The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers

The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers (WCSM) is sad to announce the death of Colin Eldridge, who served as Clerk to the Company for 32 years, from 1966 to 1998.

After wartime evacuation in Devon, a law degree at Bristol University, and National Service, Colin joined the then Corporation of London, before becoming only the 22nd known Clerk to the Spectacle Makers since the Company was founded in 1629.

As Clerk, Colin was the WCSM’s de facto Chief Executive, coordinating the Company’s activities and acting as custodian of its traditions.

Colin provided leadership and continuity during a period of significant change. During his tenure, WCSM played a prominent role in establishing the College of Optometrists and the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO). With those new bodies in place, the Company’s education programme increasingly focused on boosting skills among optical technicians and optical practice support staff. The Company’s SMC(Tech) qualification for optical technicians was given statutory recognition under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.

Following his retirement in 1998, Colin remained an Honorary Liveryman of WCSM and served as the Company’s Archivist. His work of indexing the Company’s minute books and membership records culminated in the 2019 publication of his book The Spectacle Makers (1629–1929): The first 300 years in Minutes.

Fiona Anderson, Master of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, said:

‘All of us at the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers are mourning the loss of Colin Eldridge, who served as our Clerk for an astonishing 32 years. During his long and distinguished tenure, Colin led the Company through many changes and found new ways for us to deliver our enduring mission: supporting Better Vision for All.

‘We will miss Colin’s unparalleled knowledge of the Spectacle Makers’ history and traditions. But most of all, we will miss his kindness, friendship, and support. Our thoughts are with Colin’s family, particularly his wife Mary.’

[The photos show a portrait of Colin from 1986, the procession of the Master and Wardens and Clerk in 1996, and Colin receiving a gift upon his retirement in 1998.]

Last week we held our June Court Lunch. Court Lunches are held four times a year and are wonderful occasions for Liverymen and guests to meet, network and talk over excellent food in one of the City’s historic Livery Halls. June’s lunch was no exception – over 100 Liverymen and guests joined us at the beautiful Grocers' Hall for lunch.

We were also glad to clothe six new Liverymen, and welcome them at lunch.

- Tony Calvo- Innovation Director at Optimum RX Lens Specialists. Tony is also an SMC (Tech).
- Chris Clemence - Commercial Director, Eyeplan Ltd, with a background in and .
- Philip Lucas - Medical Officer, BASICS Doctor, former pilot and qualified military aviation medical examiner. Through his affiliation with 16 Medical Regiment, he also represents WCSM's valued links with .
- Mark Marland - a and at Optimum Rx Lens Specialists, bringing nearly 40 years of experience in and .
- Janet Pooley - Advisor to the Scottish Government, with extensive experience in optometric education and .
- Charlotte Timbury - Director of Medical and Professional Affairs for North Europe at EssilorLuxottica.

Our New Liverymen embody the wide-reaching and inclusive nature of our Company, and we look forward for all of them to help us advance WCSM’s mission of

Congratulations to the Master Fiona Anderson, her Consorts Eddie & Ian, and Liveryman Moawia Bin-Sufyan on successfully completing the Master’s Zip Wire Challenge on Saturday 23rd May at Penrhyn Quarry in North Wales.

An incredible achievement in support of a fantastic cause — and a brilliant demonstration of determination and courage! If you would like to see the Master's descent, a video is also available via the link below.

The challenge was undertaken to raise money for the Spectacle Makers’ Charity, helping the Charity to pursue its goals and carry out essential work to support projects and charities that ensure no one is left behind or excluded due to a vision impairment. Through grants, bursaries, and charitable initiatives, the Charity continues to make a meaningful impact across the optical profession and wider community.

Thank you to everyone who supported the challenge, whether in person or through donations. Your generosity and encouragement made the day even more special.

There is still time to contribute if you would like to support the appeal:
https://www.spectaclemakers.com/masters-zipwire-challenge

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The images are of the participants of the zip wire challenge, the same participants as they sped down along the zip wire, and the valley down which they travelled.

Today’s the day!

This afternoon, the Master Spectacle Maker and her Consorts will be in North Wales taking on the Master’s Zip Wire Challenge in support of the Spectacle Makers’ Charity.

Shortly, they’ll be stepping off the platform at Zip World and travelling at a speed of up to 100mph across Penrhyn Quarry — all to raise funds for the Charity’s work supporting eye health, education, and those living with sight loss.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the challenge so far. If you would still like to contribute, donations can be made here:

https://www.spectaclemakers.com/masters-zipwire-challenge

Earlier this week, the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers hosted our annual Eye Health for the Livery event. We were pleased to welcome more than 60 representatives from our own and fellow Livery Companies for an engaging evening focused on , prevention, and modern .

We were privileged to hear from an outstanding panel of speakers:
🔹 Daniel Hardiman-McCartney MBE – Clinical Adviser to the College of Optometrists
🔹 Professor Chris Hammond – Frost Professor of at King's College London and Consultant Ophthalmologist at St Thomas’ Hospital
🔹 Vijay Tailor-Hamblin – Research at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London
🔹 Fiona Anderson – Master Spectacle Maker 2025/26 and

The evening explored how the eye works, common eye conditions, the importance of regular eye examinations, and the latest technologies helping people live well with and .

A key message throughout the evening was simple but important: many forms of sight loss are preventable with early detection and regular eye care.

Thank you to our speakers, guests, and everyone who joined us for such an engaging and informative evening — and for the excellent discussions over drinks and canapés afterwards.

The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers is saddened to announce the death, at age 85, of Past Master Professor Mo Jalie DSc, SMSA, FBDO (Hons), HonFCOptom, HonFCGI, MIMgt.

Mo was best known as the author of The Principles of Ophthalmic Lenses. Now in its sixth edition, this has become the standard text on spectacle lenses for optometrists, dispensing opticians, and optical technicians.

After qualifying, he began writing, teaching and lecturing on optics, rising to become Head of the Applied Optics Department at City & Islington College. Mo was also known as a lens-design consultant to many major manufacturers, and obtained patents for a new generation of low-power aspheric lenses. He latterly served as a Visiting Professor in Optometry at Ulster University, which awarded him an honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) in 2018. Over the course of his career, he published eight textbooks and authored more than 250 papers.

Mo had a long association with the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, admitted as a Freeman in 1962 and serving as Master in 1993–94. He was also the first Chairman of the Faculty of Dispensing Opticians and the first Chairman of the Academic Committee at ABDO.

Fiona Anderson, Master of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, said: "As we mourn the death of Past Master Mo Jalie, we celebrate his immense and continuing impact on generations of opticians, optometrists, and optical technicians. On behalf of the Company, I offer condolences to Sheila and to Mo's whole family on this very sad loss."

Mo is survived by his wife Sheila, his sons Jeremy and Simon, his daughter Natalie, their spouses, and his grandchildren.

Congratulations to all those who graduated at this year’s ABDO College Graduation Ceremony!

Our Master, Fiona Anderson, was delighted to attend and address graduands as they celebrated this important milestone in their professional careers.

We were also proud to present the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers prize to Leah Harscoët in recognition of her outstanding achievement.

We wish all graduates every success in the future profession of optics.

We were delighted to welcome WCSM’s newest Freeman, Sharda Roopnarine, last week.

Sharda brings more than 20 years of experience as a across practices and major optical chains, with expertise spanning patient care, dispensing, team leadership, and commercial performance. As Director of Fovea Ltd, she has built a reputation for delivering high standards of personalised optical care while supporting practices across London.

Welcome, Sharda, and congratulations on becoming a Freeman of the Company and we look forward to seeing your continued contribution to the profession.

A memorable Livery Dinner last night for the Spectacle Makers’ Company, with visiting Masters, military affiliates and friends from across the City all in attendance.

We were especially grateful to our Principal Guest, Freeman Wing Commander Phil Lucas, for a thoughtful speech. Phil is Command Flight Medical Officer at the RAF Centre of Aerospace Medicine, one of our military affiliates. Reflecting on the realities faced by those who lose their sight in conflict, his speech was a powerful reminder of eye care’s vital importance.

Evenings like this bring together people from different sectors and backgrounds, strengthening links between eye health professionals, the Livery, the Armed Forces, and all who share our mission: .

Thank you to all who joined us, and to everyone who made the evening such a success.

On 23 May, the Master Spectacle Maker, Fiona, and her Consorts will take on The Master’s Zip Wire Challenge, racing up to 100+mph across the spectacular Velocity zip wire in North Wales.

This exciting challenge supports the Spectacle Makers’ Charity in pursuing its goals, including supporting people with significant sight loss, providing a means to access educational and vocational training or to experience cultural, sporting and other leisure activities.

If you’d like to support the challenge and help us deliver , you can donate here:
https://www.spectaclemakers.com/masters-zipwire-challenge