List of mayors of Bedford (England)

See also: Mayor of Bedford

The first known reference to a Mayor of Bedford in England was in 1264.

Prior to the Municipal Corporations Act, 1835, the mayor of Bedford came into office on 29 September. The first mayor of the reformed corporation came into office on 1 January 1836, and subsequent mayors on 9 November. After the Local Government Act, 1948, and the Local Government Act, 1972, the mayors from 1949 onwards came into office in May. The civic mayor was replaced by a directly elected mayor in 2002.

Since April 2009 the Borough of Bedford is a unitary authority, with the executive having the powers and functions of both a non-metropolitan district and a non-metropolitan county.

List of Mayors of Bedford

Civic mayors

Joshua Hawkins - Mayor of Bedford

Alderman George Hurst (1800 - 1898), Mayor of Bedford (1855, 1873-4, 1878 and 1886)

George Wells - Mayor in the 1890s

Source: bedsarchives

13th Century

Year	Name	Notes
C.1250	John Slye	Exact Year unknown
?	Simon Barschot [1]
?	John Brodeye [1]
1288	John	Last Name Unknown
1297	John Cullebere	Mayor 1297 and 1314

14th Century

Year	Name	Notes
1312-13	John Mareschall
1313-14	John atte Wal
1314-15	John Cullebere	Mayor 1297 and 1314
1315-16	Nicholas le Feroun
1316-17	Nicholas le Feroun
1319-20	John atte Wal
1322-23	Thomas Haliday
1324-25	Nicholas de Astwode
1325-26	Nicholas de Astwode
1327-28	Simon Cullebere
1330-31	Simon Cullebere
1331-32	Nicholas de Astwode
1334-35	Richard Frereman
1339-40	John le Marchal
1341-42	John le Marchal
1342-43	John le Marchal
1343-44	John le Marchal
1344-45	John le Marchal
1346-47	Walter de Perle
1347-48	Walter de Perle
1348-49	Henry Arnold
1349-50	John le Marchal
1350-51	Henry Arnold
1352-53	John le Marchal
1354-55	Henry Arnold
1356-57	Henry Arnold
1358-59	William de Kempston
1360-61	Henry Arnold
1361-62	William de Kempston
1362-63	William de Kempston
1363-64	William de Kempston
1365-66	William de Kempston
1367-68	John Bosom
1369-70	John Bosom
1372-73	Richard Frereman
1374-75	Richard Frereman
1379-80	Richard Frereman
1380-81	Thomas Jourdon
1381-82	Thomas Jourdon
1384-85	Thomas Jourdon
1385-86	Thomas Jourdon
1388-89	Thomas Jourdon
1389-90	John Howden
1390-91	Thomas Jourdon
1392-93	William Brown	MP for Bedford, 1397
1393-94	Thomas Jourdon
1398-99	Roger Tunstal

15th Century

Year	Name	Notes
1400-01	Thomas Jourdon
1401-02	Thomas Jourdon
1402-03	Thomas Jourdon
1404-05	William Coterstok
1406-07	Roger Tunstale
1407-08	Roger Tunstale
1408-09	William Goderstoke
1409-10	William Cothristoke
1411-12	John Tunstal
1412-13	John Tunstal
1413-14	John Tunstal
1414-15	John Kent	MP for Bedford, 1406
1416-17	John Kent	MP for Bedford, 1406
1418-19	William Douve
1422-23	William Douve
1423-24	William Douve
1425-26	Thomas Kempston
1426-27	Thomas Kempston
1428-29	Thomas Bull
1429-30	John Frepurs	MP for Bedford, 1417 and 1427
1432-33	Thomas Hunt	MP for Bedford, 1420
1433-34	Thomas Hunte
1435-36	Robert Wasselyn
1437-38	John Frepurs	MP for Bedford, 1417 and 1427
1438-39	William Hunte
1440-41	Thomas Kempston
1441-42	Robert Plomer
1443-44	Wiilliam Bette
1444-45	John Frepurs	MP for Bedford, 1417 and 1427
1445-46	John Frepurs	MP for Bedford, 1417 and 1427
1446-47	Thomas Kempston
1447-48	Thomas Kempston
1448-49	Roger Yve
1449-50	Roger Yve
1450-51	Thomas Bole
1453-54	John Arthur
1454-55	John Spery
1455-56	John Spery
1456-57	John Arthur
1457	John Spery
1457-58	Thomas Kempston
1460-61	William Brytevyle
1461-62	John Spery
1462-63	William Brytevyle
1466-67	William Cornnoeur
1467-68	Walter Stotfold
1469-70	Robert Rotur
1470-71	William Chicheley
1471-72	Walter Stotfold
1472-73	Walter Stotfold
1475-76	William Chicheley
1476-77	Roger Sperling
1477-78	John Chapman
1478-79	John Gowlde
1479-80	Philip Dyer
1480-81	William Paryse
1484-85	Thomas Hanchiche
1486-87	John Goold
1487-88	William Fitzhugh
1490-91	John Goold
1495-96	John Alwey
1496-97	Thomas May

16th Century

Year	Name	Notes
1504-05	Simon West
1506-07	Robert Cokko
1507-08	William Payne
1508-09	Alexander Crowle
1509-10	Robert Smyth
1510-11	Simon West
1511-12	Thomas Heche
1512-13	Thomas Knyght
1513-14	Richard Halam
1514-15	Simon West
1519-20	John Pateman	Butcher [2]
1520-21	Thomas Vinter
1521-22	Richard Halam
1522-23	John Albony
1527-28	Thomas Rowthe
1528-29	John Baker	MP for Bedford, 1529
1529-30	Thomas West
1534-35	Giles Lawrance
1535-36	Thomas Smyth
1537-38	John Baker
1538-39	William Borme
1541-42	William Forde
1542-43	Peter Carre
1543-44	Thomas Russell
1544-45	Henry Albony
1545-46	John Ward
1546-47	John Williams	Alias 'Scotte' [3]
1547-48	William Hall	MP for Bedford, 1554
1548-49	Henry Fitzhugh
1549-50	John Williams
1551-52	John Williams
1553-54	William Forde
1554-55	William Hall	MP for Bedford, 1554
1556-57	Thomas Leighe
1557-58	Thomas Dyve
1558-59	William Bull
1559-60	Richard Lawrence
1560-61	Humphrey Lawrence
1562-63	Henry Lawrence
1563-64	Simon Beckett
1564-65	Alexander Hunt
1565-66	Robert Paradyne
1566-67	Henry Lawrence
1573-74	Henry Lawrence
1574-75	Alexander Hunt
1575-76	Thomas Hawes
1576-77	Simon Beckett
1577-78	John Mighton
1578-79	Robert Waller
1580-81	Henry Lawrence
1581-82	Alexander Hunte
1583-84	John Mighton
1584-85	Thomas Hawes Sr.
1585-86	Robert Waller
1586-87	Thomas Abbys
1587-88	Thomas Hawes Jr.
1588-89	Alexander Hunte
1589-90	Richard Bell
1590-91	Thomas Abbys
1591-92	Thomas Hawes Sr.
1592-93	Samuel Christye
1593-94	William Wilson
1594-95	Robert Waller
1595-96	William Negus
1596-97	Thomas Hawes Jr.
1597-98	Thomas Abbys
1598-99	John Stanton
1599-00	Simon Beckett

17th Century

Year	Name	Notes
1600-01	William Negus
1601-02	Thomas Hawes Jr.
1602-03	Thomas Hawes Jr.
1603-04	Robert Lawrence
1604-05	Thomas Abbys
1605-06	Robert Hawes
1606-07	Simon Beckett Sr.
1607-08	James Payley
1608-09	Jasper Chrystie
1609-10	Thomas Hawes Jr.
1610-11	Thomas Hawes Jr.
1611-12	Peter Bamford
1612-13	William Abbys
1613-14	Thomas Paradine
1614-15	Simon Beckett
1615-16	John Goodhall
1616-17	Jacob Lawrence
1617-18	William Waller
1618-19	Thomas Hawes Jr.
1619-20	William Abbys
1620-21	Robert Hawes
1621-22	Robert Bamforth
1622-23	Peter Bamforth
1623-24	Thomas Spencer
1624-25	William Faldoe
1625-26	William Waller
1626-27	William Abbys
1627-28	Steven Luxford
1628-29	John Spencer
1629-30	Robert Bamforth
1630-31	Thomas Waller
1631-32	William Waller
1632-33	Thomas Paradine
1633-34	Thomas Hawes
1634-35	William Abbys
1635-36	Francis Bannester
1636-37	John Whitaker
1637-38	John Spencer
1638-39	Robert Hawes
1639-40	John Eston
1640-41	Thomas Hawes
1641-42	Robert Bamforth
1642-43	Robert Bell
1643-44	William Paley
1644-45	Simon Beckett Sr.
1645-46	Francis Bannester
1646-47	John Grew
1647-48	John Hancock
1648-49	John Faldo
1649-50	Henry Fitzhugh
1650-51	John Eston
1651-52	Robert Bell
1652-53	William Faldo Sr.
1653-54	Thomas Spencer
1654-55	John Crawley
1655-56	Simon Beckett Sr.	Removed from office [4]
1656	Robert Fitzhugh
1656	John Eston	Made Mayor: 19 March [5]
1656	John Grew	Made Mayor: 21 March [5]
1657-58	Richard Mightnall
1658-59	John Hancock
1659-60	John Eston
1660-61	Robert Bell
1661-62	Simon Becket
1662-63	William Riseley
1663-64	John Crawley
1664-65	William Faldo Sr.	Died in office [5]
1665	John White
1665-66	John Crawley
1666-67	William Faldo Jr.
1667-68	Francis Becket
1668-69	Thomas Underwood
1669-70	William Faldo Jr.
1670-71	William Lane
1671-72	Richard Mightnall
1672-73	Thomas Paley
1673-74	John Crawley
1674-75	John White
1675-76	William Becket
1676-77	Ralph Smith
1677-78	Simon Beckett Sr.
1678-79	William Fenn	Died in office [5]
1679	Robert Fitzhugh	Made Mayor: 24 August [5]
1679-80	William Bamforth
1680-81	Anthony Bolton
1681-82	Paul Bamforth
1682-83	John Paradine
1683-84	Paul Cobb Sr.
1684-85	Paul Cobb Sr.	Died in office [5]
1685-86	William Faldo Sr.
1686-87	Francis Becket
1687-88	Thomas Underwood
1688	Paul Cobb	Made Mayor: 17 October, [5] Attorney of Bedford Court 1658, Clerk of the Peace of the County [6]
1688	Thomas Underwood	Made Mayor: 29 October [5]
1688-89	William Isaack
1689-90	William Becket	Made Mayor: 8 March [5]
1690-91	John Eston
1691-92	Thomas Battison
1692-93	Ralph Smith
1693-94	John Pawlin
1694-95	John Peck
1695-96	Richard Chichely
1696-97	George Maddy
1697-98	William Faldo
1698-99	John Deare
1699-00	John Kidd

18th Century

Year	Name	Notes
1700-01	Thomas Wilkes
1701-02	Thomas Battison
1702-03	George Wagsuffe
1703-04	Henry White
1704-05	John Peck
1705-06	John Fenn	Died in office [7]
1706	Francis Walker
1706-07	Thomas Underwood	Made Mayor: 24th January [7]
1707-08	Thomas Day
1708-09	Philip Negus
1709-10	Robert Crawley
1710	John Hornbuckle
1710-11	Thomas Underwood	Made Mayor: 24th April [7]
1711-12	William Faldo
1712-13	Richard Willis
1713-14	George Maddey
1714-15	John Kidd	Died in office [7]
1715	Alexander Read
1715-16	Thomas Battison	Made Mayor: 8th February [7]
1716-17	David Ovray
1717-18	George Hawkins
1718-19	William Staines
1719-20	Francis Okeley
1720-21	Thomas Wilkes
1721-22	John Pulley
1722-23	Thomas Battison Jr.
1723-24	Henry Fleming
1724-25	Thomas Day
1725-26	William Bromsall
1726-27	William Lake Sr.
1727-28	John Bardolph
1728-29	David Ovray
1729-30	George Hawkins
1730-31	William Staines
1731-32	Thomas Cave
1732–33	Thomas Hawes
1733–34	Peter Haslewood
1734–35	Francis Walker
1735–36	Robert Battison
1736–37	Thomas Edwards
1737–38	Thomas Maddey
1738–39	Gidney Phillips
1739–40	John Grey
1740–41	Samuel Richardson
1741–42	Robert Battison
1742–43	Isaac Hayes
1743–44	John Hornbuckle
1744–45	John Russell
1745–46	John Webb
1746–47	John Hill
1747–48	William Webb
1748–49	Samuel Richardson
1749–50	James Bailey
1750–51	Gidney Phillips
1751–52	James Chamberlain
1752–53	Thomas Cave
1753–54	William Palmer
1754–55	Robert Richards	Died in office [7]
1755	Gidney Phillips	Made Mayor: 21st August [7]
1755–56	Richard Gave
1756–57	William Parker Sr.
1757–58	John Howard
1758–59	Richard Cave
1759–60	John Hill
1760–61	Samuel Richardson
1761–62	William Webb
1762–63	William Parker Jr.
1763–64	John Cave
1764–65	James Chamberlain
1765–66	Thomas Knight
1766–67	John Howard
1767–68	Gidney Phillips
1768–69	John Heaven
1769–70	John Cawne
1770–71	Richard Cave
1771–72	William Parker Sr.
1772–73	Edward Chapman
1773–74	Gidney Phillips
1774	John Cawne	Died in office [7]
1774–75	Gidney Phillips	Made Mayor: 22nd November [7]
1775–76	John Parker
1776–77	Anthony Barton
1777–78	Gidney Phillips
1778–79	John Palmer
1779–80	William Parker Jr.
1780–81	Anthony Barton
1781–82	Thomas Howard
1782–83	William Pateman
1783–84	John Pheasant
1784–85	John Cave
1785–86	William Palmer
1786–87	Thomas Partridge
1787–88	William Smith
1788–89	William Parker
1789–90	William Smith
1790–91	Thomas Clayton
1791–92	Thomas Small
1792–93	William Parker
1793–94	John Wing
1794–95	Thomas Cockman
1795–96	Peregrine Nash
1796–97	John Day
1797–98	John Cooke
1798–99	Charles Webb
1799–00	Edward Chapman

19th Century

Year	Name	Notes
1800-01	John Day	Made Mayor: 8th December [7]
1801–02	William Smith
1802–03	Isaac Elger
1803–04	William Long
1804–05	Francis Green
1805–06	William Campion
1806–07	Thomas Kidman
1807–08	Peregrine Nash
1808–09	John Wing
1809–10	John Cooke
1810–11	Grant David Yeats
1811–12	Charles Short
1812–13	John Day
1813–14	William Long
1814–15	Francis Green
1815–16	Thomas Kidman
1816–17	Charles Webb
1817–18	John Wing
1818–19	John Cooke
1819–20	John Green
1820–21	John Day
1821–22	Charles Short
1822–23	Sir William Long
1823–24	Francis Green
1824–25	Thomas Kidman
1825–26	James Webb
1826–27	Charles Short
1827–28	Charles Bailey
1828–29	George Livius
1829–30	Sir William Long	Painting remains [8]
1830–31	Thomas Gwyn Elger
1831–32	Charles Bailey
1832–33	George Peregrine Nash
1833–34	Thomas Wooldridge
1834–35	Dr. George Witt	Head of Bedford Infirmary and a Fellow of the Royal Society. [9]
1835–36	Thomas Gwyn Elger
1836–38	Charles Short	Made Mayor: 1st January [10]
1838–39	Thomas Gwyn Elger
1839–40	Thomas Abbott Green
1840–41	Robert Newland
1841–42	William Robert Mesham
1842–43	Joseph Browne
1843–45	Thomas John Green
1845–46	Robert Newland
1846–47	Alexander Sharman
1847–48	Henry Leech
1848–49	Charles Higgins
1849–51	Charles Frederick Palgrave
1851–53	William Williams
1853–54	William Blower
1854–55	Thomas Barnard
1855–56	George Hurst	Painting remains [11]
1856–57	William Wells Kilpin
1857–58	George Handscomb Miller
1858–62	John Howard	Painting remains [12]
1862–63	Robert Couchman
1863–65	James Howard
1865–67	William Joseph Nash
1867–69	Thomas Tokelove Gray
1869–70	Augustus Edgar Burch
1870–71	John Richard Bull	Painting remains [13]
1871–72	James Coombs	Made Mayor: 15th November [10]
1872–73	Frederick Thomas Young
1873–75	George Hurst	Painting remains [11]
1875–77	James Thomas Hobson	Painting remains [14]
1877–78	John Usher Taylor	Died in office [10]
1878	George Hurst	Made Mayor: 2nd August [10]
1878-79	Thomas Gwyn Empy Elger
1879–80	John Elworthy Cutcliffe
1880–81	James Thomas Hobson	Painting remains [14]
1881–82	James Woodward Hill
1882–83	Luke Cherry
1883–85	Joshua Hawkins	Painting remains [15]
1885–86	Edwin Ransom
1886–87	George Hurst	Painting remains [11]
1887–89	Joshua Hawkins	Painting remains [15]
1889–90	James Coombs
1890–91	Joshua Hawkins	Painting remains [15]
1891–92	James Coombs
1892–93	Frederick Augustus Blaydes
1893–95	George Wells	Painting remains [16]
1895–96	Frederick Augustus Blaydes
1896–99	George Wells	Painting remains [16]
1899–00	Hedley Baxter

20th Century

Year	Name	Notes
1900–01	William Smith
1901–02	Geoffrey Howard [17]
1902–03	Hedley Baxter	Conservative [18] , Resigned: 28 May 1903 [19]
1903	George Royle	Made Mayor: 8th June [19]
1903–04	Edward Lavender Moulton
1904–05	Henry Burridge
1905–07	George Haynes
1907–08	Samuel Leach Kilpin
1908–09	Edward Lavender Moulton
1909–10	Henry William Longhurst
1910–11	John Basil Hope
1911–12	William Roff
1912–15	Harry Browning
1915–17	Frederic Rich Hockliffe
1917–18	Harry Browning
1918–19	Frederic Rich Hockliffe
1919–21	William Ernest Sowter
1921–22	William Nicholls
1922–27	Gilbert Henry Barford
1927–28	William Nicholls
1928–29	Gilbert Henry Barford
1929–31	Samuel Blackwell Morling
1931–32	George Hayward Wells
1932–33	Samuel Blackwell Morling
1933–36	Horace Richard Neate
1936–38	Williarn Ernest Sowter
1938–40	Archibald Braggins
1940–42	Albert Maurice Dudeney
1942–44	Frederick Arthur Rickard
1944–47	John Albert Canvin
1947–50	Alfred Leonard Nicholls	Term of office extended by Local Government Act 1948 [19]
1950–52	Richard Turner
1952–53	Cyril Wickings-Smith
1953–55	Clement Alexander Edward Charles Howard
1955–57	Ronald George Gale
1957-59	Albert Arthur Jones
1959-60	Charles Naylor Barrott	Died in office [19]
1960-62	Alan Herbert Randall
1962-63	Alan Godfrey Dawes
1963-65	George Reginald Bailey
1965-66	Ronald Arthur Whittingham
1966-67	Thomas Barratt Wooliscroft
1967-68	Ronald Sharman
1968–69	Kenneth John Robert Birtwistle
1969–70	William Jarvis Martin
1970–71	Ronald Arthur Whittingham
1971–72	Winifred Mary Fowler
1972–73	Henry Rischmiller
1973–74	Graham Monro Bates
1974–75	Brian Frank Dillingham	Following Local Government reorganisation [19]
1975–76	Gilbert Cecil White Beazley
1976–77	Thomas Robert Donnelly	Died in office [19]
1977–78	Nora Margaret Polhill
1978–79	Paul James Hooley
1979–80	David Cayley Lennox-Lamb
1980–81	Douglas Michael Bygrave	Died in office [19]
1981–82	Victor John Wisson
1982–83	George Alfred Senior	Died in office [19]
1983–84	George Barry Wake
1984–85	Victor Storrow
1985–86	Brian Frank Dillingham
1986–88	William Astle
1988–89	Elizabeth Jane Luder
1989–90	Sylvia Anne Gillard
1990–91	Ray Lawrence Oliver
1991–92	Janice Vera Lennon
1992–93	Victor George Brandon
1993–95	Derek Alan Jones
1995–96	Malcolm Evans
1996–97	Apu Bagchi
1997–98	Frank Garrick
1998–99	Anthony Victor Ruffin
1999–00	Carole Maxwell Ellis

21st Century

Year	Name	Notes
2000–01	Hazel Mary Mitchell
2001–02	Pat Olney
2002	Judith Cunningham

Directly elected mayors

21st Century

Year	Name	Notes
2002–09	Frank Branston	Died in office and first directly elected mayor [20]
2009–23	Dave Hodgson
2023–	Tom Wootton

See also

• Mayor of Bedford

References

1. "Mayors of Bedford: 13th Century". bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
2. "Folio 109 - Henry Pateman, Bedford St. Paul's". Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue. 26 November 1544. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
3. "Mayors of Bedford: 16th Century". bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
4. "Simon Beckett". bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
5. "Mayors of Bedford: 17th Century". bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
6. "Paul Cobb, Thomas Underwood and William Isaack". bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
7. "Mayors of Bedford: 18th Century". bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
8. Painting of Sir William Long, James Lonsdale (died 1839), BBC, retrieved July 2014
9. Thomas, Laura (25 May 2000). "Restricted to men of 'taste and education'". Times Higher Education. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
10. "Mayors of Bedford: 19th Century". bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk. 23 July 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
11. painting, BBC, retrieved July 2014
12. John Howard painting, by unknown, retrieved 26 July 2014
13. Painting, unknown artist, retrieved July 2014
14. painting of James Thomas Hobson, unknown artist, retrieved July 2014
15. Painting of Joshua Hawkins, Joseph Carrier, BBC, retrieved 26 July 2014
16. George Wells - Mayor, Joseph Carrier, BBC, retrieved 26 July 2014
17. "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36895. London. 10 October 1902. p. 7.
18. "Election of Mayors". The Times. No. 36922. London. 11 November 1902. p. 12.
19. "Mayors of Bedford: 20th Century". bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk. 7 November 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
20. "Mayors of Bedford: 21st Century". bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2025.