Speaker leads ceremony to mark 400 years since the return of the Mayflower

The square-rigged sailing ship returned to the London port of Rotherhithe in the spring of 1621, having safely delivered its cargo of Pilgrims and adventurers to Plymouth, Massachusetts a year earlier.

To recreate that home-coming, a flotilla of small boats delivered that message of reassurance to Sir Lindsay Hoyle from the ‘Master of the Mayflower’ on the banks of the Thames at Westminster.

He was also presented with a commemorative copy of arguably the most significant document of the 17^th century from the New World – The Mayflower Compact – which was the Founding Fathers’ agreement for governance of the settlers.

Written before the Pilgrims landed on 21 November 1620 – the date celebrated as ‘Thanksgiving’ - it represented the start of what is now the American Constitution.

The Speaker said the ceremony, which was witnessed by International Trade Minister Greg Hands and Lord West, representing the Lord Speaker, "recognised the enduring links between the two nations."

"That incredible voyage to the New World, though difficult and challenging in equal measure, marked the beginning of an incredible friendship between the UK and US," he said.

"One can only imagine how excited and relieved the families and friends of the settlers must have felt when they saw the Mayflower arrive home 400 years ago with messages of their safe arrival thousands of miles away."

Roger Mutton, event producer at Thames Live, which promotes the river’s history, business and culture, said: "Not only is this important anniversary symbolic of our special relationship with the US, but the sight of our flotilla of boats marking the occasion will hopefully spread the word that the River Thames is once again open for business."

The riverside ceremony, which was also attended by Christina Tribble, Cultural Attache to the US Embassy in London, featured music from the Royal Marine brass band, and ended with water squirts and horns sounding as the vessels departed for Rotherhithe.

It comes nine months after a specially commissioned scroll was sent to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, to mark 400 years since the Mayflower left the UK for the US.

Speaker Pelosi thanked Sir Lindsay for the commemoration in a meeting in November, 2020, which because of Covid restrictions had to be held virtually.

Sir Lindsay has a particular interest in the voyage of the Mayflower as Myles Standish, one of the passengers on the ship, was from his constituency of Chorley and was hired by the Pilgrims to be their military captain.

Image credit: UK Parliament/Roger Harris