To the Natives of the Parish of St Margaret Lothbury and the Broad Street Ward Club.  You are desired to meet the rest of your parishioners and club members on Thursday, 23 September 2004 at 18:00 at the Guildhall and from thence to go to your parish bounds afterwards to return to Throgmortons. You are desired as a Wellwisher to the Preservation of this Society to send by the Bearer £15 for your admission.
(as per a 1795 notice for Cripplegate Ward supplied by Claire and John Scott JP)

When parishioners could neither read nor write, how were they to know the boundaries of their village? They held an annual event to familiarise themselves with, and inspect the condition of, markers of the boundaries, frequently bumping parish boys heads at important points to beat in a key point. It was pointed out (not by boys) that Broad Street Ward Club had allowed this tradition to lapse. Realising that, as years ago, it forms the perfect excuse for a pub crawl, we arranged a fun evening and light quiz competition about the ward in 2004 – which naturally had to visit many of the local drinking establishments, 30 people on a pub crawl, ahem, visiting local businesses.  And to avoid getting your head bumped, here are the bounds.  At each establishment they had to have their broom signed and marked with the amount spent, as well as answer trivia questions.  We have a lot of nice establishments in the ward.   We waited a long time for everyone to get back for the scoring and prizegiving.  Ahem.

(from left to right, Michael Mainelli, Reverend Jeremy Crossley – Rector St Margaret Lothbury, Alderman David Lewis – 13 October 2004 – yes a photoshoot after the 23 September event.  We looked a lot better than we did late on the 23rd, but they were the same brooms)

I thought we should start with a campaign photo. When the family took a skiing trip to Jackson Hole earlier this year, I wanted my daughters to see New York City for the first time. Naturally, as my firm, Z/Yen, compiles the Global Financial Centres Index, we had to take the girls to Wall Street, and thus I have my opening picture for the campaign from the land of my birth. There will be some better photos later (the ones without me in them)!

This morning I went round to the Election Office at the City of London Corporation to submit nomination papers for the Broad Street Ward Aldermanic election. All successfully registered and the campaign is now on.   I am honoured to have the support of our retiring Alderman and former Lord Mayor, Sir David Lewis, and our three Common Councilmen, John Bennett, John Scott JP and Chris Hayward.  To stay up-to-date with the campaign, simply click here.

If you are based in Broad Street as an elector (and if unsure, just ask) please do consider giving me, Michael Mainelli, your vote by postal ballot or by voting in person on Thursday, 4 July 2013, at Carpenters Hall, 1 Throgmorton Avenue, EC2N 2JJ from 08:00 to 20:00 – but whatever you do, please vote, the City needs a vibrant electorate. I walk through the Ward every day to and from work and would be delighted to discuss Ward business. Contact me by telephone 020 7562-9562, or via email michael_mainelli@zyen.com, or by post to Z/Yen Group, 90 Basinghall Street, London EC2V 5AY. For more campaign details see my campaign flyer – Michael Mainelli – Broad Street Ward Aldermancy Campaign 2013 – flyer

I have decided to submit a nomination form to run for Alderman of Broad Street Ward. The Wardmote is scheduled for 3 July. If there is an election, then the vote will be on 4 July – hopefully auspicious. I am honoured to have the support of our retiring Alderman and former Lord Mayor, Sir David Lewis, and our three Common Councilmen, John Bennett, John Scott JP and Chris Hayward. More on this soon! But for now, some background information and a map.