Origin of the Golden Lecture
The Golden Lecture is held annually and in 2023 was hosted by St Bartholomew the Less church, located across the road from the Haberdashers’ Hall. The speaker was the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover.
The origins of the Lecture come from a generous donation made by one of the Company’s earliest and most generous benefactors, William Jones. Jones made his gift over 400 years ago, and yet his legacy continues to make an impact in the 21st century.
Jones also wished for his bequest to be used in the appointment of preachers to spread the Gospel, and this request has evolved to become what we now know as the Golden Lecture.
It is unclear why it gained this epithet. One possibility is that the stipend that once accompanied the appointment was seen to be rather generous for preaching just one sermon. Today the Haberdashers’ Company makes a gift of £500 to a charity of the Lecturer’s choice. In 2023 Bishop Rose chose the Bishop's Justice Appeal as her charity, which works with refugees in Kent.
| 2023 | The Right Revd Rose Hudson Wilkin, Bishop of Dover | Living Faith in the 21st Century: what does it truly mean to have a living faith in today’s world? | |
| 2022 | The Rt Revd Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross |
The Master's 'Tall Order' - Understanding our Neighbours in the Centenary Years |
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2021 |
The Revd Dr Robert Reiss | Death Where is Your Sting | |
| 2020 | The Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin |
Postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic |
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| 2019 |
The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE |
Seeking the welfare of the City: The Role of the Church in turbulent times. |
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| 2018 |
The Revd Alan Gyle |
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| 2017 |
The Right Revd Peter Maurice |
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