The New College’s annual anniversary dinner. Each year from 1786-91 the college, located in Hackney, held an anniversary celebration with a sermon (subsequently published by Joseph Johnson) delivered at 11am by one of the tutors, followed by lunch at 3pm at the New London Tavern in Cheapside. On 6 May 1789 Hugh Worthington, the Classical Tutor, gave the sermon, published as A Sermon Delivered on Wednesday the 6th May, 1789 ...to the supporters of a new academical institution among Protestant Dissenters. After 1791, as the financial state and reputation of the college began to deteriorate, the anniversary celebrations were stopped.

The Gazeteer and New Daily Advertiser for 9 May 1789 reported on the dinner held at the London Tavern for the 'subscribers and friends to the New Dissenting College at Hackney'.