Est. c.1826
About the Dinner
Each year, on a date close to King Edward VI's birthday — 12th October — those connected with Christ's Hospital gather to celebrate our Royal Founder.
The Dinner
These events and their locations have traditionally been recorded in the Blue, now the Old Blue. Apart from the more traditional locations in the City of London, other celebrations have been held in many cities in the UK and around the world. Records exist of a variety of less conventional venues, including those held on the front line during the two World Wars and the Korean War.
The central gathering has traditionally been in London, the City of our original foundation and home for 350 years. Venues have been as varied as Lord's, the Connaught Rooms, the Chiswell Street Brewery, Mansion House, and a selection of City Livery Halls. Attendance has traditionally been restricted to Old Blues, the Head, the Clerk and other representatives of the school — though this has been relaxed in recent years to allow guests.
Although the focal point of the dinner is to celebrate the birth of our Founder, there are other main factors. One is to meet and enjoy the convivial company of friends and fellow Old Blues; the other is to honour a person who has either given exceptional service to CH or has achieved fame and pre-eminence in the outside world.
According to available records, the dinner has been recorded since 1826 — though the dinner itself almost certainly predates the records — with the exception of the two World Wars, 1947 (when a Government edict forbidding public banquets of more than 100 persons prevented it), and the two dinners denied us by Covid. On four occasions — 1997, 2003, 2007, and 2010 — it was held at Christ's Hospital in Horsham rather than in London.
1826 is simply as far back as the records reach; the dinner almost certainly predates them by some years. Whatever the true count, 2026 marks an exceptional moment — two centuries of fellowship by any measure, and a year that calls for a dinner to match.
"Dinners have been recorded as far back as 1826 — though the dinner itself almost certainly predates the records."
Now on sale
Book on CH Founder's Day Dinner
By Ken Mansell (1953-61)
The year 2026 celebrates the 200th anniversary of Christ’s Hospital’s Founder’s Day Dinner. This book describes the rich history of the event.
The book provides information leading up to the time the Dinner was established and covers its introduction, explaining how the event is organised by a group of Stewards. It lists all the Dinners which have been held, showing the venue, the date, the Chairman and the attendance, and gives extracts from the main speeches made at the event. There are also other sections on issues such as the venues, the attendance of women, the programmes, the fare, the toasts and the finances. Although focussing on this main event, information is also given about Founder’s Day Dinners which were celebrated in other parts of the UK and overseas.
This is a high-quality A4 soft-back book of 108 b/w pages containing 67 illustrations and five tables. The book, priced at £15, can be purchased through the CH Museum – chmuseum@christs-hospital.org.uk.
The Auction
2026 — In support of CH Giving Day
This year's Founder's Day Dinner will feature a charity auction in support of CH Giving Day, running on dinner night and giving guests the opportunity to bid on a range of lots. The auction will help kickstart CH Giving Day (24–25 November) and build momentum ahead of the challenge.
You can browse the lots and place bids online — before and during the dinner — directly from your phone. All proceeds will contribute towards the Giving Day total, helping to support life-changing opportunities for current and future pupils.
CH Giving Day brings together Old Blues, students, staff, parents and friends for 36 hours of community, participation and impact. The auction is just the beginning of that journey, with the wider CH community coming together on 24–25 November to make a difference. Check back here for the latest listings, or use the button below to put forward an item for donation.
Visit the auction page and register to bid
Browse lots before the dinner
Bid online on the night from your phone
Winners are announced during the evening
Lots coming soon
CH Giving Day auction
Hosted right here on this site
The Stewards
The organisation of the dinner is in the hands of a group of Stewards — volunteers drawn from those eligible to attend. They pay an annual quota levy (historically ranging from £1 to £30) to underwrite the costs of the dinner. The more Stewards we have, the lower the quota for everyone.
Stewards who are available meet twice a year in central London, in May and November, to receive accounts, set budgets and agree the venue, speakers and general arrangements — meetings are usually followed by a sociable supper.
They are also responsible for organising the guest list, which traditionally includes the Head, the Clerk and other representatives of the school. Following Covid, both meetings may also be attended online, removing geography as a barrier.
Chief Steward
Chair of Stewards
Selected by length of service, the Chief Steward serves for one year (November to November) and chairs the evening. The guest of honour gives the main speech, followed by a toast to "The Religious, Royal and Ancient Foundation".
Recent Chief Stewards
Chief Steward
Bryan Hall
Bryan arrived at Prep A in 1963 as an overwhelmed nine-year-old from Cornwall, harbouring a lifelong regret that he failed to retain his parents’ Irish accent. After discovering a penchant for tackling people and not drowning—captaining the swimming team and playing every tier of school rugby—he sensibly abandoned teacher training to work on a perilous Cornish trawler. This maritime detour eventually gave way to the equally turbulent waters of corporate sales, a career sparked by his enduring mates at the Old Blues Rugby Club, an institution that has anchored him with lasting camaraderie since the 1970s. His subsequent multinational career saw him jetting across the globe for tech titans before pivoting to manage disaster recovery for City banks just ahead of the millennium.
However, it is in his later years that Bryan’s trajectory shifts from corporate road warrior to quietly formidable community champion. Grounded in the South East by health concerns, he weaponised his tolerance for bureaucracy, securing millions in grants for local SMEs and farmers simply because they were reluctant to tackle the paperwork themselves. Driven by an ingrained sense of duty, he now demands honesty from the financial sector via the Transparency Task Force and serves as a devoted director for a SEND day-care centre supporting youth with severe autism. Shared with his wife Jane, their two daughters, and three grandchildren, it is a rather triumphant third act that proves The Charge never quite left him.
Join us
Become a Steward
It is important that we keep this long tradition going. Please consider becoming a Steward — your voice, your service, your legacy.
Shape the dinner
Vote on venues, speakers, pricing and all arrangements — your input shapes every dinner.
A lifelong community
Join a community of Old Blues and friends united by a shared connection to Christ's Hospital.
Join the meetings if you can
Stewards who are available meet in May and November in central London — or online — followed by a sociable supper. No obligation to attend every time.
Carry the tradition forward
Help ensure the dinner continues for another 200 years. Your quota directly underwrites the costs.
Current Stewards
98 volunteers who make the dinner possible
Akande,
Toyosi
2016-18
Arnell,
Jamie
Aryee,
Emmanuel
1999-06
Attwood,
Brian
1976-83
Banks,
Peter
barford,
michael
1971-74
Blakeway-Phillips,
celia
Ba.A · 1982-87
Bloomfield,
Peter
Pe.B · 1944-51
Borlace,
Tana
Col.B, Ba.B, Gr.E · 2004-11
Bridgman,
Gavin
Col.A, Ma.A · 1977-84
Burns,
Chris
1972-79
Castledine,
Patrick
Ma.A, Mid.B · 1976-83
Cavalier,
Marcus
Clark,
Timothy L
Clarke,
Robin
Ba.A, Col.A · 1973-80
Collins,
David
1946-53
Cosedge,
Andrew
1960-66
Courtney,
Richard
Ma.A, Pe.B · 1967-73
Craddock,
Martyn
LH.B, LH.A · 1981-88
Crick,
Martin
LH.B, La.A · 1978-85
Davies-Jenkins,
Sue
Delaney,
Jacquelyn
2s · 1974-80
Duncan,
Kathleen N
Evans,
Duncan
2001-08
Evans,
Timothy
Mid.A, La.B, Gr.W · 1996-03
Farnfield,
Peter
Ma.A, Mid.A · 1966-73
Farrington,
David
1956-63
Fraser,
James
1988-95
Fyfe,
Andrew
Mid.A · 1948-56
Garnham,
Diana
6s · 1966-71
Gill,
David
LH.A, La.A · 1980-87
Gimber,
Eric
La.A, La.B, LH.B · 1987-94
Gray,
David W
Hall,
Bryan
Pr.A, Ma.A, Col.A · 1963-72
Harris,
Gerald
Hennock,
Tim
Ma.B, Th.B, Gr.E · 2002-09
Herries,
Amanda
1965-72
Hiard,
Michael
Howgego,
Andrew
1970 to 1978
Ilie,
Ciprian D
Jefferies,
Michael A
Kalmoni,
Nadine
Th.A, Gr.W · 2007-09
Kim,
Woon Young
Kitchen,
Perry
Pe.A · 1964-70
Laing,
Leanna
1975-82
Laughton,
Tim
Ba.B, Col.A · 1973-80
Laughton,
Chris
1969-76
Leeming,
Richard
LH.A, Ma.A, La.B · 1979-85
Lieu,
Enoch
Pe.A · 2011-13
Lindsay,
Sophie
1989-95
Linn,
Josh
Ma.A, Gr.E · 2001-08
Lloyd,
Michel
1977-84
Lugton,
Keith SH
Makin,
Joseph
MANSELL,
KENNETH
Pe.B · 1953-61
McCurdy,
Barry
1958-66
McGowan,
Deborah
1972-80
McGregor,
Richard
1948-57
McKay,
Miriam
7s · 1976-83
Mills,
Keith C
La.A · 1949-55
Monaghan,
Ben
1982-89
Muir,
Robert
Col.B, LH.B · 1966-72
Mukasa,
Davis
Th.A · 1988-95
Naylor,
Philip
1971-77
Neill,
Luke
2012-17
Odulaja,
Toto
Pe.A · 2004-11
Ohira,
Stephanie
Th.A, Gr.W · 2007-09
Olatunji,
John
Ma.A, Gr.E · 2010-12
Parry,
Wyn
Th.B · 1955-64
Payne,
Donald
Th.B · 1948-55
Pearey,
Richard P
Pelling,
Izzy
Ba.B, Gr.E · 2009-16
Peterson,
Jon
1984-91
Phillips,
Richard
Porter,
Janet
2s · 1957 - 65
Regec-Noor,
Mustafa
Pe.B, Pe.A, Gr.W · 1997-04
Rolf,
Jackie
3s · 1973-80
Russell,
Colin
Ba.A · 1954-61
Sansom,
David
1979-86
Sillett,
Bob DT
Sillett,
Tanya
LH.A, Ba.B · 1984-86
Skinner,
Tim
LH.A, Mid.B · 1964-72
Smith,
Georgia
2011-18
Stamp,
Rebecca
Steane,
Christopher
1969-75
Swift,
Stephen
Th.B, Pr.A · 1955-64
Sze,
Joshua
Ma.B, Gr.E · 2015-20
Tilbury,
Matthew
Ba.B, Mid.A · 1980-86
Tremlett,
Jacob
2005-12
Udokporo,
Onyinye
Ba.B · 2009-16
Vaughan-Payne,
Richard
Th.B · 1956-62
Vesey,
Guy EM
Whitehouse,
Andrew
LH.B, Pe.A · 1979-86
Wiggins,
D Derek
1957-64
Wildey,
Peter R
Williams,
John
Ma.B, Col.A · 1962-69
Wilson,
Victoria
1979-86
Winterflood,
Ann F
Could your name be on this list?
We are always looking for dedicated volunteers to join the Stewards and help carry this tradition forward.