Sir George Wyatt Truscott
(Lord Mayor 1908 - 1909)
Sir George Wyatt Truscott (1857-1941) was the son of Alderman and Lord Mayor, Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott. He was chairman of Brown, Knight and Truscott printers and stationers.
He was a Common Councilman in 1882-95, and then succeeded his late father as Alderman of Dowgate Ward until his own death in 1941. He was on Commission of the Lieutenancy for the City of London from 1895 and was its Treasurer in 1929.
Sir George's Mother Livery was the Stationers' Company, he was Master of that Company in 1901-1902. A memorial plaque is installed in the entrance lobby of Stationers' Hall (see image right - click to enlarge).
Truscott was knighted in 1902 on the visit of the King and Queen to the City to celebrate their Coronation - Truscott knew Edward VII personally and was also awarded the Coronation Medal in that year.
He was elected Sheriff of the City of London in 1902 and became Lord Mayor in 1908. He was created 1st Baronet Truscott, of Oakleigh, East Grinstead, Sussex at the end of his Mayoralty in 1909. He was a Justice of the Peace and became an Honorary Freeman of the City of London in 1937.
Having joined the Musicians Company as an Alderman on 31st October 1905, Truscott was elected to the WCOM Court of Assistants in October 1907 and took his place in January 1908. He was raised to the position of Master later that year - without actually serving as Warden. This rapid rise through the Court was due to the expectation that he would become Lord Mayor that year and that it would be "...contrary to the etiquette of the City that a Lord Mayor should remain a Liveryman..." (ref: MB8,p.208). His Mastership role during 1908/9 was assisted by Pastmaster C.T.D.Crews Esq. acting as Deputy Master. However, in 1914 Truscott was elected Under Warden and eventually became Master Musician again in 1916.
He was decorated as Officer, Order of Leopold I Belgium; Knight Commander, Order of the Rising Sun of Japan; Legion of Honour; Order of Vass of Sweden; and Grand Cross, Order of St. Stanislas of Russia. These and other medals were sold at auction in 2016, they can be seen along with further biographical details, by Clicking Here. NB: the wording on that website wrongly implies that he was Lord Mayor in 1879. It was of course his father, Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott who was Lord Mayor that year.
Truscott was a Patron and a Board of Management member of the London Homeopathic Hospital since 1911, and he laid the Cornerstone of the Henry Tyler Wing of the London Homeopathic Hospital in 1909. He was a patient and then a lifelong supporter of homeopathy. He was a President of the British Homeopathic Association.
A caricature painting of Truscott, by 'Spy' was published in Vanity Fair in 1908 - Click Here for further information.
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