On joining the Company, a person becomes a Freeman of the Tallow Chandlers. Historically, the award of the Freedom marked the end of a seven year period of apprenticeship as a Tallow Chandler. A Freeman could then serve under any master, or set up shop independently. Freemen of the Company can also become Freemen of the City of London.

Freemen currently wait for between five and seven years before they are elected to full Liveryman status. The title also goes back to medieval times when only full guild members were permitted to wear the distinctive liveried costumes of their respective organisations, and enjoy the living (that is, use) of their individual guild halls – hence the title.

The Master for 2025/2026, the 458th recorded, is Jonathan Spence, DL.

The Master oversees the Company’s activities, as well as representing the Company at a variety of charity, trade, ceremonial and social events. They are usually a long-serving Tallow Chandler.

Jonathan joined the Company in January 2014, having had no previous experience of any Livery Company.

Educated at The Mathematical School, Rochester and Trinity College, Oxford, Jonathan worked in the City, first at Kleinwort, Benson and latterly at Singer & Friedlander where he finished as the Chief Executive of the regulated bank and a Director of the Singers Group. Following the takeover of Singers by an Icelandic bank, which he thought was unlikely to end well, Jonathan and his family moved to Cambridge where he has been a Fellow and the Senior Bursar of Queens’ College, Cambridge since 2006.

In addition to his College role, Jonathan serves as a senior advisor to an overseas bank in the City, having been a Non-Executive Director for a number of years, and he is a Non-Executive Director of a metals trading company. He is also a Deputy Lieutenant in Cambridgeshire and a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army Reserves.

He and his wife Almudena still live in the City of Cambridge and their 22 year-old son is just completing his Undergraduate degree in the other place. Jonathan’s interests include rugby, real tennis, opera, 18^th century history particularly of The Enlightenment, as well as military history, and some occasional shooting.

Brigadier David Homer, MBE is both the Clerk and Chief Executive.

The Clerk manages the governance of the Court and Committees, presenting issues for decision/approval and implementing outcomes. 

In addition to usual Chief Executive responsibilities, and supported by the Office and Hall teams, the day to day role of the Clerk includes: maintaining close links with the schools and charities supported by the Company; liaising with the City of London, trades and trade-related businesses and affiliated organisations; the management of the Hall – and its associated events; and, the co-ordination of Company activities, in and outside the Hall.