From water bailiffs to maritime finance, the river connects London’s past to its future, says Michael Mainelli

What have the Romans ever done for us? Well, among other things, we have the Romans to thank for the location of our country’s capital on the banks of the River Thames – once described by Sir Winston Churchill as “the silver thread” which runs through Britain’s history.

My theme as Lord Mayor, ‘Connect To Prosper’, celebrates the ‘Knowledge Miles’ of our Square Mile and, today, maritime business services are one of our most important areas of expertise.

The City of London Corporation has a special responsibility as the London Port Health Authority and, as Lord Mayor, one of my more unique roles is as Admiral of the Port of London.

In this capacity, I’ve reinstated the historic offices of the Water Bailiffs and, on 30 June, we visited the London Stones: markers of the City’s ancient jurisdiction over........

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