The governing body of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners is the Court. The Court consists of: the Master Mariner (and Deputy if a Royal is the Master); the 5 Wardens, the Immediate Past Master (IPM), 3 past masters; and 21 elected Assistants. The day to day management is undertaken by the Clerk (Chief Executive) to the Company.
Click on the officer's picture to read more about them.
The Master - Lt Cdr L A Chapman CMMar FNI RN
The Master - Lt Cdr L A Chapman CMMar FNI RN
Les joined the Honourable Company of Master Mariners in 2001 and became a Liveryman in 2014. He was elected to the Court of Assistants in 2013 and 2016, as Warden in 2017, and was also Master in 2021/2022. He is a Fellow of the Nautical Institute, a Younger Brother of Trinity House and Chair of the South East Regional Grants Committee and a Trustee of Tower Hill Trust on behalf of Trinity House. He is a Trustee of the Kent Mark Benevolent Fund, Greenwich Sea Cadets and Vice President of Tunbridge Wells Sea Cadets. Les is also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Companies of Shipwrights and Arbitrators and is heavily involved in Freemasonry in London and Kent.
Senior Warden - Mr M.B. Burrow DL
Senior Warden - Mr M.B. Burrow DL
I joined the Honourable Company in 2009 becoming a Liveryman in 2014 under the 10% rules and served on the Finance & Risk Committee, taking over as Chairman in 2017.
I was trained at HMS Conway before joining Canadian Pacific as a marine engineer Cadet. My career took a sharp change in course when I joined Railway, Mine and Plantation Ltd whose offices were at Imperial House, Dominion Street in the Square Mile - an ever so colonial company. Here I learnt my trade in sales and marketing using my engineering knowledge adapted to railways and mining, this entailed extensive travel in Africa when communications was still fairly rudimentary. I am now the proprietor and chairman of the Holdtrade Group of Companies which carries on the business of trading in Africa and provides engineering for light, narrow gauge, industrial and heritage railways.
As an Old Conway I chair the Conway Merchant Navy Trust which provides scholarships for MN officer Cadetships; the Trust is currently sponsoring 10 Cadets through University to OOW. I am also a Trustee of the HMS Conway Trust which is a benevolent charity.
I am very proud to be the chair of Greenwich, Deptford and Rotherhithe Sea Cadets which has is its premises in the Old Royal Navy College. With a strength of nearly 40 we are very a small but well respected Unit, in extremely historic and prestigious surroundings, providing training and opportunity to many youngsters from the area who otherwise would have little experience of the maritime world.
My other areas of interests and memberships include: Member of Nautical Institute; Anchorites; TSS; Propeller Club; Naval Club; Conway Club; London Rowing Club and RAC. I am also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matt-burrow-484b28b/
The Immediate Past Master - Captain G English AFNI
The Immediate Past Master - Captain G. English AFNI
I joined the Honourable Company in 2013 encouraged by Captain Rob Booth CMMar who was shortly to be come a Warden and eventually Master in 2017. I was elected Senior Warden in 2022 and on the 1st May 2023, became The Master of the Company.
I joined the Education & Training and Technical Committees in 2015, progressed to be a Liveryman and became a Court Assistant in 2016 and was elected as Warden in 2019, I am an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute and also act as mentor to an associate recently qualified as OOW.
At sea 1970 - 1988 with a major tanker company and latterly with various management agencies, I spent almost 25 years as a freelance consultant and surveyor in the offshore oil & gas industries and presently work as Marine Manager for an expanding marine and engineering consultancy in London, largely engaged in the renewable energy sector.
Born on Tyneside I lived for many years in Yorkshire but am now happily settled in Suffolk with my wife Val, I am involved with our local church and also like to turn my hand to practical projects large and small, recently construction of a kit car and latterly smaller scale modelling along with an interest in various aspects of nautical and aviation history.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/geoffenglish
Warden - Commodore D.L Lamb CMMar FNI
Warden - Commodore D.L Lamb CMMar FNI
I joined the Honourable Company in 2017. I then became a Court Assistant in 2021, took Livery and was elected Warden in 2022.
I have been a Professional Review Assessor and member of the Chartered Master Mariner Registration Authority since its inauguration in 2016. I then became Chairman of the RA in 2021, taking over from Admiral Sir Nigel Essenhigh. I also sit on the Wellington Replacement Committee and am mentor to two Apprentices.
I retired in 2020 after over forty years’ service in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. My final appointment in 2015 was as Head of Service for the RFA. In this role, I was responsible for the safe delivery of operations for ships operating worldwide, the recruitment, training, management and sustainability of civilian mariners and the strategic direction of the RFA within the Royal Navy. I was also Senior Responsible Owner for the offshore build programme for four Fleet Replenishment Tankers, a major Government Programme, which were brought into service for the RFA between 2017 and 2019.
During my career, I commanded most classes of RFA across the full spectrum of naval operations. A veteran of the Falklands conflict (RFA Resource) I am RN Principle Warfare Officer qualified, a graduate of Advanced Command and Staff College, holding an MA in Defence Studies, and a graduate of the Major Projects Leadership Academy run through Oxford University Said Business School. I was one of the first recipients of Chartered Master Mariner in 2017.
Outside the HCMM, I am an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute, Younger Brother of Trinity House and sit on the Through Life Grants Committee of the RNRMC. In my spare time, in order of exertion, I enjoy skiing, cycling, hiking and reading. I live in Central Scotland with wife, Catriona (retired GP) and therefore am very familiar with BA and LNER from Edinburgh to London. I have two sons forging successful careers in engineering and medicine.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/duncan-lamb-80bba719b
Warden - Captain C.G. McDade CMMar
Warden - Captain C.G. McDade CMMar
I joined the Honourable Company in 2012 and took Livery in 2016. When I retuned to the UK after international assignments in Singapore, Angola and then Singapore again, upon my return I joined both the Education and Training as well as Professional and Technical Committees, moving up to chair the latter in 2021.
My seagoing career started in 1997 as a cadet with Mobil Shipping, during this time I sailed on product, aframax, VLCC and shuttle tankers. Sadly at the end of my cadetship Exxon merged with Mobil and opportunities in the fleet became scarce, however, fortunately for me BP Shipping had embarked on a fleet expansion/renewal and I managed to secure a position there.
My career with BP started on oil tankers before being transferred over to LNG in 2002. I continued to sail with BP in their LNG Fleet until 2009 where I transferred to Upstream and Production working on Floating Production Storage Offload (FPSO) in the North Sea. I then transferred to BP Angola and was involved in their Ultradeep Water, initially being constructed and commissioned in Singapore before the Offshore Hook-up and subsequent operational phase in Angola.
I returned to Singapore as consultant for two years with London Offshore Consultants before returning to the UK to take up a shore position with Seapeak (ex Teekay Gas) as LNG Assurance Manager followed by Director for Marine HR, Fleet Director and now Vice President for Operations. I have full operational and commercial responsibility for 44 LNG Vessels, 29 LPG Vessels and 1 LNG import terminal in Bahrain. I sit on various boards such as SIGTTO, Class Societies and Joint Ventures.
I am a Chartered Master Mariner (CMMar), Younger Brother at Trinity House and a mentor within the companies scheme.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chris-mcdade-1b4a8439
Warden - Captain M.C. Lucas FNI
Warden - Captain M.C. Lucas FNI
I joined the Honourable Company in 2004 and took Livery in 2016. In April 2021, I joined the Education and Training Committee and, recently, the Diversity & Inclusion committee. In 2023, I became a Warden of the Company.
I started my sea going career with BP as a cadet on the old T. S. Dolphin at Leith. I then joined the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service ( RMAS ) which came under the Directorate of Maritime Services ( MoD ) in May 1977. The RMAS provided a number of different service and specialised tasks. In 1996 Serco Denholm partially took over the RMAS in 2008 it was taken over completely. My career with the RMAS and Serco has allowed me over the last 46 years to gain many different skills. The types of tasks I have carried out include but not limited to the following. Ocean Towage; Mooring &Salvage ( MoD) 13 years. Torpedo Recovery; Mine Laying and recover for major exercises. Mines being inert and for training for MCMs. Support for the submarine escape system LR5. Supporting the Royal Naval Clearance Diving Schools in Kyle of Lochalsh. Target Towing for live ammunition firings in the North of Scotland. Passenger transfers with warships and submarines underway and making way. This includes working with foreign Navy’s as well.
This is outwith the MCA’s responsibility and regulations. As I stated previously this list is not exhaustive, as there are areas that I cannot comment on. I am still active at sea as Master and currently I am an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute and Chairman of the Central Scotland Branch of the Nautical Institute. I am a mentor within the Company's Mentoring Scheme.
Warden - Mr S. P. Summers JP
Warden - Mr S. P. Summers JP
I joined the Honourable Company in 2017 and took Livery in 2021. I was first elected Warden in January 2024 having served as a Court Assistant since 2021.
I served on Westminster City Council for 12 years and as Lord Mayor of Westminster in 2016 - 2017. During my time on the Council my responsibilities included chairing a planning committee and serving as Cabinet Member for Community Services. I was responsible for overseeing Westminster’s preparations for the London Olympics in 2012. I also served on London Councils and as a Trustee of the London Youth Games. I am currently the Chairman of the London Mayors’ Association which represents all of the current and former Mayors of the London boroughs and the two cities.
Aside from politics, I serve as an Honorary Steward of Westminster Abbey and a Magistrate on the Central London bench sitting at the City of London & Westminster Magistrates Courts. I am also a Director of the London Landmarks Half Marathon and Patron of London New Years Day Parade & Festival.
In addition to being a member of the Honourable Company, I am a Freeman of the Company of Watermen & Lightermen of the River Thames.
In my professional life, I am Managing Director of a public relations firm based in London having previously practised as a solicitor in the City of London.
The Court
Each year the Members of the Honourable Company vote to elect the 21 Assistants to the Court. These Assistants are appointed and serve for three years, with one third re-elected annually. The Court meets quarterly onboard the HQS Wellington and operates on a majority rule when voting.
Those Wardens who have not served as Master are known as ‘before the Chair’ and gain seniority until they are appointed as the Senior Warden.
Senior Warden
The Senior Warden, for his year of office, works closely with the Clerk in supporting the administration and management of the Company while preparing for his year as Master. Traditionally the Senior Warden is elected Master for one year from 1 May to 30 April.
Wardens
Each year, members of the Court elect five Wardens, one of whom becomes the Senior Warden. The Wardens meet in committee four times a year and have a responsibility as a ‘Cabinet’ to the Parliament of The Company, the Court. As such they are responsible for the implementation of the decisions of the Court and the routine management of The Honourable Company.
Master
The Master is the senior officer of the Honourable Company, chairs the meetings of the Court and represents the Honourable Company in the Livery as a whole and with the Corporation of London.
Immediate Past Master
The retiring Master from previous year becomes the ‘Immediate Past Master” a post he holds for one year. In years to follow, that person becomes a Past Master. The three most recent past masters retain their seats on the Court.
Royal Past Masters
The Honourable Company was very fortunate to have several Royal Past Masters. HRH The Princess Royal, HRH Charles, Prince of Wales, HRH Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh and our very first Master, HRH Edward, Prince of Wales.
HRH Edward, Prince of Wales
HRH Edward, Prince of Wales
HRH Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh
HRH Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh
Master 1954-1957
HRH Charles, Prince of Wales
HRH Charles, Prince of Wales
Master 1988-1990
HRH The Princess Royal
HRH The Princess Royal
Master 2005-2007
In this section