visit to the Royal Law Courts

On Tuesday 3rd. April eleven members of the society visited The Royal Law Courts in The Strand.

It was a cold, damp, raw start to the day and the reduced numbers were due to both the weather and problems with booking a coach to take us there and back.

The journey was undertaken by train and immediately took on a feeling of an outing to the sea or a London museum in ones younger days. Apart from a late start from Sudbury the journey was remarkably easy.

We were met at the entrance to The Law Courts by the tour guide Graham Wickenden who incidentally lives in Cavendish, his enthusiasm for the courts was immediately evident and the two and a half hour tour was full of anecdotes about the building and the people who work in, or pass through it.

Graham’s obvious love of the place showed from start to finish and we visitors were held under the spell of the sheer size, complexity and grandeur of this massive Victorian building, which has over a thousand rooms in the main part, three and a half miles of corridors and was the first public building to be lit by electricity.

We were especially privileged to be able to visit the most important court in the building, which is the most senior court in England and Wales, a most imposing place to visit. On the wall behind the judge’s chair is the most amazing carved wooden coat of arms from the Hanoverian period and which originally hung in the courts at Westminster.

At the end of the visit Graham was warmly thanked by chairman Alan Fitch and the members showed their appreciation with a round of applause.

Especial thanks to Linda Rumbold who organised this trip.

Next meeting: Saturday March 12th. Nayland to see the Suffolk horses. (own transport)

AGF