The 33rd annual London Dinner, held on Friday 16 March at a new venue, the Carlton Club in St James’s Street, attracted an excellent attendance – aged from 19 to 91 – the prospect of a famous Grand Slam victory for the Irish over England at Twickenham the following afternoon helping to ensure the wintry weather conditions did not take their toll on numbers.
Bangor Grammar School Principal Elizabeth Huddleson, Board of Governors chairman Paul Blair (along with three of his sons) and recently-elected Grammarians chairman Terence Bowman all travelled over from Northern Ireland that morning to attend the dinner.
Guest speaker was past pupil Adam Best, who attended BGS from 1994 to 2001. After graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2004, he moved to London where he has been pursuing a career as an actor (with appearances on programmes like Holby City, Silent Witness, Waking the Dead and The Bill). Adam’s anecdote-packed address was very well received, earning him loud applause.
Organiser Stephen Montgomery (pictured below with predecessor Mike McConnell) is to be commended on his endeavours which ensured the London Dinner made a modest but very welcome profit. Plans are already in hand for next year’s Dinner, at the same venue, on 22 March 2019.