70. Sir Lionel Denny Lecture – Barber Surgeons Hall

Each year the Worshipful Company of Barbers deliver a lecture (The Sir Lionel Denny Lecture)  in memory of Sir Lionel who was Master of their Company in 1938 and Lord Mayor in 1965. This year the lecture, attended by Fiona and I, was entitled “Gogmagog and the Lord Mayor’s Show” and delivered by Dr Alixe Bovey who is Head of Research at the Courtauld Institute.

The lecture took us on a fascinating mythological journey tracing the origins of the famous giants Gog and Magog, who still feature strongly in and around the City of London. Large wooden carvings of these two giants feature on either side of the Guildhall and are an integral part of the Lord Mayors Show.

The Prime Warden Basketmaker was in the audience and introduced the two lady basketmakers who had made the giants for this years Lord Mayor’s Show.

Many thanks to the Master Barber for a fascinating evening.

Photographs show Dr Alixe Bovey and guests standing for the arrival of the Master Barber.