the craft, charity and the City. We are proud that a number of them have held high office in the City, as Sheriffs and Lord Mayors and in public office over the years.

17th Century

1670 Mathew Bateman He presented the Company with a Charles II tankard as is shown on our Company Treasures page
1671 Ralph Ashby (died in office)  
Christopher Hawes  
1672 Christopher Hawes  
1673 Samuel Gynes  
1674 Batholomew Hooper  
1675 Richard Smart  
1676 James Mynn  
1677 John Box  
1678 William Duke  
1679 James Timberlake Also know as Timberley or Timberly. He was accused in his year of forming a cartel to keep up prices. Co-accused were Henry Graves (Master 1681), John King (Master 1686), John Eades (Master 1680), Hugh Emery (Master 1682), John Box (Master 1677), Edward Wade (Master 1690) amongst other members of the Court.
1680 John Eades See 1679
1681 Henry Graves See 1679
1682 Hugh Emery In the days when the Master was a working wheelwright, some wheelwrighting was below standard and not even the Past Masters escaped. On 27th April 1962, a number of offenders were brought before the Company’s court, including four Past Masters: Hugh Emery (“for one wheel too Dishing”), Thomas Jackson 1683, Charles Hewitt 1688 and William Harman 1691. Also see 1679….a mulitple offender.
1683 Thomas Jackson See 1682 above, Thomas Jackson was guilty of “making one wheele too Deepe”
1684 Edward Bussey One could say that this Past Master finally “got his own back” on some of the Past Masters of his day who had objected to his admission to the Court in the summer of 1670, when he became Master forteen years later.
1685 John Preston It was in 1682, then a Warden, that he presented the Company with the “Poor’s Box”. At the time donations placed inside it were used to make payments to widows, orphans and members of the Company who had by age or ill-health fallen on hard times.
1686 John King See 1679
1687 Thomas Long  
1688 Charles Hewitt See 1682 above, in the case of Charles Hewitt punishment was five times greater as he was a repeat offender – “being formerly an Offender in this kind for makeing a Cart an Inch and halfe too wide was fined 10s. wch he paid it being his second offence.”
1689 James Mynn  
1690 Edwarde Wade  
1691 William Harman See 1679 for “makeing one wheele too Dishing”
1692 Thomas Humphryes  
1693 Symon Collison  
1694 William Buck  
1695 Richard Green  
1696 John Harris  
1697 William Symmons (died in office)  
Mathew Bateman  
1698 James Kirby Clearly making sub-standard wheels as a Liveryman did not appear to impact upon one’s prospects for becoming Master, as along with the others in 1692 he was found guilty of making “one wheele too Dishing”. He then went on to serve again as Master in 1710.
1699 Richard Smith  

18th Century

1700 William Shallock  
1701 Richard Clarke  
1702 Edward Chapman  
1703 Henry Graves  
1704 John Bateman  
1705 Thomas Granger  
1706 William Tame  
1707 Edmund Shelton  
1708 Richard Sketchley  
1709 John Farrington  
1710 James Mynn (resigned)  
James Kerby  
1711 William Tame  
1712 James Ireland  
1713 Arthur Beard  
1714 William Day  
1715 Nathaniel Goodwin  
1716 Thomas West  
1717 John Hilliard  
1718 William Jones  
1719 Caeser Grainger  
1720 John Sample  
1721 William Shelton  
1722 Joseph Wright  
1723 Thomas Jones  
1724 William Gray  
1725 Joseph Answorth  
1726 Thomas Wheeler  
1727 John Bishop  
1728 Jeremiah Davis  
1729 John Haslam  
1730 Edward Wilder  
1731 Edward Humphreys  
1732 John Horton  
1733 John Linn He was originally bound as an apprentice to a Freeman of the Clothworkers, but was a wheelwright by trade. In 1713 he received consent from the Clothworkers Company to become a Freeman of the Wheelwrights.
1734 Charles Pattison  
1735 Thomas Wiseman  
1736 Joseph Clark  
1737 Thomas Brown  
1738 Thomas Fullker  
1739 Richard Sharp  
1740 James Burges  
1741 Richard Baker  
1742 Benjamin Coster  
1743 John Harris (died in office)  
John Bishop  
1744 Edward Rabats  
1745 William Sadgrove  
1746 William Wright  
1747 Edward West  
1748 John Miles  
1749 John Howard  
1750 William Taverner  
1751 William Mayor  
1752 John Arnold  
1753 John George Elliot (removed from office)  
John Sample  
1754 Edward Leech  
1755 William Ashford  
1756 William Caslake  
1757 Thomas Bayley  
1758 Henry Templer  
1759 Lea Butler  
1760 Thomas Nottingham  
1761 William King  
1762 John Font  
1763 James Miller  
1764 John Kirk  
1765 George Sweeting  
1766 William Turner  
1767 John Burch  
1768 Samuel Leaver  
1769 William Gardiner  
1770 Richard Wilson  
1771 John Rabbats  
1772 Barrington Wood  
1773 Richard Turrell (died in office)  
John Miles  
1774 Samual Hinds Harman It was in this Master’s year that the Company was finally granted a Livery by the Court of Aldermen. Up until this point the Company had assumed the traditional role of a craft guild of the City of London. It’s first request in 1734 had been rejected, however in 1773 the Court of Aldermen were re-petitioned and this time the response was positive.
1775 James Hawkins  
1776 Robert Webb  
1777 Edward Lloyd  
1778 William Caslake Jnr  
1779 John Newbold  
1780 Barnett Price  
1781 Benjamin Worthy  
1782 John Font Later on from 1795 to 1797 there was a concerted effort to collect any quarterage arrears. Past Masters did not escape, as by then this one had “led all the rest” in the non-payers and so, after numerous warnings was “hereby discharged from his place of Assistance…for his non-appearance and neglect” in July 1795.
1783 Robert Perryman It was just before he became Master, that a dispute between tradesmen and masters (over the former’s demands for less hours and greater wages) came to a head. The journeymen wheelwrights went on strike after the Master (John Font) rejected their demands. Then a Warden, Robert Perryman, and the Company’s Court took them to a Court of Justice where the journeymen were indicted for “petty larceny”. The Court had been successful in breaking the strike not just by taking legal action but by also importing labour from outside London.
1784 James Rowley  
1785 Robert Sparrow  
1786 Edward Parish  
1787 John Gardiner  
1788 Richard Friend  
1789 William Windsor  
1790 Robert Atkins  
1791 David Davidson It was possible to move Livery companies in those days, however it required the approval of the Company’s Court and a fine. In 1794, this Master asked to be translated to the Fishmongers, but the financially alert Court rejected the first proposal of a £50 fine and he was advised that a £100 donation into the Poor’s Box would meet with their approval.
1792 Alexander Brander  
1793 Thos. Perryman  
1794 John Biggerstaff  
1795 Thomas Stevens  
1796 Josiah Champion  
1797 Thos. Perryman  
1798 Thos. Gill  
1799 Thos. Gill  

19th Century

1800 Robert Peckham He was the first member of the Company to become Lord Mayor of London in 1783.
1801 William White  
1802 James Wilson  
1803 William Browning  
1804 William Ellis  
1805 Robert Lever  
1806 Christopher Thomas  
1807 Thomas King  
1808 John Prested  
1809 Thomas Parker  
1810 John Smith  
1811 Charles Martin  
1812 Michael Peter Touray  
1813 John Treacher  
1814 William McAndrew  
1815 William Cordell  
1816 William Cass  
1817 John Pearson In was in this year that the Company petitioned the Court of Alderman for an increase in the permitted maximum number of liverymen to 250. It was approved and 27 new Liverymen were clothed – not one of them a working wheelwright, an early sign of the changing environment, even though wheelwrighting was still an important and much used craft.
1818 Edmund Fleming  
1819 William Hopes On 20th October 1819 it was reported to the Court that Upper Warden Alderman George Bridges had been elected to serve as Lord Mayor for the ensuing year. He was therefore excused office, both as Warden and Master. Alderman Bridges also presented the Company with the Bridges Cup which appears on the Company’s Treasures page
1820 Joseph Hurcombe  
1821 William Ruston  
1822 John Pickering Peacock  
1823 Alexander Adam  
1824 Joshua Hutchinson  
1825 Danial Weston  
1826 Thos. William  
1827 Wm. Beer  
1828 Sir Jas. Williams  
1829 Steven Cleasby  
1830 John Soper  
1831 Jas. Browning  
1832 Josh. Munday  
1833 Robert Day  
1834 Thos. Willis Cooper He was the subject of an unusual protest to the Court when he was elected to it in 1830. The protest was that having been elected to the Livery in 1827, he had then been elected Assistant over the heads of 150 senior Liverymen. This resulted in the strict enforcement of “buggins turn” until relatively recently, when this requirement was removed.
1835 Wm. Chaffers  
1836 Wm. Beetham  
1837 Joseph Fleming  
1838 Edward Conder  
1839 David Cameron  
1840 Edward Jones  
1841 George Wright  
1842 Thos. Reece  
1843 William Northcote  
1844 Thos. Pallister  
1845 James Templer  
1847 John Watson  
1848 Joseph Starling  
1849 John Chaffey  
1850 Joseph Blades  
1851 E. Pallister  
1852 Richard Wilson  
1853 William Chaffers Jnr.  
1854 Thos. Joyce  
1855 Henry Baldwin  
1856 John Outhwaite  
1857 Jas. Browning  
1858 William Chaffers  
1859 Ed. Conder Who became Sheriff of London and Middlesex
1860 Henry Cameron  
1861 Ed. Conder Jnr.  
1862 Henry Webb  
1863 Wm. Robert Chalmers  
1864 Benjamin Scott Having been Clerk to the Company for a period until 1846, he became Chamberlain of London in 1858, before becoming Master. He was suceeded as Clerk by his son James Renant Scott who later became Master in 1875.
1865 Wm. Brass  
1866 Geo. Webb  
1867 John Banyard Chaffey  
1868 Samuel Edward Donne  
1869 Benjamin Spilsbury  
1870 Daniel Kriew  
1871 Richd. Augustus Whithall  
1872 John King Farlow  
1873 John Henry Machu  
1874 James Ebenezer Saunders  
1875 William Foster Newton (died in office)  
James Renat Scott  
1876 William Clark  
1877 Robert Hy. Chas. Pallett  
1878 John Edensor  
1879 John Henry Dodson  
1880 Ellis Jones  
1881 Sir Edward William Watkin In 1881 he had the dubious honour of coming bottom of the list of attendees at Court for the period 1886-90, with no attendances. Although in previous years he had served the Company extremely well and had even laid on a special train at its disposal for its summer entertainment – he was one of the great railway promoters of the 19th Century.
1882 Jas. Fortescue Harrison  
1883 John Hughes  
1884 John Rűntz  
1885 Charles Dew Miller He presented the Company in his year of office with a gold chain for use with the Master’s badge.
1886 John Henry Puleston  
1887 Wm. George Lemon  
1888 Alfred Frank Aldridge  
1889 Thomas Proctor Baptie  
1890 Wm. John Rafferty  
1891 Walter Webb Presented the Company with the Webb Flaggon which appears on the Company’s Treasures page
1892 John Robbins  
1893 Jas. Ebenezer Saunders  
1894 Wm. Shepherd  
1895 Hon Alan de Tatton Egerton Later enobled as Lord de Tatton Egerton.
1896 John Coles  
1897 Charles Cleverly Paine  
1898 John Johnson Runtz  
1899 William Mann Cross  

20th Century

1900 Francis M. Mercer  
1901 Herbert E. Coles  
1902 Ezra T. Wilks  
1903 Francis B. Buckland  
1904 Henry T. Gordon  
1905 Ald Sir George Woodman  
1906 Henry J. Carter  
1907 George E. Cockram  
1908 Sir George Peters  
1909 Josiah Gunton  
1910 Str Percy Shepherd  
1911 Henry D. Buckland  
1912 Herbert H. Full  
1913 George R. Higgin  
1914 Albert E. Sabey  
1915 Col. T.H. Openshaw In this year, Sir William Dunn, a member of the Company was elected Lord Mayor of London
1916 Col. T.H. Openshaw  
1917 Col. T.H. Openshaw  
1918 Col. T.H. Openshaw A special vote of thanks was made to him by the Court for his unprecedented four year period of office. The minutes of that meeting also refer to him as a highly skilled surgeon and remarked on his success in founding Queen Mary’s Hospital, Roehampton.
1919 Martin L. Saunders  
1920 Henry O. Serpell  
1921 Frank E. Lemon  
1922 Rupert L. Norris  
1923 Frank W. Robson He was the first Instructor to a class for Wheelwrights established in conjunction with the Carpenters’ Company in 1894. During this period the Company had financially supported certain apprentices through their training.
1924 Rt Hon Sir Kingsley Wood  
1925 John Lawrie  
1926 Sir Randle Holme President of the Law Society
1927 Sir Oliver Sheat  
1928 Sydney C. Gordon  
1929 Charles A. Mercer  
1930 Richard W.B. Buckland  
1931 Frankl S. Wilks  
1932 Ald The Rt Hon Lord Ebbisham Lord Mayor of London in 1926
1933 Thomas B. Townson  
1934 Herbert H. Chappell  
1935 Frank Durrant  
1936 Charles W. Rooke  
1937 T Harvey Hull He served in the office of Clerk for forty-one years until his death in 1949.
1938 John L. Baynes  
1939 Sir Sidney Fox, FRICS, FAI, CC He was Sheriff of London in 1952
1940 Victor Wilkins  
1941 Col Herbert C. Woodcock  
1942 Harold M. Moore  
1943 John D. Broad  
1944 Leonard R. Norris  
1945 Henry C. Bound  
1946 Leslie E. Lawrie  
1947 James A. Chappell  
1948 Clifford Wilton  
1949 A. Leslie Gordon  
1950 Ernest A. Udall  
1951 Frank O. Willis  
1952 Lt Col Herbert Brookhouse  
1953 Major Guy Richardson  
1954 Andrew M. Woodman Presented the Company with the Woodman Cup which appears on the Company’s Treasures page
1955 C.D. King Farlow  
1956 H. Leonard Hunter  
1957 Col Herbert J. Chappell  
1958 Frederick W.C. Barker  
1959 Edwin A. Wormleighton  
1960 Alfred S. Henderson  
1961 Theodore A. Frankford  
1962 Frank L. Whitehead  
1963 Arthur W. White  
1964 Ald H. Murray Fox He was Lord Mayor of London in 1974. He also presented the Company with The Oyster Shell which appears on the Company’s Treasures page
1965 Lt Col Richard Lowther Broad  
1966 Lt Col Eric George Bates  
1967 Michael John William Russell  
1968 F. Griffiths Woollard  
1969 Richard Edwin Stebington  
1970 Dr. Geoffrey Stuart Udell  
1971 Herbert S. Dodson  
1972 Duncan T. Russell  
1973 William F. Newbury  
1974 F. Geoffrey Wills  
1975 Kenneth H. Williman  
1976 Eric W. Bales  
1977 Eric T. Sermon  
1978 Francis C. Schilling In his year Michael N. Hinton, who had served as Clerk to the Company from 1965-72, served as Aldermanic Sherriff
1979 Joseph Bulmer Hepworth In his year, Liveryman Kenneth Ballard served as Lay Sheriff.
1980 David Glyn Humphreys  
1981 Walter Joseph Dymott  
1982 Sir Humphrey Cripps In his year Hon. Assistant Sir Anthony Joliffe served as Lord Mayor of London
1983 Geoffrey Robert Hart In his year Hon. Assistant John Henderson served as Chief Commoner.
1984 Herbert Frank John Fenton  
1985 Robert Henry Gould  
1986 Douglas J.E. King In his year, Hon. Assistant Alderman Sir David Rowe-Ham served as Lord Mayor of London
1987 John Arthur Frederick Taylor  
1988 Ernest James Macey  
1989 John Bassett Lumsden  
1990 Christopher Barry Davis  
1991 John Hylton Weymouth Lacy (Died in Office) In his year, Liveryman John Taylor served as Lay Sherriff.
Christopher Barry Davis  
1992 Robert William Codling  
1993 Keith Anthony Wells  
1994 Howard William Sant  
1995 Thomas John Tertius Metcalf (Died in Office)  
Brian Philip Boreham  
1996 Brian Philip Boreham  
1997 John Holland, CBE JP DL Deputy He had served as Chief Commonner in 1994
1998 William Norris Bolt  
1999 Edward Charles Wakefield  

21st Century

2000 Thomas Wilfred Peter Bridges, MBE, JP, DL  
2001 Thomas Richard Sermon He later also served as Master of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries in 2007.
2002 Neville Anthony Joseph  
2003 Gordon William Sinclair Davie  
2004 David Noel Legg In his year, Liveryman Laurence St. J. T. Jackson served as Chief Commoner
2005 Timothy James Hopcroft  
2006 Michael Alexander Kirk  
2007 Edward Arthur Jackson

 He had also served as Chairman of the Royal Society of St. George in the previous year