Local lady joins the Honourable Artillery Company
Rtn Ron Myland introduced local lady, Elizabeth Mason, to Market Rasen Rotary recently. Elizabeth served in the Army for 30 years, including tours in Kosovo, Bosnia and Iraq. When army retirement was looming, she looked for other things to do to keep her involved in the military, which she loved. She joined the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC).
The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), the Company, originally just pikemen, was formed in 1925 to perpetuate the traditions and ceremonial of the HAC’s past.
In 1932 a division of Musketeers was added, and became the Company of Pikemen & Musketeers.
So what is the HAC?
As far back as the time of Henry II, the Lord Mayor had been ordered to provide a body of armed, disciplined men for the defence of the City of London. The armed bands reported to the Lord Mayor, and not to the sovereign, although the Lord Mayor obviously reported to the monarch.
The HAC traces its’ origins back to a Royal Charter granted by Henry VIII on the 25 August 1537 to the ‘Guild or Fraternity of St George’ which practiced the skills of using ‘Longbowes, crossbowes and handgonnes’.
Most cities in Europe had a militia for home defence and law and order purposes which could be called out by the mayor. That was the HAC’s main purpose for hundreds of years as part of the trained bands. Outside the big towns, many noblemen, lords of the manor and landowners effectively had their own private armies which the monarch of government would call upon, when needed.
Up until the mid-17th century the Company’s officers were appointed by the Court of Aldermen of the City.
It is likely that members of the HAC were among those who mustered at Tilbury to man the ships which sailed to defeat the Spanish Armada, but we’ll never be able to prove that we fought on board our ships, as our early records were lost in the Civil War.
Elizabeth I addressed her troops, prior to the Armada, including pikemen.
Her memorable speech included: “I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and a King of England too!”
The early 1600s were a time of much upheaval and religious persecution in Britain. A number fled to New England to avoid religious persecution, among them were several members of the HAC. The settlement there, found that they needed a militia, as they had back home, the HAC members set about creating one in Boston, Massachusetts.A painting shows the militia on Boston Common, in Massachusetts In 1638 when they were granted a charter by Governor Winthrop. Robert Keayne, a HAC member, became the first Captain.
This is now known as the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, with whom we have a close relationship; we visit Boston from time to time and they come to London. Their last visit was in 2024.
Members of the HAC fought on both sides in the Civil War, but sided mostly with the Parliamentarians, as did much of the City.
A number of Royalist HAC members fled to Bruges with the young pretender (afterwards Charles II) and were among the founding members of the Grenadier Guards and Life Guards which were both formed there.
Most of the HAC’s historical records were lost in the Civil War, and the member who had taken the Company silver for safe keeping never returned it!
In the 18th century, among the troubles in London were the Gordon Riots of 1780, fermented by anti-Catholic sentiment. The Lord Mayor called out the HAC who successfully quelled the riots in Broad Street, Poultry and Blackfriars Bridge. For the Company’s efforts the Lord Mayor presented the HAC with the two brass cannon which now stand on the half landing coming up the main stairs of the HAC ‘s London HQ.
At the end of the 19th century, when Britain’s regular army suffered defeat at the hands of the Boers, volunteers were called for, the Lord Mayor and the City raised the City Imperial Volunteers.
The HAC contributed a horse artillery battery and a section of mounted infantry for the second Boer War (1899-1902). This was the first time the HAC had served overseas.
Following the Boer War, in 1908 Richard Haldane, Secretary for War instituted wide-ranging reforms which include incorporating the country’s militias into a new, national, reserve force, the Territorial Army (TA).
After some hesitation, the HAC agreed to be part of the new force, subject to retaining ownership of its properties which include Armoury house and its training ground. This is incorporated in the Honourable Artillery Act of 1908.
First World War - The 1st Bn HAC (infantry) sailed for France in September 1914 and the HAC expanded rapidly, forming two infantry battalions and five batteries of artillery. They served on the Western Front, Italy and in the Middle East. In addition 4,000 members were commissioned into other units.
Medals awarded included three VCs, 46 DSOs, 459 MCs and 129 MMs.
The HAC’s Roll of Honour, commemorating those who were killed, contains 1,600 names.
The Company, originally just pikemen, was formed in 1925 to perpetuate the traditions and ceremonial of the HAC’s past.
The uniforms worn now by the P&M (pike and musket men) are the same as the ones worn by the HAC at the time of the Civil war. Lace denotes rank, splits in trousers and sleeves (exposing underwear) denotes wealth, apostles (12), armour, leather jerkins designed to give protection against sword slashes etc. Note the three knots on the linen ties, which represent the Holy Trinity.
While younger members were away during the Second World War (The HAC provided three artillery regiments and an infantry officers’ training unit), veteran members too old to fight, including pikemen and musketeers served as special constables and members of the Home Guard.
In 1943, the incoming Lord Mayor, Sir Frank-Newson-Smith a member of the HAC, asked that the Pikemen & Musketeers should ‘attend on him’. This revived an ancient custom, as the HAC has escorted the Lord Mayor on his election day and to the summer Service at ST Paul’s from the 1620s through to the 1780s. We have escorted the Lord Mayor at every Lord Mayor’s Show since. One part of the Lord Mayor’s Show which not everybody sees is our salute to the new Lord Mayor when we all arrive back at Mansion House at the end of the Show.
In 1955 HM The late Queen granted the Pikemen & Musketeers a Royal Warrant. This is a great privilege as it officially recognises our establishment.The Company of Pikemen & Musketeers is tasked by the sovereign to be the ceremonial bodyguard to the Lord Mayor of the City London, so like our ancestors, we are called out by the Lord Mayor to escort him. So we are firmly rooted in the history of the HAC and the Company’s relationship with the City.
We are allowed to parade a maximum of 63 men, that being the size of a company at the time of the civil war, but we actually have some 85 members currently from which to choose.
Her Majesty has given us three ‘Governors’ – The Lord Mayor, the Colonel Commandant of the HAC (currently CGS Sir Roland Walker) and the GOC (General Officer Commanding) London District, who is responsible for all ceremonial in London.
We can only parade with arms beyond the boundaries of Armoury House with a warrant signed by one of our Governors. Otherwise we would be an illegal gathering of armed men!
The only other warranted bodies are the Gentlemen at Arms, the Yeomen of the Guard, the Yeomen Warders of the Tower of London and The Royal Company of Archers in Scotland. More Recently the HAC Light Cavalry has been awarded a Royal Warrant and escorts the Lady Mayoress on the Lord Mayor’s Show.
What else does the HAC do?
Attendance on Lord Mayor at Guildhall and Mansion House, Carpet Guards, Guards of Honour
- Traditional events such as Lord Mayor’s Banquet in November – usually an address by Prime Minister – with supper for members afterwards at Armoury House paid for by Lord Mayor
- The Easter Banquet – address by Foreign Secretary
- Dinners for HM Judges and for ambassadors to the Court of St James’s
- Lord Mayor’s Children’s Party
At other venues:
- Carpet guards, guards of honour and displays at livery company halls, Armoury House and other locations (e.g. Skinners, Clothworkers, Merchant Taylors, Innholders, Wax Chandlers, Drapers, Cooks). SLIDE 17
- And here we are at Mansion House for the Makers of Playing Cards
- Often an opportunity to meet and greet those attending
Moving on to some of our overseas duties …
The pike men and musketeers visited Rome and the Vatican for the 500th anniversary of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, and were inspected by our three Governors and the Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard.
In September 2022 we were very privileged to be asked to ‘hold the ground’ for the proclamation of King Charles by the Lord Mayor at the Royal Exchange. This was a memorable occasion as we all knew that within 24 hours of Her Majesty’s death, we would need to be at Armoury House for a rehearsal – it was a mad scramble!For the King’s Coronation HAC provided a guard at the Tower of London where the HAC Regiment was firing a salute.
This year marks the centenary of our formation in 1925, so as you would expect, there has been a number of special events to celebrate this.
We have had a new set of colours made with King Charles’ cypher (CIIIR) on the sovereign’s colour and these were blessed at a special evensong at St Paul’s in March, which was followed by a reception in the Great Hall at Guildhall.
We have recently returned from a visit to Zurich with the Lord Mayor, where we were taking part in ‘Sechseläuten’ – the Zurich Spring fair which celebrates the end of winter. And in June we were inspected by the Lord Mayor (Alastair King) at Armoury House on Founders Day Parade.
And finally … The HAC today is a registered charity whose charitable objectives are ‘The setting up of soldiers for the better defence of the realm’
It comprises:
- A 500-strong regiment of the Army Reserve (which is the best-recruited regiment of the reserve).In recent years members have served in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan
- A Special Constabulary unit which is part of the City Police
- Two ceremonial units staffed by veteran members
- The Company of Pikemen & Musketeers
- The Light Cavalry HAC
As part of our charitable objectives we support and finance HAC-badged cadet force units at:
- The City of London Academy, Islington
- Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy, Hackney Downs
The livery company or ‘club’ side of the HAC with it sports, special interest groups and associations can be enjoyed by both younger members serving in the HAC Regiment and veteran members who continue their club membership
So that’s the Company of Pikemen & Musketeers and the HAC.
One thing not mentioned in all of the above is where the HAC, and especially the Company of Pikemen & Musketeers are all male, until our speaker Elizabeth Mason joined the company, the first female Musketeer in 100 years.