Election of Master and Wardens 2026-2027
James Preston was made a Liveryman of the Carpenters’ Company in 1983 when he was aged 22. He was born into a family that has been heavily involved with the Carpenters’ for almost 250 years. James is the fifth successive generation of his family to serve on the Court, and his great, great, grandfather was the first of three successive generations to serve as Master.
James is a Chartered Surveyor, and after studying at the University of The West of England, he has worked in the consultancy side of commercial property management and asset management for over 40 years. Being based in the West End, he worked at Bernard Thorpe and then Savills, before becoming a partner at specialist agency, Joiner Cummings. In 2004 he co-founded James Boatman Chartered Surveyors, a highly focused boutique agency. In the latter part of his career, James has been heavily involved in turning around distressed property investments. The commercial challenges of this work have been offset by fascinating and long-term insights into a broad range of occupier businesses ranging from bingo halls to a Swiss bank. Now largely retired, James remains a director for a major distribution park in Essex.
Over the four decades that James has been a Liveryman he has served for long periods on a number of Carpenters’ Company committees, including 11 years on the Rustington Convalescent Home Committee of Management, where he also assumed the role of Surveyor to the Home. As an ‘Old Blue’, James has served as a Donation Governor at Christ’s Hospital for the Company since 2009, closely following the progress of some five Presentees.
An enthusiastic carpenter in the craft sense, James has been practising (and occasionally perfecting) various facets of woodworking from his micro workshop at home. He also has a passion for adventurous sailing. After cruising the west coast of Ireland, since 2019 he has based his activities in the Western Isles of Scotland while exploring the stunning coastline of the Inner and Outer Hebrides.
James has lived in London for most of his working life and is married to Susan, a university lecturer. They have two sons, the eldest of whom was made a Liveryman in 2023.
The Wardens for this year are Vice Admiral Paul Bennett CB OBE RN, Senior Warden; Mr Jim Greaves, Middle Warden and Mr Aidan Mortimer, Junior Warden. The Clerk is Colonel Ralph Arundell.
