Old Boys Derek Calrow (Class of 1959) and William Arnold (Class of 1970) represented BGS at the Annual Dinner of the Lancastrians in London Association at the House of Lords on Monday 24 April 2023. Derek was the guest of John Lee, Lord Lee of Trafford, the current President of the Association, and William is Honorary Treasurer and currently Chair of the Committee of the Association.

The Association was founded in 1892, so is currently just over 130 years old, and exists to foster communications between Lancastrians living in the greater London area. Anyone with a qualifying connection to Lancashire, which for these purposes is the County Palatine; Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire and the Furness area of what has just become the county of Westmorland and Furness, is eligible to join. This of course includes alumni of Bury Grammar School.

As well as the Annual Dinner, there is a Christmas Dinner and Carol Service every year and the Association arranges a range of other events each year on an ad hoc basis. There are guided walks around parts of London, a quiz night (with fish and chips) and visits to various London landmarks. These included Superbloom Flowers at the Tower of London last year and participation in a Lancashire Cricket Club Dinner in the Long Room at Lords. The Association also has a direct affiliation with (and members including William have previously visited) HMS Lancaster, currently patrolling the seas between Iran, Yemen and East Africa.

Anyone interested should look on the Association’s website - lancastriansinlondon.uk for a membership application form and a greater explanation of what the Association does.

William Arnold (Class of 1970)