Master - HRH The Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh KG KT GCVO

The Duke of Edinburgh is His Majesty The King’s brother and the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He dedicates much of his time as a full-time working member of the Royal Family to championing young people and promoting the benefits of non-formal education across the world. As well as undertaking official duties in support of His Majesty – often alongside his wife The Duchess of Edinburgh – The Duke carries out a busy schedule of engagements across the UK and overseas for his charities and patronages.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award  

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has been a focus of The Duke of Edinburgh’s life and work for four decades since achieving his own Gold Award in 1986. Founded by Prince Philip in 1956, The Award helps young people build their confidence and develop key life skills in order to reach their full potential. Today nearly half a million young people are actively doing their DofE in the UK and The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is operating in more than 130 countries. The Duke has played a leadership role in the Award’s development in the United Kingdom and overseas over many years, taking on many responsibilities for its charities from his father. He has been a Trustee of the UK charity since 1988, of the International Award since 2006, and was chair of its International Council for seventeen years.

In 1999 His Royal Highness established the International Special Projects Group to broaden the Award’s reach, particularly to the most marginalised young people in society. The Duke continues to serve as Chairman of Trustees for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation – a position he has held since 2015. In these roles, The Duke travels widely within the UK and across the globe to support the Award – meeting young participants, thanking the volunteers who make their achievements possible and hosting Gold Awards Celebrations.

Young People

Youth causes are close to The Duke’s heart and promoting development opportunities for young people is a theme running through much of his work. In 2020 The Duke was asked by his father to become Patron of the charity London Youth, a network of youth clubs which was the first patronage held by Prince Philip. The Duke is also currently serving as the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Quality Youth Leadership Ambassador during their 2023 ‘Year of Youth’ – twelve months of activity devoted to empowering the 1.5 billion under-30s living across the Commonwealth. 

The Armed Forces

The Duke of Edinburgh is proud to support the work of the Armed Forces both in the United Kingdom and overseas. He holds a total of eight military appointments and meets service personnel and their families whenever possible. His Royal Highness is Royal Honorary Colonel of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry and The London Guards. In 2007, The Duke of Edinburgh became Royal Colonel of 2nd Battalion The Rifles following the reorganisation of the Infantry. He regularly visits the Battalion at their base in Northern Ireland and while on operational duties, including in Afghanistan with The Countess of Wessex in 2009 and most recently in Estonia. In 2006, The Duke was appointed Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and in 2008, Honorary Air Commodore of Royal Air Force Waddington. The Duke holds three military positions in Canada, as Colonel-in-Chief of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, the Prince Edward Island Regiment and the Saskatchewan Dragoons.

The Deputy Master - 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/

Senior 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

The Immediate Past 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.

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

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

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.

Warden - Lt Cdr J. Brown RD MA FRIN FRGS FIMarEST CMarSci

Began sea going career in 1974 and trained as a deck officer with Shell Tankers. After a spell as Assistant to the Harbourmaster at Boston, Lincs in the 1980s, worked as a hydrographic surveyor in the offshore industry until recalled to service with the RN in 1993 and appointed to the UKHO as head of the Allied Worldwide Navigational Information System, reverting to civilian status in 1996 but remaining in post. Joined the Law of the Sea Division‚ a small team of internationally recognised experts in the UKHO - in 2003, eventually taking early retirement as then head of the group in 2016, to join the Litigation dept. of Cooley (UK) LLP as Law of the Sea Consultant. Whilst at UKHO, advised UK Government departments on Law of the Sea matters, provided expert technical assistance in illegal fishery prosecutions, and input on sensitive Law of the Sea issues for the RN and Coalition headquarters in the Middle East. Currently working with several foreign governments on delimitation and baseline issues and have acted on behalf of Nicaragua at the International Court of Justice, and for the Maldives at ITLOS. Have chaired conferences and panels, and have presented papers on technical aspects of Law of the Sea at international conferences, also have designed and run training courses in maritime boundary delimitation for foreign governments. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation in 2009, and of IMarEST in 2014. As IHO nominated rep, am a past Chair of ABLOS, the joint IHO/IAG Advisory Board on Law of the Sea.

HRH Edward, Prince of Wales

HRH Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh

Master 1954-1957

HRH Charles, Prince of Wales

Master 1988-1990

HRH The Princess Royal

Master 2005-2007