The Wilford Archive
The Counting Table
GAW 14/1/20
The Counting Table - designed by John Baily, Architect and former Clerk to the Company - and three Chairs were made from oak by Peter Thompson of Sutton on the Forest. See his mark (a flower) carved on the inside of the Counting Table.
The Coats of Arms on the Counting Table and the Chairs were carved from lime wood by Graham Gamble of Acaster Malbis. The overall length of the Counting Table was set by the width of the gap between the two posts of the internal wall between the Small Hall and the Bar Annex, so that if required it could stand in the gap, projecting forward into the Small Hall. This had the benefit of stopping people walking through the gap and risking bumping their heads on the low beam
The September 2011 recommendation to the Court Meeting
8 Counting Table
The Court will be asked to consider a proposal to commission a counting table to commemorate the 350th Anniversary of the Company’s Royal Charter in 2012. Alan Scott, Chair of the Fabric committee, has provided the following notes:
When I asked John Baily to design a table to fill the gap under the low beam between the bar area and the Little Hall, the intention was that it would prevent injury by acting as a barrier. I had failed to find an appropriate antique in the sale rooms and John came back with a design based on a C16 - C17, " joined withdrawing counter table" also known as an accounts table. This type of table
was used by organisations such as ours for monetary transactions such as payment of fines, dues, etc. The loose top can be made to slide forward to reveal a cavity, allowing the money to be swept into the space below. John's proposal is that, apart from acting as a barrier, the table could be used at our Court meetings for our Master and Clerk to sit behind and if so wished, the storage area, secret locked, could be used to store our bible or relevant papers. The table would be embellished with our arms and lettering, to be agreed by the Company, this to commemorate our 1662 – 2012 anniversary.
We have received three quotes:
1) Peter Thompson. £4500 inc VAT. The top being a single plank of oak.
2) Shaw and Riley. £3657 inc VAT. The top being made up of 2-3 planks, glued.
3) Thompson of Kilburn. £4620 inc VAT.
The prices include a provisional figure for the carving. The colour of the oak to be agreed, eg natural, medium or dark fumed.
We already have £1000.00 from the Tom Matheson bequest. My view is that Peter Thompson, with his single plank table top, would be preferred.
I would like the Full Court to consider this proposal as a celebration of our 350th Anniversary and believe that this table would enhance the Hall, have practical applications and be a permanent reminder of our history.
AKS. 1/09/11
The Full Court are asked to endorse the proposal from the Court of Assistants that:
A counting table should be commissioned to commemorate the 350th Anniversary of the Company’s Royal Charter in 2012. The preferred maker is Peter Thompson and the table should be made in a medium colour. The table will be funded using contributions from members and the Tom Matheson bequest. Members are requested to make contributions via the Clerk no later than 31 Oct 11 after which the financial viability of the project will be assessed.
Court Minute – 26th Sept 2011
8. Counting Table Proposal. The Chairman of the Fabric Committee, Dr Alan Scott, and Dr John Baily briefed the Court on the proposal to commission a counting table to mark the 350th Anniversary of the Company’s Royal Charter in 2012. Members were in general agreement that the table would be a fitting way to mark the anniversary. The Court agreed.
Following completion of the Table in time for the Livery Dinner 2012, there was a surplus of donations which was used to make a Master’s and two Assistants’ Chairs, the shortfall of which was met by donations from Anthony Dixon in Memory of his father Richard Dixon (Master 1993) and Graham Millar (Master 2011)