It has been a while since anything was posted, mainly due to lockdown. So there is much to catch up on.

Unfortunately, on a sad note we lost two of our Brethern. The first our beloved Clerk to the Deacon, Ken Johnston. Ken had been Clerk to the Deacon since the Incorporations revival as well as Clerk to the Deacons Court. He was a true gentleman. Nothing ever seemed to be too much bother and he always had things organised down to a tee, doing things very much his own way. A great loss and a very hard act to follow.

The second was Bailie John Clark who was  literally larger than life, full of ideas and was a great asset serving on the Masters Court. His enthusiasm was infectious and like Ken will be sadly missed by the Incorporation and other Trades. Our thoughts go out to both families.

The last event held before lockdown was the Hammermen Annual Dinner back in February 2020 in the Golden Lion Hotel. It was an excellent evening very well organised as usual by Ken.

Following lockdown of course everything stopped. The only event attended was Remembrance Sunday when the Deacon of the Hammermen Andy McEwan and Deacon Convenor Stuart Campbell attended a small service in the Church and laid a wreath on behalf of the Incorporation.

This then brought us up to the 2021 AGM which we held by Zoom on Tuesday 23^rd February. This meeting started with a short period of reflection on the passing of Ken and John.

At the election of Office Bearers the existing Masters Court members were elected unopposed with Andy McEwan remaining as Deacon and John Mungal as BoxMaster. Bailie Robin Mair was elected Clerk to the Deacon and two new Bailies were appointed – Peter Smith and George Hunter.

Deacon Andy then gave his report on the limited past events and outlined a proposed calendar of events for the year ahead all subject of course to changes to lockdown and social distancing.

It was hoped at that time that the Burns Supper would go ahead in August and that there would be be some form of Walking the Marches with more normal meetings resuming.

Following the AGM Craig Bryce gave an excellent talk on the History of the Trades Hall in Glasgow.