Posted on March 17, 2026.
On Saturday 14th March, Club members took to the opulent Drapers’ Hall to celebrate the start of Spring.
A hidden gem in the City, The present Drapers’ Hall in Throgmorton Street was bought from King Henry VIII in 1543 for 1,800 marks (approximately £1,200). This had been the home of Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex and Chief Minister to Henry, forfeited to the King when Cromwell was executed in 1540.
Destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666, Drapers’ Hall was rebuilt between 1667 and 1671 to designs by Edward Jarman, one of three Surveyors appointed to oversee the rebuilding of the City. A second fire in 1772 did considerable damage and the Hall was once again rebuilt, this time to the designs of John Gorham, the Surveyor of Saint Andrew’s Holborn. Further changes were made in the 1860s (designed by Herbert Williams) and again in 1898-9 (designed by Sir Thomas G Jackson RA). On each occasion the Hall was new-fronted and the interiors altered, notably the Drawing Room and Court Dining Room in the 1860s and the Main Staircase and Livery Hall in the 1890s.
During the Second World War a land mine exploded on the neighbouring Dutch Church in Austin Friars. The force of the explosion sent timbers flying into the Hall. Ceilings fell and windows were broken but overall the Hall escaped lightly. Since the war carefully planned alterations, respecting the Hall’s Grade II* listing, have improved the kitchens, meeting rooms, archive facilities and offices.
An architectural patchwork it may be, but Drapers’ Hall is a monument to a fascinating progression of architects, surveyors and craftsmen who have all left their mark on this extraordinary building.
With live performances from the Royal Academy of Music, and simply spectacular food, this really was an evening that will be difficult to beat.
Despite the challenging lighting conditions, a selection of photos from the evening are available on Flickr.
