On 4 May 2022 at Common Hall held in Merchant Taylors’ Hall, following the Installation Court and AGM Mrs Audrey Canning was duly installed as Master for the year 2022-2023. Immediate Past Master Professor Gordon Masterton officiated in the absence of Master Peter Blair-Fish who, with his wife Diana, was absent, recovering from a bout of COVID-19. In her acceptance speech Audrey highlighted the goals of the Engineers Livery; representation of Engineering in the City, promotion of a shared passion for engineering innovation and excellence and fostering of fellowship across the different engineering disciplines. She also presented her theme for the year ‘Challenging Boundaries’, highlighting that we are in a time of rapid change through technological advances, changes in society, our increasingly interconnected world and changing international allegiances. Audrey promised to do her best to build a diverse and thriving membership for our Company’s future. Read her acceptance speech here in full.

Mr Raymond Joyce was then appointed as Senior Warden and Dr Dolores Byrne and Eur Ing Penny Taylor made their declarations as Middle and Junior Wardens, respectively. Air Cdre Mark Hunt was re-appointed as a court assistant for a second term. Prof Nachiappan Chockalingam and Cdr Peter Gracey made their declarations and were appointed as new court assistants.

Common Hall was followed by the Installation Dinner, hosted by the new Master and her Consort John Canning, where she delivered a fuller vision of her goals for the Year, before leading the Toast to the Guests. Dr Scott Steedman responded on behalf of the guests, echoing the Master’s theme of ‘Challenging Boundaries’ through engineering innovation and excellence, and through national and international knowledge leadership.