Exploring the complex and dramatic factors which drove the construction of the Victoria Embankment and their impact on the Temple, as well as the Inn’s concerns about the works themselves and the compromises and privations their completion called for
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As the Chelsea Flower Show draws in this weekend, we look back at The Chrysanthemum Show of the Temple Gardens which occurred during the mid-1800s. It was seen as an occasion of acknowledged significance, not just for the Inn, but for London society at large.
At various points from 1853 to 1885, the Middle Temple Gardens were opened for a public display of flflowers, namely Chrysanthemums. These were of such revere and success that in 1857, the Treasurer of the day, Master O’Malley, proposed at a meeting of Parliament that the gardener be given £5 ‘for the satisfaction of his chrysanthemums’.
The pompon chrysanthemums were a particularly popular feature of these shows and the Head Gardener, Joseph Dale, published a sixpenny manual on their cultivation ‘in or near large towns’, which suggested an arrangement of five rows of chrysanthemums in a twelve feet wide border with a row of pompon chrysanthemums in the front.
The show was also featured in the newspapers and magazines of the time. In 1880, The Daily News reported that “the head gardener has gathered a very creditable collection of about 400 plants, including many old-established favourites.” One Victorian magazine published a drawing named Sunday Blooms at the Temple featuring a short rhyming couplet “First to the Church, where the choir a nice anthem hums; then to the Gardens, to see the Chrysanthemums!”
However, sadly, The Middle Temple Garden Flower show eventually drew to an end when the Chrysanthemums Committee wrote to Parliament recommending that they abandon the show on the “grounds of economy, want of space, and the consequent additional labour involved.” While this decision was met with great sadness by the gardener who felt moved to write to Parliament expressing his dismay at this, it was passed and the last show occurred in 1885.
Gardener
£20.000–22,400 gross per annum (depending on experience)
As one of the four Inns of Court, we are proud to provide support, education and accommodation to barristers at every stage of their careers.
In this Part-time role (30 hrs / 4 dys pw) you will ensure the gardens are maintained to a high standard. This will include maintaining lawns (e.g. mowing, edging), plus seasonal tasks (e.g. scarifying, re-seeding, turfing); pruning & training shrubs; care and development of ornamental areas including roses, herbaceous and bedding plants, containers, trees and shrubs, vegetables and nursery areas etc.
We’d love to hear from you if you have knowledge of garden maintenance and plant care (e.g. ability to identify and name plants previously worked with) ideally gained through 2+ years’ experience working in professional gardens and/or Horticulture Qualification L1 (or higher), or equivalent.
We provide a raft of benefits to our people including Life Assurance, an Employee Assistance Programme (online resources and access to confidential counselling services), Private Medical insurance (incl, gym membership), medical cashback scheme (e.g. for dental, optical), generous pension (12% employer contribution), Season Ticket Loans, generous annual leave entitlements, access to a range of learning & development opportunities as well as the opportunity to join our dedicated team and work in a beautiful, unique and historical setting in central London.
Middle Temple is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an environment that promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are looking for candidates who share this commitment and we strongly encourage candidates to apply regardless of your socioeconomic circumstances, gender, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability or anything else that makes you who you are. As a Disability Confident employer we interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.
To submit your application for this exciting opportunity, please click ‘Apply’ now and visit the Middle Temple jobs page to find further information about us, all our vacancies & the application process. CVs sent in isolation will not be considered. Applications close Monday 26 June 2023. Successful shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview on Monday 17 July 2023.
Diversity & Inclusion Co-ordinator
£30,600 gross per annum
As one of the four Inns of Court, we are proud to provide support, education and accommodation to barristers at every stage of their careers.
You will be reporting to the Director of Membership and supporting the Inn’s strategy to enhance diversity and inclusion amongst its members (e.g. through the D&I committee, LGBTQ+ forum). You will be responsible for providing advice, promoting inclusive activity, providing data reports and delivering presentations.
We’d love to hear from you if you are able to efficiently support committees, develop and plan a calendar of events, produce engaging reports, deliver presentations, manage a budget and work collaboratively across functions.
We provide a raft of benefits to our people including Life Assurance, an Employee Assistance Programme (online resources and access to confidential counselling services), Private Medical insurance (incl, gym membership), medical cashback scheme (e.g. for dental, optical), generous pension (12% employer contribution), Season Ticket Loans, generous annual leave entitlements, access to a range of learning & development opportunities as well as the opportunity to join our dedicated team and work in a beautiful, unique and historical setting in central London.
Middle Temple is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an environment that promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are looking for candidates who share this commitment and we strongly encourage candidates to apply regardless of your socioeconomic circumstances, gender, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability or anything else that makes you who you are.
As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy. The salary advertised is for the full-time position however, we are happy to consider applications from candidates who wish to work part-time (e.g. 3-4 dys pw).
To submit your application for this exciting opportunity, please click ‘Apply’ now and visit the Middle Temple jobs page to find further information about us, all our vacancies & the application process. CVs sent in isolation will not be considered. Applications close 3 July 2023. Successful shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview on 13 July 2023.
Security Officer – £ 28,837 (c£13.20 p/h) gross per annum
As one of the four Inns of Court, we are proud to provide support, education, and accommodation to barristers at every stage of their careers.
In this fulltime rota system 12-hour shifts from 08.00 – 20.00 4 days in and 4 days off.We’d love to hear from you if you have experience of carrying out regular site patrols, monitoring CCTV and other systems and being able to respond to both intruder or fire alarms. You will also need to be able to answer to Middle Temple security telephone calls as well as respond to any emergencies both calm and professionally.
We provide a raft of benefits to our people including Life Assurance, an Employee Assistance Programme (online resources and access to confidential counselling services), Private Medical insurance (incl, gym membership), medical cashback scheme (e.g. for dental, optical), generous pension (12% employer contribution), Season Ticket Loans, generous annual leave entitlements, access to a range of learning & development opportunities as well as the opportunity to join our dedicated team and work in a beautiful, unique and historical setting in central London.
Middle Temple is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an environment that promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are looking for candidates who share this commitment and we strongly encourage candidates to apply regardless of your socioeconomic circumstances, gender, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability or anything else that makes you who you are.
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.
To submit your application for this exciting opportunity, please visit the Middle Temple jobs page to find further information about us, all our vacancies & the application process. CVs sent in isolation will not be considered. Applications close Monday 03 July 2023. Successful shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview on Wednesday 19 July 2023.
Prior to dinner for Benchers and members of the Inn there is a ceremony to Call elected members to the Bench.
The Callees are Called to the Bench, then asked to take their place at the High Table. After dinner each new Bencher gives a short speech.
Callees (in order of seniority):
- Lord Parker of Minsmere GCVO KCB (The Lord Chamberlain)
- Professor Emily Jackson OBE
- The Hon Mr Justice James Mellor
- Marcia Shekerdemian KC
- Veronique Buehrlen KC
- Nneka Akudolu KC
The following Middle Temple Representative on the Bar Council vacancy will arise this year and Masters of the Bench are invited to submit an expression of interest if they are eligible and wish to be considered as a potential candidate. There are three Middle Temple Representatives on the Bar Council. Details on eligibility and the process for selection can be found below.
The Executive Committee shall appoint members of the Inn who pay the Bar Representation Fee to the Bar Council to serve as the Inn’s representatives on the Council or committees of the Council as the constitution and regulations of the Council require and in relation to such appointments:
(1) the appointment shall, so far as is consistent with such constitution and regulations, be for a term of three years;
(2) the member appointed shall be eligible for re-appointment once only.
The deadline for expressions of interest is 15 September 2023. Expressions of interest should be sent to the Governance Manager at l.mchardy@middletemple.org.uk.
Expressions of interest should consist of a letter of application, no longer than 200 words, which sets out how they believe they are suitable for the role and their relevant experience.
The Rosamund Smith Mooting Competition is a competition Middle Temple holds for its student members and is open to those on the Bar course or the GDL. Each year the competition starts off with approximately 64 teams, and they proceed through the rounds on a knockout basis. Each Moot is judged by one of the senior members of the Inn, who make the decision of who proceeds to the next round based on the Mooters advocacy skills.
The first two rounds are held online, to give the mooters a taste of online advocacy, the following two rounds are then held in person, but without an audience. The Semi-Finals and the Final are then held in Middle Temple Hall, in front of an audience.
The first Semi-Final for the 2023 Competition was held on Monday 19 June 2023. The Appellant team was Melissa Dube and Alexander Fernandes and the Respondent team was Georgie Dibbo and Emily Chapman. The Moot judge bench consisted of The Hon Mr Justice Martin Chamberlain, The Hon Mrs Justice Karen Steyn DBE and Tom Little KC and the moot problem was a criminal problem written by Laurie-Anne Power KC.
After an evenly fought contest, the Moot Bench concluded that the Respondent team, Georgie Dibbo and Emily Chapman, were the winners.
The second Semi Final was held on Monday 26 June 2023, on the issue of Medical Law and the moot problem which was set by Dr Colm McGrath. The mooters on the evening were Andrew Eve and Farhana Iqbal for the Appellants and for the Defendants were Lily Hines and Charlotte Haime. The Moot judges were The Hon Mr Justice Derek Sweeting, The Hon Mr Justice Martin Chamberlain, and Kate Grange KC.
The successful team was Andrew Eve and Farhana Iqbal.
Having escaped the Great Fire of London, the majority of the Middle Temple’s buildings were destroyed by another fire thirteen years later. This edition looks at events during the night of the inferno and the rebuilding of the Inn in its aftermath.
Master Roger Buckley
It is with much regret that wereport the death of our Middle Temple Bencher Sir Roger Buckley, who passed away recently at the age of 84 years.
We will circulate any more information when it is received.
Guy R Perricone
Under Treasurer