An Introduction

The Anchorites is an informal dining club which meets for 5 or 6 Dinners a year at the Watermen’s Hall in the City of London, close to Monument Underground Station.  With a maritime Guest Speaker, the dinners offer a networking opportunity for members. Throughout the years of its existence, the informal nature is undoubtedly one of the main reasons for its continued success. As it states in the last of the Club’s rules:

“The most stringent rules of the Club shall be the unwritten ones”

Perhaps the best introduction to the story of the Anchorites is to quote from “The song of the Anchorites”, a piece of doggerel verse written by Dr Oscar Parkes, an Anchorite who, in the early days of the Club, used to entertain members and their guests at the piano. This begins:

“And every one of them has to be keen,
on the things that go down to the sea.”

These words epitomise better than any fuller description not only the reason for the Club, but also the basic qualification for membership. Today our 350 members come from a wide range of maritime backgrounds including Merchant Navy, Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Maritime Charities and City maritime industries (insurance, logistics, risk management etc) to name but a few.

Any Membership or Admin queries should be directed to secretary@theanchorites.co.uk