On Thursday night we held our Civic Dinner in Drapers’ Hall.

It is always a splendid occasion, and the beautiful setting of Drapers’ Hall added to the glamour of the evening.  This dinner is marked out from our other dinners because we present the prizes to our scholars and bursars, and they all make such an effort to be there – many from Galashiels, Heriot Watt, Harper Adams and Huddersfield.

Sir David Wootton was our principal guest and speaker and replied to the toast to the guests, and he also presented the prizes.  We had carefully selected one student to speak on behalf of all the prize-winners; he had rehearsed his speech for hours, hired his evening tails, and was half an hour early at Wakefield station waiting for his train – which failed to arrive because of a major incident on the line.  No matter, Joshua, we will make sure you are invited to our Alms Court Dinner in January instead, and we won’t expect you to speak on that occasion.

Bill Clark – Master, Woolmen’s Company