Our Carol Service moved to St James’s Church, 197 Piccadilly; a perfectly-proportioned church, built by Sir Christopher Wren in 1684. It has the most beautiful carvings by Grinling Gibbons, Corinthian columns supporting a gallery and a large stained glass window. It has a very different feel to St Bartholomew’s.
Many Feltmakers and their families attended and were in good voice! Our chaplain, Andrew Pritchard-Keens, led the service and The Choir of St James’s sang magnificently. The five excellent readers of the Lessons were all female members of the Company, a first for a Feltmaker Carol concert. The sixth Lesson was also well read by Master, Neil Edwards.
Afterwards, we gathered for an informal, yet elegant, reception at the Naval & Military Club, where PM Patrick Burgess raised a toast and invited us to support The Wren Project, to continue the restoration of St James’s which offers so much pleasure to worshippers and tourists – as evidenced tonight.
Judy Bentinck
