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6
THE 2006
COURT
IRONBRIDGE
ASSISTANT
GORGE LIVERY
PETER
WEEKEND
COWLAND
Past Master Alan Wells
The
then Master, Alan Wells
This
summer
saw Court Assistant
accompanied
by Christine,
joined
Peter Cowland
stand
down
from
about 188 Masters
and
their
the
important
role
as
principal
partners
for
the
annual
Livery
organiser of
the Company’s
Weekend
at
Ironbridge, Nr
Salamander Ball,
a
task
he
has
Telford
in
Shropshire,
from
the
undertaken
very
successfully
16th
to 18th
June 2006.
since 2001.
Based
at
the Holiday
Inn
hotel,
the weekend
Peter
followed
his
father’s
footsteps
into
the
fire
started with
a Livery Dinner
at one of
the
service where
he
served
for 32
years,
retiring
as
Ironbridge Gorge Museum buildings
at
the
Senior
Fire
Safety Officer of Hertfordshire
Coalbrookdale. The
following day
coaches
and
Fire & Rescue
Service
in
the
rank of Divisional
guides
took
everyone on
a
tour of
the Gorge
to
Officer Grade
I.
visit
the Coalport China Museum, Blists Hill
He
joined
the Company
in 1999, was
admitted
to
Victorian Town where many
traditional
trades
the
Freedom of
the Company
the
same
year,
are worked
in
replicated period
surroundings,
gained Livery
in 2002
and
has
served on
the
the
Jackfield Tile Museum
and
finally
the
Court of Assistants
for
some
four
years. Peter
Coalbrookdale Museum of
Iron where Abraham
says
he was press
ganged
to
take over
the
Darby
helped
spark
the
Industrial Revolution by
running of
the
Salamander Ball
(then
known
as
developing
coke
smelting
to
replace
charcoal
the Worshipful Company of
Firefighters Ball) by
with
coal
to
refine
iron
in 1709. The
restored
Colin Livett
as part of
his
‘development’
– what
a
Quaker
homes of
the Darbys’
can be
visited
pal!
nearby.
The weekend
concluded with
the
President’s Ball
held
in The Engine
Shop
at
Apart
from masterminding
six
successive
Coalbrookdale.
Salamander Balls, Peter
has
also been
involved on
the Company
entry
in
the Lord Mayor’s
Show,
The
Firefighters’ Company,
along with 13 or
so
acted
as Charity Officer of
the
Firefighters
other Companies, presented
a
shield depicting
Memorial Trust
and was
very
involved
in
the
our Coat of Arms
to
the
Ironbridge Gorge
team
led by
Senior Past Master Gerry Clarkson
Museum
to
add
to
their present
collection of
that
staged
the Home
Front Recall
events
in
41Livery
shields.
September 2005.
Links between
the Livery
and
the
Ironbridge
Over
the past
six
years or
so, Peter
has been
Gorge Museum Development Trust
have been
aided by
his wife, Lesley, who
has
also put
in
established
for many
years
and
a
few
companies
much
time
and
effort on
various
aspects of
the
have
assisted,
through
a City based
Ironbridge
organisation of
the
annual
Salamander Ball
and
Livery Committee, with
the development of
other
events. All members will
applaud both
some of
the
heritage preservation work
in
the
Peter
and Lesley
for
their
hard work over past
Gorge.
More
information
about
the
link
years on behalf of
the Company.
between
the City Livery
and
the
Ironbridge
Gorge Museum Trust
is promised.
Peter will
remain
a member of
the Events
Sub
Committee
and will
assist Liveryman Bryan
Spearman with
the organisation of
the 2007
Salamander Ball.
Peter
and Lesley Cowland