HMS Sceptre
There is a long standing tradition of City Livery Companies adopting ships of the Royal Navy. It is unclear quite when this tradition began. However it is thought that in times of war Livery Companies supported the Royal Navy in recognition of the senior service’s peacetime role in the protection of trade.
Until it was decommissioned the Glass Sellers supported one of Her Majesty’s submarines, HMS Sceptre. We also had a long and happy association with ‘Swiftsure’ class sistership , HMS Spartan, until she was decommissioned. HMS Sceptre was a 4,512 tonnes nuclear powered attack submarine based at Faslane with a complement of 132. The most recent HMS Sceptre was the sixth Naval vessel to carry the name and the second submarine to do so. The first Sceptre was a third-rate frigate (rating refers to the number of guns) launched at Rotherhithe in 1781. Her successors served in both world wars.
HMS Sceptre was one of only two remaining Swiftsure class boats in service with the Royal Navy. She remained in service from 2006 to 2010. The Company’s links with the ‘Silent Service’ include occasional visits to the boat by the Master and members of the Livery and each year a party from our adopted submarine attends a Livery dinner for the presentation of an award - an engraved glass tankard - to the member of the ship’s company deemed to have done the most for the welfare of crew members and their families.
