At 10:15 on Friday, 1 October 2021, at Temple Pier, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman William Russell, piped away his two Sheriffs, Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli and Chris Hayward CC. Having completed an extraordinary two-year term of office, the first time since 1228 AD, the two Sheriffs boarded the City of London Corporation Thames Waterman cutter to be rowed away downriver and out to sea by a rowing crew under the command of Jon Averns, Director of Markets & Consumer Protection [don’t worry, they were safely ashore at Tower Pier about 11:00].
10:00 – London Port Health Authority Thames Waterman Cutter, ‘Lady Gillett’ and ML Londinium III arrived at Temple Pier.
10:15 – The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman William Russell, Alderman and Sheriff Professor Michael Mainelli, Sheriff Christopher Hayward CC, Elisabeth Mainelli and guests met at Temple Pier.
10:20 – Crew embarked Lady Gillett: Alderman & Sheriff Professor Michael Mainelli and Elisabeth Mainelli rowed with Sheriff Christopher Hayward CC as a passenger. Guests embark ML Londinium III.
10:25 – Londinium III and Lady Gillett departed Temple Pier and headed down river towards Tower Millennium Pier.
11:00 – Londinium III and ‘Lady Gillett’ arrived at Tower Millennium Pier where the guests disembarked.
What a way to end two years!!
My sincere thanks to Adrian Evans and the Totally Thames Team of the Thames Festival Trust, but even more to Jon Averns and the City of London Corporation rowers of Lady Gillett.