My dear friend Dr Geoff Browell and his team, Tam McDonald, Christopher Winn, and Mark Mason, producers of the London Timeline podcast, had the courage to ask me to hold forth on an eclectic and personal view of London’s history…
Yes, I can’t resist an obscure reference to a 1993 parody B, but fun, film, Hot Shots! Part Deux. Pepys Day! Part Deux was also enormous fun with a bit of parody thrown in too.
[An edited version of this article appeared as “Pepys Day: Raise A Toast To London’s Best Diarist” in City AM on 2 September 2025] Friday, 5 September 2025, marks the second annual Pepys Day in London. If you missed last…
Since the beginning of the year I’ve already spent five weeks abroad, three visiting family in the US and two in Asia, leading me to wonder if being Lord Mayor isn’t such a tough roadshow. Lots of fun, and just…
Great news to share…
So there we were, finally getting a private holiday in after a busy year, when you realise you have a lot of reading time ahead learning about the central position of Tyrol and Maximilian I in European history. Lots to…
It was a cordially-contested election with a result of 70% in my favour. My acceptance remarks this evening went:
Alderman, Ladies & Gentlemen, After one of his lengthy, repetitive speeches Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev confronted his speechwriter. “I asked for a 15 minute speech, but that lasted an hour!” The speechwriter replied: “Comrade, it was 15 minutes, but I…
What an honour – today I took over as President of the Club di Londra from Sir Rocco Forte, at Brown’s Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel, 33 Albemarle St, London W1S 4BP. Club di Londra is a non-profit organization that…
What an honour, and a delight, to be awarded a Silver Medal, Pro Merito Melitensi, from the most distinguished Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta for aiding their humanitarian goals. “Pro Merito…
