A history of Taverners events in December

The month of December in previous years has seen a variety of events from tribute and event dinners both nationally and regionally, to dinner debates, carol concerts, sportsnights and of course Christmas luncheons and dinners.

A total of 146 events this month have gone by in years on record, here are some of them listed with details.

What memories do you have of these events?

13 December 1965 Lord's Taverners Christmas Luncheon 1965 at Lord's Tavern, London.

11 December 1967 The Lord's Taverners Christmas Lunch at Cafe Royal, London. The toast and speakers were HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Harry Secombe, Jimmy Edwards, The Rt. Hon. Jeremy Thorpe, E.W. Jim Swanton.

12 December 1980 The Lord's Taverners Sussex Region Christmas Lunch at Avisford Park, Sussex.

7 December 1983 The Lord's Taverners Kent Region Christmas Lunch at Great Danes Hotel, Maidstone.

19 December 1986 The Lord's Taverners Chiltern Region Christmas Dinner Dance at Harewood Downs Golf Club, Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire.

7 December 1987 The Lady Taverners Christmas Lunch at Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London.

11 December 1992 The Lord's Taverners Devon & Cornwall Christmas Ball at Plymouth Moat House.

6 December 1993 The Lord's Taverners Caribbean Horizons Christmas Lunch at London Hilton on Park Lane. The toast and speakers were Brian Baldock, Alf Gover, Willie Rushton, Michael Atherton, Sir Colin Cowdrey, Ted Dexter, Donald Trelford, Garry Richardson, Ian Darke. 

12 December 1993 The Lord's Taverners Guernsey Region Christmas Lunch. 

5 December 1994 The Lord's Taverners Christmas Lunch at Grosvenor House Hotel, London. The toasts and speakers were Sir Colin Cowdrey, John Price, Jack Rowell, Bunny Campione, Willie Rushton.

19 December 1994 The Lord's Taverners Ouse Valley Region Christmas Lunch. 

11 December 1995 The Lord's Taverners Aircraft Golfing Society Christmas Lunch at The Hilton, Park Lane, London. 

11 December 1996 The Lord's Taverners Middlesex Region Long Room Dinner & Balloon Debate at Lord's Cricket Ground. The toasts and speakers were Neil Durden-Smith, Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie, Nick Stewart, Chris Cowdrey, Lord Oaksey, Donald Steel and Murray Walker.

5 December 2001 The Lord's Taverners West Kent Region Christmas Lunch at The Spa Hotel, Royal Tunbridge Wells. The toasts and speakers were Graham Sellors Chair West Kent Region, John Hollingsworth, Harry Collins Chair Elect West Kent Region, Nicholas Parsons, Captain Anthony Swainson, Ian Irving, John Harries, Clive Emson. 

15 December 2003 The Lord's Taverners Welsh Region 20th Annual Christmas Luncheon Marriott Hotel, Cardiff. The toasts and speakers were Ray Dyer Chair Lord's Taverners Welsh Region, Gordon W. Jones President Lord's Taverners Welsh Region, Richard Adler, Aaron James, Brian Newbold, Barry Williams, Richard Stilgoe. 

1 December 2004 The Lady Taverners An Evening with Michael Palin at The Grange City Hotel. The toasts and speakers were Judith Chalmers, Annie Peacock, Sally Surridge, Michael Palin, Nick Stewart, Rachael Heyhoe Flint.

9 December 2004 The Lord's Taverners Middlesex Region Dinner & Balloon Debate at Lord's Cricket Ground. The toasts and speakers were Neil Durden-Smith, Roger Knight, Richard Groom, Bill Tidy, Balloonists Charlie Brooks, Tony Lewis, Jeff Probyn, Professor David Purdie.

4 December 2006 The Lady Taverners Christmas Lunch at Jumeirah Carlton Tower, London. The toasts and speakers were Rachael Heyhoe Flint, Judith Chalmers, Maggie Smith, Jo Brand.

1 December 2008 The Lady Taverners 21st Anniversary Christmas Lunch at the Royal Hospital Gardens, Chelsea, London. The toasts and speakers were Rachael Heyhoe Flint, Annie Parsons, Hannah Waterman, Trinny Woodall & Susannah Constantine, Judith Chalmers.

6 December 2010 The Lord's Taverners Diamond Jubilee 1950-2010 Christmas Lunch. The toasts and speakers were Chris Tarrant, Richard Stilgoe, General Sir Richard Dannatt, John Ayling, Charlie Ross, Josh Daniels, Robert Powell.

3 December 2012 The Lord's Taverners Christmas Lunch at Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel, Park Lane, London. The toasts and speakers were Chris Cowdrey President the Lord's Taverners, Ross Wilson, John Inverdale with Lord Sebastian Coe KBE, Tom Rodwell Chair of The Lord's Taverners, Charlie Ross, Miles Jupp, Bob Bevan.

18 December 2014 The Lord's Taverners Ireland Christmas Lunch at The Four Seasons Hotel.

5 December 2016 The Lord's Taverners Christmas Lunch at Grosvenor House. The toasts and speakers were Chris Cowdrey, Martin Smith Chair the Lord's Taverners, Sky Sports Panel hosted by Simon Thomas with David Gower, Scott Quinnell, and Martin Brundle. Charlie Ross, Rob Brydon, Sir Michael Parkinson.

4 December 2017 The Lady Taverners 30th Anniversary Christmas Lunch at Park Plaza Victoria, London. The toasts and speakers were Lesley Garrett President The Lady Taverners, The Rt. Hon. Priti Patel MP, Libby Phillips and Joanne Phillips Sporting Wheelchair Appeal, Carole Garner Chair the Lady Taverners, Russell Beard, and Judge Robert Rinder. 

16 December 2019 The Lord's Taverners Carol Concert with the Stars starring Tim McInnerny, Joanna Lumley, Stuart Bowman, Rory Bremner and Joe Stilgoe.

Compiled by Lord’s Taverners Archivist, William Powell