Peter Seaton Master 2004-2006
Peter and Carole Seaton in Pisa 2004
Peter was born in 1934, and thus had experience of World War Two, saw the glow in the sky of Coventry burning, and has heard bombs falling and landing some 100 yards from the cellar in which he sheltered.
Educated at Solihull School, Warwickshire, and did 5 years Articles to train and qualify as a Chartered Accountant in Birmingham before moving to London in 1958, where he has lived ever since. He says, "it was like entering Aladdin's Cave".
Joined Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co in London, in the days when partnerships were limited to 20 partners. After three years of auditing, spent 12 years in industry, first with Bowater Paper Corporation, and then with Square D Limited, a very successful American company.
In 1973 returned to accountancy practice in partnership, in 1983 becoming a sole practitioner until retirement in 1999.
When he first came to London, he was fascinated by the City and the Livery Companies, and he took every opportunity to visit Livery Company Halls. A chance conversation with Timothy Glazier, paved the way to joining the Bowyers Company in 1977, and becoming Master in 2004.
The most rewarding time of his life, has been and is, being a Governor and Chairman of Governors (2001 to 2004) of Central Foundation Girls' School, a secondary comprehensive girls' school in Bow of some 1,400 girls. This appointment arose through the Livery Companies being encouraged to participate in schools around the City.
During his period as Chairman of Governors, he took the school through to Voluntary Controlled status, and led the Governors into a multi-million pound PFI contract, which after many crises, provided a new sports hall, all-weather sports pitch, refurbished laboratories, new kitchen and dining facilities, 2003 to 2006, and from 2006 onwards a backlog of long-term remedial work due to the lack of government funding for the past 20 years.
He is married to Carole, a qualified physiotherapist, has 2 daughters and 2 sons, who are both Bowyers, and lives in a lovely house in Barnes overlooking the Thames.
His interests are economics, 17th to 20th century history, and wine.