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.

The Glass Sellers support one of Her Majesty’s submarines. After many years of happy association with the Company HMS Spartan was recently decommissioned, and the Company has now adopted her ‘Swiftsure’ class sistership HMS Sceptre. She is a 4,512 tonnes nuclear powered attack submarine based at Faslane with a complement of 132. The current HMS Sceptre is 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.

Although the present HMS Sceptre is one of only two remaining Swiftsure class boats in service with the Royal Navy she is expected to remain in service for many years having recently completed a six year refit. 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.