Page:An Historical Essay on the Livery Companies of London.djvu/52

 The Prizes to the successful competitors were distributed on the 17th of May.

The Company have received the gratifying information and assurance that the result of the competition has been a large amount of benefit to the cutlery trade, and that it has given a stimulus to continued improvement, not only in the quality of the cutlery but also in the knowledge and skill of the manufacturers and artisans engaged in its production.

A copy of the report of the Committee of the Company engaged in the carrying out of the various details of the competition, with lists of the awards of the judges and a statement of the various expenses incurred by the Company in connection therewith, has been presented to each Liveryman of the Company.

A tablet has been placed in Cutlers' Hall to commemorate the Exhibition, with the following incriptioninscription [sic]:—

"This Tablet is erected by the Worshipful Company of Cutlers to commemorate the success of the first Exhibition of Cutlery, held in this Hall, under the auspices of the Company, and of the visits thereto of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Leopold.

The Exhibition was opened by the Right Honourable the Earl of Carnarvon on the 1st of May, 1879, and was inspected by nearly 15,000 visitors.—T. G. Pocock, Master. W. A. Oldaker, A. Pocock, Wardens. J. Thorne, R. J. Cheeswright, Hon. Secretaries."

During the past year the Company, feeling the great importance of providing for a continuity of skilled artisans in the Cutlery trade, resolved to appropriate a sum of £100 a year for the purpose of apprenticing two boys to members of the cutlery trade in London. Public notice of the intention of the Company was given, and two respectable youths