The name Toastmaster is derived from the person whose job it was to prepare the wine for meals. As wine did not keep well in the late 17th early 18th century, it could often taste bitter and not at all palatable. This person would also add a piece of burnt toast as the carbon it contained would filter out the impurities and he would also add spices to further enhance the flavour. He became known as the Master of the Toasts which later became the Toastmaster.
The first record of a Master of Ceremonies as we would know it, was in Bath in 1705 by a man called Richard Beau Nash. In 1708 Richard Nash commissioned an assembly hall to be built in the city of Bath, and then he would invite everyone for dinners, teas, breakfast concerts and balls. This proved so popular that in 1720 Richard Nash had arranged for a large ballroom to be built next door to the assembly hall, this involved an architect called John Wood who is famous for his wonderful Bath buildings, upon completion of the ball room Richard Nash would ring a bell to draw the attention of the guests and verbally announce the names of the guests upon arrival, this is how the tradition of a Toastmaster started.
By 1894 William Knightsmith is commonly accepted as the first official Toastmaster, and it was he who started the tradition of wearing the scarlet coat. This is known as the Hunting Pink Coat, not because of the colour but that the tailor was Mr Thomas Pink. William Knightsmith was ridiculed by other Toastmasters for wearing this colour and removed and replaced it with a more traditional black coat. A week later at a function The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) who had seen William Knightsmith at the earlier function in a scarlet long tailed coat asked why Knightsmith was not wearing it. As Knightsmith had it with him, he left the room and changed into it. Upon his return to the room the assembled company and The Prince of Wales applauded. This was taken as a sign of Royal approval and the colour has remained the same to this day.
Toastmaster Wedding Facilitation for you?
Want to chat / Need More information?
0121 544 1196
07522 234708