A report from the Summer Reception on HQS Wellington

HQS Wellington is actually a former Royal Navy Grimsby Class Sloop launched in 1934 and saw service during the Second World War and was decommissioned in 1947. She was acquired by the Honourable Company of Master Mariners to serve as its Livery Hall. She is moored on Victoria Embankment within the bounds of the City of London.

The Coachmakers has used her once or twice before as an event venue. The sun shone, the wine flowed, and the canapés kept on coming. It was a lovely place to spend a balmy July evening and yet the normal business of the Company also took place during the afternoon. A Court Meeting was held, Freemen were sworn, and one Freeman was Clothed in the Livery. A warm welcome to those people who have joined us or are in the process of doing so.

The Coachmakers Company is determined to consign the COVID years to the history books. Attendance at our events is getting back to normal levels and we hope that with a new Livery year beginning on 1st September we will enjoy a year of fun and fellowship, with as many Liverymen as possible meeting to chat about their common interests of cars, aeroplanes and coaches. A room full of Coachmakers is always animated and lively because of those common interests, we are so lucky.