Without question, the star of the show was Master Simon Millar’s principal guest, 2016 Paralympic Gold medallist Stephanie Millward MBE, DL.  Stephanie’s story is nothing short of extraordinary: she was on the verge of selection at the age of 17 for the British able-bodied swimming squad when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She returned to competitive swimming 10 years later at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, before going on to win four silver and one bronze medal at the London 2012 Paralympics. At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Stephanie won her first gold medals, one of which she proudly showed us during her speech. She is also a multiple IPC World & European champion. 

Her speech to over 160 guests was in turn mesmerizing, moving and inspirational as she recounted her success despite the challenges, both physical and mental, she has faced and continues to face with her MS.

Having retired from competitive swimming, she has taken on a number of charitable roles and also enjoys being a Deputy Lieutenant in Wiltshire.

It should be noted that fund-raising efforts by the Master and his business contacts were key to her being able to compete in the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

Stephanie’s was not the only excellent speech to which we were treated, at this, our first Installation Dinner, where Liverymen were allowed to bring their spouse/partner and one in which the Master welcomed no fewer than eight new Liverymen.

Senior Assistant, Anne Mannix, also a keen swimmer, welcomed both Stephanie and the other official guests (with whom she had adduced a common theme of “water”).  These latter guests comprised Alderman Sir William Russell, Master Haberdasher; Mr Alastair Collett, Master Glover; Mrs Rebecca Ridley, Upper Bailiff Weaver; Mr David Hopkins, Master Woolman, and Commander Chris Chew RN, Commanding Officer of our affiliated frigate HMS Lancaster. It turned out that, due to a timetable quirk, the Upper Bailiff Weaver had also attended last year’s Installation Dinner in the same capacity!

In his speech, our new Master, thanked Stephanie for her toast to the Company. He congratulated Immediate Past Master Jeremy Bedford on a hugely successful year, noting a number of his achievements as Master, highlighting his numerous charitable initiatives (including cycling from London to Paris) raising over £250,000 for several worthy causes.

He paid tribute both to Jeremy and our Pro-Tem Clerk, Emma Whitaker, for all they had done to keep the Company’s events and Court Meetings running smoothly following the sudden, tragic loss of our then Clerk, Major General Aidan Smyth at the beginning of the year.  The Company genuinely owes them both a huge debt of gratitude for all their efforts in their respective capacities since that time. As the Master rightfully noted “cometh the hour, cometh the man” but we can all agree “cometh the woman” is very much appropriate too!

The Master welcomed Senior Past Master David Watling, this year being respectively the 60^th and 40^th anniversary of David becoming (i) a Feltmaker and (ii) Master.

In his year, the Master said he would make sure that we continue to reflect our history and traditions, punch above our weight within the Livery world and promote millinery and hat making. He recognized that it is incumbent on him to continue to grow the Livery by encouraging a broad, diverse array of new members. In this context, he highlighted the new Discovery event on 22 October as an opportunity for newly-installed and prospective Feltmakers to find out more about the Livery Movement in general, and the Company in particular.

He mentioned one of his fund-raising initiatives, namely walking, unsupported, the 177 miles from Waterloo (Belgium) to Waterloo (Station London) in early May, with Feltmakers welcome to accompany him at any stage, or just the final 8 mile walk along the Thames Path from Greenwich to Waterloo Station on Saturday 9 May.

As Shakespeare once said “brevity is the soul of wit”, and all in attendance appreciated the succinctness of the Master’s message – least of all to allow for more time for the convivial after-dinner festivities.

All the above contributions, together with the excellent dinner we were so expertly served, made for a most enjoyable and memorable evening. 

We can all look forward with great expectations to another full-on year of fellowship and philanthropy.

Edward Hutton (PM)