Ancient plumber's guild to visit Shropshire after railway director made a freeman
A 700-year-old London trade organisation is to visit Shropshire this autumn after a director of a local attraction became a freeman for the group.
The Worshipful Company of Plumbers is one of the livery companies of the City of London that consist of ancient trade associations and guilds.
Founded in 1365, the former trade association of plumbers is now a charitable institution.
Earlier this year, Eileen Tipping, one of the directors of the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway, was made a freeman of the group, becoming the oldest person to be admitted to the company in its 658-year history.
On Wednesday, Ms Tipping, 95, who is from Suffolk, was also admitted as a freeman of the City of London at the capital's Guildhall as a prerequisite before being clothed as a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers.
She said: “I had a wonderful afternoon at the Guildhall. The Chamberlain’s Clerk explained some of the history of the place and then asked me what was my connection in funiculars, because she has an interest in them.
"I will be sending her a signed copy of the reprint of the 1892 guidebook to the cliff railway, written by my grandfather’s cousin.”
She added that this coming September, members of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers will be visiting Shropshire on a visit to RAF Cosford and, if the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway has re-opened by then, are expected to visit the cliff railway and the town.
