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Leathersellers’ Review 2024–2025
The Court
Committees
Denis Daniels
Master Martin Dove
Policy Martin Dove David Barrow Nicholas Tusting Matthew Pellereau Sean Williams Richard Chard Hamish Williams Angela Brueggemann Finance Mark Williams David Barrow Edward Dove Christopher Barrow
Charity Clare Lennon David Barrow Edward Dove Antony Barrow Michael Bradly Russell Caspar Williams
Master 1995–1996
Second Warden David Barrow
was a governor for 16 years, from 1986, and served for a while as Vice-Chair of the Governors. He saw the value of single-sex education and helped to forge Prendergast’s reputation as one of the leading girls’ schools in Lewisham. He oversaw the school’s move, after 105 years in its original building, to a new site in a former boys’ grammar school at Hilly Fields, which, as Master, he formally opened. The Company contributed 15% of the funding needed to refurbish the building. And of course, he also arranged for a first-class piano to be purchased. Admitted to the Company Freedom in 1954 and to the Livery the following year, Denis and his wife Mary lived in Woking, where she had a full career in employment tribunals and he played golf enthusiastically. He was a stalwart of the Leathersellers’ Golfing Society. He also played tennis to a high level, becoming Kent county champion in the doubles – which led to his competing at Junior Wimbledon – and winning the Belgian Open Amateur Squash Championship in 1958. Denis once appeared on a 1959 episode of What’s My Line. The celebrity panel were unable to guess his occupation from the given clue of ‘crocodile belly inspector.’ During his year in office, Rear Admiral Patrick Rowe, the Company’s Clerk, retired, and Denis welcomed his successor, Commodore Jonathan Cooke, a former British submarine captain and naval attaché in Paris. Jonathan would go on to serve for a further 12 years, forging a good relationship with his first Master.
Denis Daniels was an assiduous Master of the Leathersellers from 1995–1996, who, with his twin brother Graham, represented a distinguished family of leather merchants dating back to the 19th century. His father, one of several former Past Masters whose benign portraits hung in the Sixth Hall, had owned a large tannery in Salisbury. Denis also made his career in the leather industry. He brought to the Company a passion for music. Himself a fine musician, Denis started and promoted the yearly concerts of classical music in the Hall, where many of the students sponsored at Guildhall School of Music were invited to play, together with other distinguished musicians. And Denis, a bassoonist and pianist, himself regularly took part. He spent much time complaining about the quality of the grand piano in the Sixth Hall and persuaded the Company to buy another, far superior replacement, which he played on occasion and was central to the annual concerts. Christmas was a time when Denis would lead the Court in Christmas carols around the tree in St Helen’s Place – a tradition that continues. He also promoted the career of his nephew, an opera singer, who performed occasionally for the Company, and composed a Company song – although this did not, in the end, catch on. Wine was another area of expertise, with Denis having served on the Company’s Wine Committee for many years. Although the brothers were identical twins – often leading to amusing confusion – Denis knew about, and enjoyed, wine although Graham, who died before him, was teetotal. Prendergast School, the forerunner of the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools, was a particular interest. Denis
Third Warden Charles Curtis
Mark Berman Jasper Holmes James Russell Parminder Nahl Emily Bingley Alexander Preston
Fourth Warden Edward Dove
Immediate Past Master Nicholas Tusting
Leather Trade Alistair Tusting
Senior Member Matthew Pellereau
James Lang William Cock Jeremy Curtis Richard Preston Andrew Bailey Stuart Fuller
David Barrow Charles Curtis Jonathan Muirhead OBE DL
Court Assistants Martin Pebody Antony Barrow Michael Bradly Russell Christopher Barrow Jonathan Muirhead OBE DL
Reginald Hankey Charles Williams Robert Pound William Amberg Nicholas Muirhead
Assets Sub-Committee Christopher Barrow Mark Williams Charles Curtis Hamish Williams Andrew Rothery Serena Cheng KC Thomas Santa-Olalla
Gavin Bacon Clare Lennon Mark Williams James Lang Richard Chard Timothy Fooks Hamish Williams Sean Williams Caspar Williams William Cock Alistair Tusting
Alice Robinson Oliver Russell
Education Timothy Fooks David Barrow Charles Curtis Matthew Pellereau Kate Ward Caspar Williams Jasper Holmes David Sheppard Katherine Saxon Robert Mullen
George Barrow James Purdon Christian Pittard Membership Martin Dove David Barrow Nicholas Tusting Martin Pebody Gavin Bacon Clare Lennon Sean Williams Richard Chard William Cock
Mark Berman Jasper Holmes Jeremy Curtis Charles Williams Angela Brueggemann Andrew Rothery
Young Livery Emily Patrick Talulla Rendall
Francesca Barrow Alexander Preston Eleanor Bellfield Edward Lennon Ralph-Lewis Diabate
Michael Binyon
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