The history of civic life - Print version

Coventry has a strong civic tradition dating back to the 14th Century.

Who was the first Lord Mayor of Coventry? What year was that? This page provides general information about the history of civic life in Coventry, together with the names of former Mayors and Lord Mayors from 1748 to today.

The Charter of Incorporation

The Charter of Incorporation in 1345 gave the people of Coventry the right to choose their own Mayor, bailiffs and Council. It is believed to be the first time this happened in the country. For the next 300 years, civic life was based around the Leet, a court of justice headed by the Mayor and bailiffs.

In 1621, King James I granted the Governing Charter to the city, setting up a Grand Council which was made up of the Mayor and 10 aldermen, together with citizens and freemen chosen by the Grand Council. In effect this was a backwards step, as the people of the city no longer had the right to elect people.

The first elections

The first open council election in Coventry took place in 1835 after the Municipal Corporations Act created five wards within the city and a further ward for the villages which made up the ancient county of Coventry.

In 1953, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, gave the city a Charter called 'Letters Patent', which entitled the citizens to have a Lord Mayor, and a special meeting was held on 9 July 1953 in St Mary's Hall.

Present-day democracy in Coventry

Today, Coventry has 18 wards, each represented by three councillors. The Council has a political management structure of Leader and Cabinet administration, with a cabinet of 10 councillors, each with their own area they are responsible for. Other councillors sit on Scrutiny Boards, which oversee the decision-making process of the Cabinet and have the power to call in any decisions made.

The Lord Mayor acts as the Chairman of the Council, with the casting vote. As Coventry's first citizen, he is the non-political, ceremonial head of the city. The mayor-making ceremony forms part of the Annual Meeting of the City Council.

The Office of Lord Mayor of the City of Coventry works for the good of the city and all its people. The Lord Mayor will:

Promote work with other organisations.
Help to encourage investment and opportunity for businesses.
Encourage equal opportunities for all
Work with those who can help the city to be successful.
Thank those individuals and organisations who have brought success to the city.
Welcome visitors to the city, promoting its historic past and exciting future.
Represent the city at home, nationally and internationally as an "Ambassador" for Coventry.

The history of the Council House

The Council House was designed by a company of architects, after a competition was held by the Council in 1910.

Building started in 1913, and was finished in 1917. Because of the First World War, the official opening by the Duke of York took place later, on 11 June 1920.

In 1940, during the Second World War, the Duke returned, this time as King George VI, and visited the Mayor.

The Council House is mainly offices, and represents the heart of the Council's administration. The Lord Mayor has rooms within the building where he can welcome and entertain visitors.

History of the Coat of Arms

Mary Dormer Harris, the local historian, thought that the elephant had a religious meaning. Animals were often treated as religious symbols and the elephant is seen, not only as a beast so strong that he can carry a tower - Coventry's castle - full of armed men, but also as a symbol of Christ's redemption of the human race.

The animal, according to one story, is supposed to sleep standing, leaning against a tree. Hunters sever the trunk, and he falls helpless to the ground, until a small elephant approaches and pulls him up with his trunk. This was seen in medieval times as the type of fall of Adam and Eve and of Christ's redemption of the human race.

The elephant’s enemy was said to be the dragon and Coventry is also said by some to be the birthplace of St. George, who slew the dragon.

The older arms for the city also showed a tree – said to be Cofa’s Tree from which Coventry took its name, but that is no longer used.

Description of the Arms and Supporters

Arms

The Crest, a cat-a-mountain, or wild cat. It is generally said to be a symbol of watchfulness. The helmet is that of an esquire with the visor closed, as with all boroughs. The Shield is coloured red and green, the traditional colours of the city dating back to at least 1441. The device is a golden elephant and on its back a gold castle with three domed turrets.

The Supporters

The Supporters, granted in 1959, are the Eagle of Leofric (husband of Lady Godiva) and the Phoenix. The Black Eagle of Leofric is a symbol for the ancient Coventry and the Phoenix arising from the flames represents the New Coventry reborn out of the ashes of the old.

The Motto

Camera Principis (the Prince's Chamber) is believed to refer to Edward, the Black Prince. The Manor of Cheylesmore at Coventry was once owned by his grandmother, Queen Isabella, and eventually passed to him.

Previous Mayors and Lord Mayors

Previous Mayors

1748: John Ward
1749: John Bromley
1750: John Hewitt
1751: Thomas Lighboun
1752: William Porter
1753: George Porter
1754: Thomas Oldham
1754: Thomas Oldham
1755: John Hewitt
1756: John Shaw
1757: Edward Bibbins
1758: John Hewitt
1759: Edward Bibbins
1760: John Hewitt
1761: Richard Langham
1762: Thomas Brockhurst
1762: Thomas Collett
1763: Thomas Nutt
1764: John Minster
1765: John Remington
1766: James Soden
1767: Thomas Dakin
1768: Christopher Hooke
1769: Thomas Brockhurst
1769: John Clarke
1770: Joseph Craner
1771: Joseph Craner
1772: John Minster
1773: James Soden
1774: James Soden
1775: Thomas Lander Smith
1776: Joseph Hands
1777: Samuel Vale
1778: Edward Harper
1779: John Minster
1780: Thomas Pickin
1781: John Cheney
1782: Thomas Luckman
1783: John Whitwell
1784: George Howletts
1785: William Spell
1786: John Carter
1787: Samuel Clarke
1788: Nathan Norman
1789: John Whitwell
1790: William Eburne
1791: James Soden
1791: James Soden
1792: George Howletts
1793: John Williamson
1794: John Williamson
1795: John Williamson
1796: Benjamin Butterworth
1797: William Stanbridge
1798: William Stanbridge
1799: John Carter
1800: Samuel Whitwell
1801: John Mullis
1802: Francis Perkins
1803: Francis Perkins
1804: Francis Perkins
1806: Basil Goode
1807: Basil Goode
1808: Basil Goode
1809: Basil Goode
1810: Basil Goode
1811: Samuel Vale
1812: Samuel Vale
1813: Samuel Vale
1814: Samuel Vale
1815: Sir Skears Rew
1816: Sir Skears Rew
1817: John Clarke
1818: John Clarke
1819: William Perkins
1820: William Perkins
1821: William Perkins
1822: Nathaniel Merridew
1823: Nathaniel Merridew
1824: James Weare
1825: James Weare
1826: James Weare
1827: William Carter
1828: Samuel Whitwell
1829: Samuel Whitwell
1830: Thomas Morris
1831: Thomas Morris
1832: Richard Kevitt Rotherham
1833: William Hawkes
1834: George Eld
1836: Henry Cadwallader Adams
1837: James Beck
1838: Abraham Herbert
1839: Cleophas Ratliff
1840: Edward Humphrey Woodcock
1841: William Hawkes
1842: Abijah Hill Pears
1843: James Sibley Whittem
1844: William Clark
1845: Thomas Banbury
1846: Thomas Banbury
1847: Richard Caldicott
1848: Thomas Cope
1849: Bryan Dunn
1850: Bryan Dunn
1851: William Sargeant
1852: William Sargeant
1853: Samuel Newsome
1854: Francis Sargeant
1855: William Lynes
1856: Henry Browett
1857: Charles Dresser
1858: William Wilmot
1859: Henry Soden
1860: Francis Wyley
1861: Thomas Soden
1862: Thomas Soden
1863: Robert Harvey Minster
1864: Robert Harvey Minster
1865: James Marriott
1866: James Marriott
1867: John Gulson
1868: John Gulson
1869: Thomas Berry
1870: Thomas Berry
1871: William Henry Hill
1872: William Henry Hill
1873: Henry Soden
1874: Robert Arnold Dalton
1875: Samuel Berry
1876: Joseph Edge Banks
1877: Joseph Edge Banks
1878: Henry Scampton
1879: Henry Scampton
1880: Henry Matterson
1881: Albert Samuel Tomson
1882: Albert Samuel Tomson
1883: Joseph Edge Banks
1884: James Maycock
1885: James Maycock
1886: Albert Samuel Tomson
1887: Albert Samuel Tomson
1888: Albert Samuel Tomson
1889: Charles John Hill
1890: Charles John Hill
1891: George Singer
1892: George Singer
1893: George Singer
1894: John Baird Loudon
1895: John Baird Loudon
1896: Albert Samuel Tomson
1897: Thomas Webb Fowler
1898: Thomas Webb Fowler
1899: William Ranby Groate
1900: William Ranby Groate
1901: Albert Samuel Tomson
1902: Albert Samuel Tomson
1903 Alfred Henry Drinkwater
1904 Alfred Henry Drinkwater
1905 Alfred Henry Drinkwater
1906 William Lee
1907: William Lee
1908 William Lee
1909: William Lee
1910: William Lee
1911: William Fitzthomas Wyley
1912: William Fitzthomas Wyley
1913: Siegfried Bettmann
1914: Malcolm Kenneth Pridmore
1915: Malcolm Kenneth Pridmore
1916: Alick Sargeant Hill
1917: Alick Sargeant Hill
1918: Joseph Innis Bates
1919: Joseph Innis Bates
1920: William Henry Grant
1921: William Henry Grant
1922: William Hewitt
1923: William Hewitt
1924: William Henry Grant
1924: Frank Snape
1925: Frank Snape
1926: Fred Lee
1927: Fred Lee
1928: Alfred Joseph Makepeace
1929: Alfred Joseph Makepeace
1930: William Henry Batchelor
1931: Vincent Wyles
1932: Oliver Mead Flinn
1933: Thomas James Harris
1934: Thomas Edward Friswell
1935: Charles Payne
1936: Arthur Henry Barnacle
1937: Alice Arnold
1938: Sidney Stringer
1939: Joseph Holt
1940: John Albert Moseley
1941: Alfred Robert Grindlay
1942: Emily Smith
1943: Alec Turner
1944: George Edward Hodgkinson
1945: John Charles Lee Gordon
1946: George Briggs
1947: Robert Cramb
1948: William Hodgson Malcolm
1949: Victor Augustus Hammond
1950: Joseph Howatt
1951: Harry Weston
1952: Bertram Henry Gardner

Previous Lord Mayors

1953: Hamblet Bertie Warner Cresswell
1954: John Fennell
1955: Thomas Henry Dewis
1956: William Isaac Thomson
1957: Pearl Marguerite Hyde, MBE
1958: Harold Henry Kemble Winslow
1959: William Henry Edwards
1960: Harry Stanley
1961: William Callow
1962: Arthur James Waugh Snr
1963: Emily Allen Allen
1964: Thomas Henry Whiteman
1965: William Parfitt
1966: Edwin Moody Rogers
1967: Eric James Williams
1968: Leonard Lamb, JP
1969: William Frederick Burdett
1970: Sidney John Cordery, OBE
1971: Tom Meffen
1972: Wilfred Spencer
1973: Gerard William Sheridan
1974: John Dennis Berry
1975: Charles Ward
1976: Robert Frederick Loosley
1977: Ralph Clews
1978: Charles McKenzie Maxwell
1978: Kenneth Bertram Benfield
1979: Harry Richards
1980: Tom McLatchie
1981: Philip Walter George Robinson
1982: Edgar William Weaver, B.E.M.
1983: Joseph Thompson
1984: Walter Sidney Brandish, JP
1985: William McKernan
1986: Winifred Eva Lakin
1987: Jeffrey Desmond White
1988: Arthur James Waugh, Jnr
1989: David John Cairns
1990: William Arthur Hardy
1991: David H. Edwards
1992: Samuel Donald Ewart
1993: Alex M. Boyd
1994: Nick Nolan
1995: Joseph Clifford
1996: Arthur J. Hodson
1997: John Mutton
1998: Maggie Rosher
1999: Joan Wright
2000: Sheila Collins, JP
2001: Dave Chater
2002: Ken Taylor OBE
2003: Sucha Singh Bains
2004: John Victor Gazey
2005: Ram Parkash Lakha OBE
2006: Shabbir Ahmed
2007: Dave Batten
2008: Andy Matchet
2009: Jack Harrison MBE JP
2010: Brian Kelsey
2011: Keiran Mulhall
2012: Tim Sawdon
2013: Gary Crookes
2014: Hazel Noonan
2015: Michael Hammon
2016: Lindsley Harvard
2017: Tony Skipper
2018: John Blundell
2019: Linda Bigham
2020: Ann Lucas OBE
2021: John McNicholas
2022: Kevin Maton

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