Plumbers’ Banquet 2022
We enjoyed a fabulous evening on 21 March at the Mansion House for the return of our annual banquet after a delay of three years. The Lord Mayor was able to join us for one of the highlights of our social programme.
LtoR: Sheriff Alderman Nicholas Lyons, the Clerk Adrian Mumford, Renter Warden David Adams and Kathy Adams, the Lord Mayor Alderman Vincent Keaveny, the Master Nick Jones, guest speaker Prof Yewande Akinola, Master’s consort Kala Jones, Upper Warden Paul Nash and Sue Nash, and the Company Chaplain Philip Warner.
Two hundred members and guests dined in splendour on a lovely spring evening with all the pomp and ceremony that accompanies this formal, but as ever in the Plumbers’ style, relaxed evening.
The Richmond Sea Cadets were back to mount the traditional carpet guard for all the guests as they arrived.
And we were entertained royally by the London Banqueting Ensemble.
The Master, Wardens and their consorts received all the guests, before we processed into the Egyptian Hall for the banquet meal of a sea bass tartare, roast duck breast, and passion fruit and pineapple pavlova, with coffee, petit fours and port to follow.
In keeping with tradition, we all rose for the Sung Grace after the meal and followed that by rising in turn for the Ceremony of the Loving Cup, which now contains individual sweets, rather than the shared drink. The Master gave the Loyal Toasts and the Civic Toast, to which the Lord Mayor replied and the Upper Warden gave the formal welcome to all the guests before our guest speaker, Professor Yewande Akinola MBE, inspired us all with her speech on opportunity and diversity. The evening drew to a close with a stirrup cup in the salon.
A huge thank you our Clerk Adrian, Assistant Sharon, Peter the Beadle and all the Stewards, without whom this event just wouldn’t be possible. The hard work before and during the evening as ever ensured we all enjoyed a memorable function. And a thank you to all our corporate members, who through their generosity sponsor and subsidise the event. We are very grateful.
If you missed out on this year’s banquet, it is held on the third Monday of March, so put the date in your diary for next year. You really don’t want to miss it!
A random selection of more photographs from the evening are below. If you would like to see more and perhaps buy some from the photographer, the link to his website is below them:
https://sharpphoto.co.uk/p993944125