Inaugural David Pearce Memorial Lecture
9 October 2022
David Pearce
On 8th October 2022 The Friends of St Peter’s held their Inaugural David Pearce Memorial Lecture in Berkhamsted School’s Centenary Theatre. This event was originally intended to be held on 3rd April 2020 but had to be postponed at that time because of Covid.
David Pearce, who was a member of the School’s staff from 1966 until 1999, served for some years as a Church Warden of St Peter’s and was instrumental in the foundation of the Friends in 2013. He was one of our Trustees until his death in 2016.
Our speaker was Old Berkhamstedian Sir Robin Knox-Johnston who was the first person to sail single-handed and non-stop around the world in 1968/69. After complimentary drinks had been served Sir Robin enthralled an audience of about 230 people with reminiscences of this voyage and his sailing career since then. His lecture was complemented by some wonderful film and slides and he very kindly answered a number of questions. At the end of the evening a vote of thanks was proposed by Father Stuart Owen, the Rector of Berkhamsted.
We were delighted that Liz Pearce and members of her family were in the audience which also included The Venerable Dr Jane Mainwaring, Archdeacon of St Albans who is our Patron and Councillor Nigel Taylor, Deputy Mayor of Berkhamsted.
This lecture was held in partnership with the School’s Berkhamsted Society and was a fundraising event for the necessary repairs to the roof of St Peter’s. it was also one of a number of events in Berkhamsted in 2022 to mark the 800th anniversary of the consecration of St Peter’s.
The Friends are extremely grateful to Sir Robin for giving this lecture and to the School for making the Centenary Theatre available and for their support of this event in other ways.
Peter Williamson
Chair of the Trustees of The Friends of St Peter’s
