Last evening, 22nd September 2016, I visited a meeting of the Wymondham Heritage Society, in the same hall where I spoke about Escaping Hitler some months ago. I was there to listen to former Sheriff of Norwich William Armstrong. At my side was Joe Stirling, 91 year old subject of my biography and also a former Sheriff of Norwich from 1975.  Members of the Society, who were unaware we planned to join them, were most welcoming and delighted to meet Joe in person.  We listened to William’s address, enjoying his historical outline of the role and his anecdotal stories from his year as Sheriff from 2014-15.

This was more than just a social night out – William was Sheriff alongside Lord Mayor Judith Lubbock, the fifteenth female Lord Mayor of Norwich, who will have her own chapter in my new book My Lady Lord Mayor: the Seventeen Female Lord Mayors of Norwich 1923-2017.  This will be published by Pen and Sword Books in February 2018.  I was hoping for some insight into Judith as Lord Mayor and certainly William mentioned a number of events that they shared during that civic year.  If anyone is interested in following my progress with the new book, there is a blog at myladylordmayor.com along with an accompanying Facebook page.  You’d be most welcome as a new follower!

Photos here show William and Judith attending a Chinese New Year event on Riverside in the City in February 2015, alongside Joe and his wife Jean on the day Joe was inaugurated as Sheriff in May 1975. Same robe, same chain, different hat!  William told us that the hat was too small for his head so Norwich City Council bought him a new one!