Elizabeth joined the Grocers’ Company in 2019 as the Assistant Beadle and was appointed Grocers’ Company Beadle in September 2024. This appointment marked a landmark in the history of the Company. She is the Company’s first lady Beadle. Her role focusses on looking after the needs of the Company’s membership, managing all Company events and matters relating to ceremony.

A Yorkshire girl born but not bred, Elizabeth’s early years involved many moves around the country. She has lived in Doncaster, Newcastle, Norwich, Bristol and York, before returning to the North East to read Economics at Newcastle University. Having graduated, Elizabeth joined Price Waterhouse, London, to train as a chartered accountant.

After two years, she decided that double entry bookkeeping was not for her. She moved into public relations and spent many years working on events including ‘The Cartier International Polo’ at Guards Polo Club; ‘The Cartier Million Horse Race’, Dublin; ‘The British Steel Challenge Round the World Yacht Race’ and ‘DuPont’s Fashion Awards’ in Moscow. Elizabeth’s P.R. focus moved to the luxury hotel sector, supporting private hire venue Castle Ashby, Northamptonshire, and coordinating the press launch of The Lanesborough Hotel, Hyde Park Corner.

She was subsequently asked to join The Savoy Group Press Office to look after properties in the company’s portfolio such as The Lygon Arms, Broadway and restaurants across London, including Wilton’s on Jermyn Street and Simpson’s-in the-Strand. When the opportunity to move ‘in-house’ at Claridge’s came, Elizabeth jumped at the chance and enjoyed several years with the hotel, seeing it through a major refurbishment and its centenary celebrations.

Mother of two grown up daughters and married to John, Elizabeth holds a Diploma in Garden Design and ran her own design consultancy while raising her children. She is a keen sailor and when she’s not messing about in boats, loves retreating to the South Hams, with family, friends.