14th November; The London Lord Mayor's Show

On the second Saturday in November, The Lord Mayor's Show takes place in London. Here are some facts about the Lord Mayor of London:

1. It's not Boris Johnson (nor has it ever been if you're reading this after Boris has stepped down). The Mayor of London and the Lord Mayor of the City of London are two different offices. The Lord Mayor governs the City of London while the Mayor is responsible for the whole of London.
2. The Lord Mayor is elected at Common Hall each year on Michaelmas, and takes office on the Friday before the second Saturday in November, at The Silent Ceremony, so called because there are no speeches. The following day, the Lord Mayor travels in procession to the Royal Courts of Justice at the Strand in Westminster to swear allegiance to the Sovereign before the Justices of the High Court. It is from this procession that the present day event has evolved. Before a person can stand for election as Lord Mayor they must have served as a City Sheriff and be a current Alderman. The Liverymen from all of the City's Livery Companies (or trade guilds) get to choose by a show of hands, although any one of them can request a secret ballot if they wish.
3. The office of Lord Mayor of London has existed since 1189 when Richard II granted London's aldermen and merchants more autonomy in exchange for higher taxes. The first Lord Mayor was Henry Fitz-Ailwin de Londonestone. Fitz-Ailwin introduced regulations for settling boundary disputes between neighbours and encouraged the use of stone in building, rather than wood, which tended to catch Fire.
4. Since then, there have been nearly 700 Lord Mayors. And yes, one of them was Dick Whittington. He was an influential merchant and politician - he was also an MP. In his lifetime he financed drainage systems in poor areas of medieval London, and a hospital ward for unmarried mothers, among other things. He bequeathed his fortune to form the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington which still exists nearly 600 years later. However, he held the office four times, not three as in the Pantomime. He was never poor and there is no evidence that he ever owned a Cat.
5. There have been two female Lord Mayors: Dame Mary Donaldson, elected in 1983, and Fiona Woolf, elected in 2013. A female Lord Mayor also known as a Lord Mayor. The wife of a male Lord Mayor is styled as Lady Mayoress, but no equivalent title exists for the husband of a female Lord Mayor. A female Lord Mayor or an unmarried male Lord Mayor can appoint a female consort, usually a fellow member of the corporation, to the role of Lady Mayoress.
6. The official residence of the Lord Mayor, since 1752, is the Mansion House. It is a Grade I listed building. Sir Crispin Gascoigne was the first Lord Mayor to live there.
7. It was once customary for Lord Mayors to be appointed knights upon taking office and baronets upon retirement, unless they already held such a title. Since 1993, Lord Mayors have not automatically received any national honour upon appointment; but have been made Knights Bachelors upon retirement.
8. The Lord Mayor's main role nowadays is to represent, support and promote the businesses in the City of London, most of which are financial businesses now, and the Lord Mayor is regarded as the champion of the entire UK-based financial sector, including those based outside London.
9. The Lord Mayor performs numerous other functions, including serving as the Chief Magistrate of the City of London, Admiral of the Port of London, Chancellor of City University, President of Gresham College, President of City of London Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, and Trustee of St Paul's Cathedral.
10. At time of writing, the Lord Mayor of London is Alan Yarrow, but by the time of publication, the Lord Mayor-elect, Jeffrey Richard de Corban Evans, 4th Baron Mountevans, will have taken over.