The 150th Anniversary Celebration Dinner - 25 February 2022

The 150th Anniversary Celebration Dinner took place at Saddlers Hall, Gutter Street, London on 25 February 2022 with Roger Hitchman as Samuel Pickwick Esq.

Due to the Covid pandemic of 2021/22 the event was two years later than originally planed. There were 135 attendees.

Many of us (if not most!) were held downstairs before we were eventually allowed to ascend the stairs to be greeted by Mr Pickwick, Sergant Buzfuz & Dr Payne. We were then treated to an East End seafood stall reception along with ample quantities of Pickwick beer.

We were duly summoned into the dining hall by The Band of The Household Cavalry, who in due time, joined us at the dining table. And what a fine feast it was... As is usual at our functions two Chelsea Pensioners helped deliver the Punch from the magnificent Joseph Atto Silver Punch Bowl.

We were fortunate to have Boz (Ian Dickens) say Grace and his brother, Gerald Dickens, deliver a Dickensian Reading for our entertainment. Both are the Great, Great Grandsons of Charles Dickens.

We were then entertained by Ian Irving, an Essex born Comedian and After Dinner Speaker. Ian had spoken at our functions before the last time in 2014. And again he went down well.

The singing of Auld Lang Syne brought proceedings to a close and most continued to help recycle the  remaining Pickwick Beer before setting off into the night. Another fantastic night in our history.