Lord Mayor David Wootton and some of his entourage emerging from the Royal Courts of Justice, at the end of half-time during the 2011 Lord Mayor's Show
The Lord Mayor's Show is one of the best-known annual events in London as well as one of the longest-established, dating back to the 13th century.[1] A new lord mayor is appointed every year, and the public parade that takes place as their inauguration ceremony reflects that this was once one of the most prominent offices in England and subsequently the United Kingdom.
The show is named after the Lord Mayor of the City of London, a city and ceremonial county within Greater London and the historic centre of the wider metropolis. This is distinct from the Mayor of London, the elected head of the Greater London Authority (a position which has existed only since 2000). The City is London's main financial district, widely known informally as 'the Square Mile'.
The Lord Mayor's Show is centred on a street parade, which in its modern form is a light-hearted combination of traditional British pageantry and elements of carnival. On the day after being sworn in, the Lord Mayor and several others participate in a procession from Guildhall, via Mansion House and St Paul's Cathedral, in the heart of the City of London, to the Royal Courts of Justice on the edge of the City of Westminster, where the new Lord Mayor swears allegiance to the Crown. Until 1882, the procession went to Westminster Hall.[2]
The office of Lord Mayor dates from 1189, and it was a requirement of the charter establishing it that the mayor travelled to the royal enclave at Westminster to present himself to the monarch's representatives, the senior judges as Barons of the Exchequer, to take an oath of loyalty to the sovereign upon beginning his term. The event is officially listed in the City's Civic Calendar as 'The Procession to the Royal Courts of Justice and Presentation of the Lord Mayor to the Chief Justices'; when the Royal Courts moved from Westminster to the Strand location in 1882, the route was shortened. Originally, this journey was mostly made by barge on the River Thames, the usual method of transport for this route in those days. Pageantry and display gradually grew around the trip, comparable to the far less frequent Royal Entry parades that usually followed a coronation or royal wedding.
In the 16th century the "show" become a major entertainment for Londoners.[3] This rests significantly on the shoulders of the Lord Mayors Sir Rowland Hill and his friend Sir John Gresham, in revival of the Marching Watch or Mid Summer Watches in London. In these pageants 15,000 citizens all in bright harness, with coats of white Silk or Cloath, and Chains of Gold, passed through London to Westminster, and round St. James's Park, and on to Holborn.[4] The long daylight of June caused the civic government to fear disorder; the Watch was originally a show of the city's policing force with armed men marching in the streets., but it evolved into an annual festival of street pageantry which reached its spectacular peak in Hill's time and evolved into the Lord Mayor's Show.[5][6] These developments are recorded in Lady Long's household-book at Hengrave, Suffolk, which notes that Henry VIII watched these marches from Mercers Hall with Jane Seymour; "the presence of more than 300 demi lunces and light horsemen" were a particular highlight.[7]
In London, the show occurred annually on 29 October.[8]:187–188 In 1751, Great Britain replaced the Julian calendar with the Gregorian calendar; the Lord Mayor's Show was then moved to 9 November. In 1959, another change was made: the Lord Mayor's Show is now held on the second Saturday in November. The Lord Mayor's Show has regularly been held on the scheduled day, having only been cancelled twice, firstly in 1852, when the show made way for Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington's funeral and secondly in 2020 when the show was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] The modern Lord Mayor's procession is a direct descendant of that first journey to Westminster.
The Lord Mayor's transport and the origin of parade floats
The Lord Mayor's water-procession on the Thames, circa 1683In 1747, the Lord Mayor went to the City of Westminster on a barge via the River Thames. These were the original parade floats.
Formerly, the route was varied each year so that the procession could pass through the Lord Mayor's home ward; since 1952, however, the route has been fixed. The Lord Mayor rode on horseback, rode in a coach, or went on a barge via the River Thames, based on the route chosen. The river transport for the Lord Mayor's Show gave rise to the word "float" when used in the context of parades.[citation needed]
On more than one occasion, floats have been used as puns on the Lord Mayor's name; in 1616 John Leman had a lemon tree in the procession, while the following year William Cockayne had an artificial cock crowing and flapping its wings. More recently, Sir Murray Fox in 1974 had a large model of a fox in the procession.[2]
The Lord Mayor's Coach, housed in the Museum of London on London Wall
In 1711, Lord Mayor Gilbert Heathcote was unseated from his horse, breaking his leg, after which a coach was used.[10] A coach was hired for the purpose until 1757 when Sir Charles Asgill, a banker who became the next Lord Mayor, commissioned Joseph Berry of Leather Lane in Holborn to make the Lord Mayor of London's State Coach which is still used today.[10] The original cost of £1,065.0s.3d. equates to around £120,000, but the replacement value has been estimated at £2 million.[10] The side panels of the coach were painted by Cipriani, who also painted those for the monarch's Gold State Coach. It is pulled by six horses, two fewer than the monarch's. Riding postillion on the Lord Mayor's State Carriage are two winners of the annual Doggett's Coat and Badge rowing race. An escort to the coach recalls the waterborne transport of the Lord Mayor; they were liveried watermen carrying oars: formerly, the Mayor's barge was rowed by members of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen.
Privileged regiments of the City of London and others
Other participants include bands and members of "privileged regiments" of the City of London such as the Honourable Artillery Company and The Royal Fusiliers. Privileged regiments have the right to march through the City with bayonets fixed, colours flying, and drums beating.
The many other participants lend a unique flavour to the occasion which include organisations that the Lord Mayor wishes to support or has belonged to, such as charities, old schools and business associations before becoming Lord Mayor. St John Ambulance participates, for instance, as do the Zurich Guilds.
A coachman waits for the resumption of the Lord Mayor's procession, 2011
The procession begins at the Guildhall where the Lord Mayor receives with the new Sheriffs personal gifts from a restricted group of relevant City institutions, usually including the Lord Mayor's own Livery Company and Ward Club and then there is a breakfast. The Lord Mayor is escorted to their coach in Guildhall Yard by the Court of Aldermen and sets off to Mansion House, the official residence of the Lord Mayor. There the Lord Mayor awaits the show to pass from the terrace. The Lord Mayor joins the rear of the show, after having watched a flypast by the Royal Air Force.
The route of the outward parade in 2013 was from Guildhall, along Princes Street to Bank junction and past Mansion House. From there the procession travelled down Poultry, Cheapside, New Change, St Paul's Churchyard, Ludgate Hill, Fleet Street and the Strand.
Along the route, the Lord Mayor stops at St Paul's Cathedral in order to receive a blessing from the Dean on the Cathedral steps. Upon arrival at the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand, the Lord Mayor takes the oath of allegiance. The return procession then reassembles on Aldwych and returns via Essex Street to Temple Place then along the Victoria Embankment and Queen Victoria Street back to Mansion House where the Lord Mayor takes review of the Pikemen and Musketeers of the Honorable Artillery Company. The Lord Mayor then re-enters Mansion House via the steps to the Terrace with the Aldermen and entertains guests and volunteers who have co-ordinated the event.
The parade, which typically begins at about 11 am, concludes at about 3:30 pm. The procession is over 3 miles (roughly 5km) long but the route itself is much shorter; the head of the procession reaches the end of the route before the Lord Mayor even leaves Mansion House. In the evening, a fireworks display is held subject to weather conditions.
Televising
The Lord Mayor's Show is televised live by the BBC in a special programme typically broadcast on BBC One, it has been broadcast on the BBC since 1937 making it the longest running television broadcast worldwide.[11][12] The broadcast is focused around Mansion House, watching the procession as it passes and the Lord Mayor watches, it starts just before the Lord Mayor arrives and ends when he leaves, interviewers abound the proceedings, the blessing at St Paul's Cathedral and the Oath at the Royal Courts of Justice are left out completely.
The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London, England, and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional powers, rights, and privileges, including the title and style The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London.
The City of London Corporation, officially and legally the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, is the local authority of the City of London, the historic centre of London and the location of much of the United Kingdom's financial sector.
A livery company is a type of guild or professional association that originated in medieval times in London, England. Livery companies comprise London's ancient and modern trade associations and guilds, almost all of which are styled the "Worshipful Company of" their respective craft, trade or profession. There are 111 livery companies in total. They play a significant part in the life of the City of London, not least by providing charitable-giving and networking opportunities. Liverymen retain voting rights for the senior civic offices, such as the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs and Common Council of the City Corporation, London's ancient municipal authority with extensive local government powers.
The Worshipful Company of Scriveners is an ancient Livery Company of the City of London. Originally known as the Mysterie of the Writers of the Court Letter and, since its incorporation, as the Master Wardens and Assistants of the Company of Scrivenors of the Cittie of London [sic], the Scriveners' Company remains one of the few City livery companies continuing to influence professional standards, namely that of scrivener notary. The Company received its first ordinances in 1373 and its royal charter was granted by King James I on 28 January 1617.
The Mercers' Company, or the Worshipful Company of Mercers, is a livery company of the City of London in the Great Twelve City Livery Companies, and ranks first in the order of precedence of the Companies.
The Worshipful Company of Curriers is one of the ancient livery companies of London, associated with the leather trade.
The Worshipful Company of Masons is one of the ancient Livery Companies of the City of London, number 30 in the order of precedence of the 111 companies. It was granted Arms in 1472, during the reign of King Edward IV; its motto is “God Is Our Guide”.
The Worshipful Company of Paviors is one of the livery companies of the City of London. The Paviors can trace their history back to medieval times; they were responsible for the paving and maintenance of London's streets. It received a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth II in 2004. The company is no longer a trade association for or a regulator of London's road constructors. Today, it focuses on the promotion of excellence in all areas of construction.
The Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales is one of the livery companies of the City of London. They were one of the earliest of the modern livery companies promoted by the Court of Aldermen from the 1970s, receiving a Grant of Letters Patent in 1977 and receiving a Royal Charter in 2012. The Company is complementary to, and supported by, the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW). It promotes "honourable practice" of accounting and awards prizes to students in the field. It also supports general charities. The company ranks eighty-sixth in the order of precedence for livery companies. Its motto is True and Fair.
The Mansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London. It is a Grade I listed building. Designed by George Dance in the Palladian style, it was built primarily in the 1740s.
Temple Bar was the principal ceremonial entrance to the City of London from the City of Westminster. In the Middle Ages, London expanded city jurisdiction beyond its walls to gates, called 'bars', which were erected across thoroughfares. To the west of the City of London, the bar was located adjacent to the area known as the Temple. Temple Bar was situated on the historic royal ceremonial route from the Tower of London to the Palace of Westminster, the two chief residences of the medieval English monarchs, and from the Palace of Westminster to St Paul's Cathedral. The road east of the bar within the city was Fleet Street, while the road to the west, in Westminster, was The Strand.
The Company of Watermen and Lightermen (CWL) is a historic City guild in the City of London. However, unlike the city's 111 livery companies, CWL does not have a grant of livery. Its meeting rooms are at Waterman's Hall on St Mary at Hill, London.
The Freedom of the City of London started around 1237 as the status of a 'free man' or 'citizen', protected by the charter of the City of London and not under the jurisdiction of a feudal lord. In the Middle Ages, this developed into a freedom or right to trade, becoming closely linked to the medieval guilds, the livery companies. In 1835, eligibility for the freedom of the City was extended to anyone who lived in, worked in or had a strong connection to the City. The freedom that citizens enjoy has long associations with privileges in the governance of the City.
John Norman was a 15th-century draper, sheriff, alderman and for a term the Lord Mayor of London. He is known as being the first lord mayor to take a boat to Westminster to pledge his allegiance. Up until that point lord mayors of London had ridden or walked to Westminster in the yearly pageant on Lord Mayor's Day. Such river pageants existed until 1856, and today the lord mayor rides within a state coach during the pageant which is known today as Lord Mayor's Show. John Norman left his name to a song, supposedly created by the watermen who rowed him to Westminster, titled "Row the Boat, Norman".
Sir David Hugh Wootton is an English lawyer and politician. He was the 684th Lord Mayor of London, from 2011 to 2012, and is was Alderman of the Ward of Langbourn until 2nd November 2024, when he retired from the Court of Aldermen. .
The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant was a parade on 3 June 2012 of 670 boats on the Tideway of the River Thames in London as part of the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The Queen, Prince Philip and other members of the Royal Family were aboard vessels that took part in the parade. The parade was organised by the Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation, and funded by private donations and sponsorship. The pageant master was Adrian Evans.
Sir Francis Child (1642–1713), of Hollybush House, Fulham, Middlesex and the Marygold by Temple Bar, London, was an English banker and politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons between 1698 and 1713. He served as Lord Mayor of London for the year 1698 to 1699. The goldsmith's business which he built up from 1671 later became one of the first London banks, Child & Co.
The Lord Mayor of London's State Coach is, along with the King's Gold State Coach and the Speaker's State Coach, one of the three great state coaches of the United Kingdom. Unlike the other two the Lord Mayor's Coach is used annually at the Lord Mayor's Show, and as such it is deemed to be the oldest ceremonial vehicle in regular use in the world.
The Company of Pikemen and Musketeers is a ceremonial unit of the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), which provides a regiment for the Army Reserve and is associated with the City of London. The HAC is the oldest regiment in the British Army, though not the most senior.
Sir George Barne was an English businessman in the City of London who was active in developing new trading links with Russia, West Africa and North America, far outside what had been traditional English trading patterns. Created a knight in 1553, he served as Sheriff of London and Lord Mayor of London. He was the father of Sir George Barne and grandfather of Sir William Barne. Nicholas Culverwell was probably a nephew.
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