98 CHAPTER VI. MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT OF THE THE city is divided into twenty-six principal districts or wards; and its municipal or civil government is vested in its own corporation, or body of citizens. This body consists of, 1. The lord mayor; 2. The aldermen; and 3. The common council. Lord Mayor. THE lord mayor is chosen annually in the following manner. On the 29th of September, the livery, in Guildhall or common assembly, choose two aldermen, who are presented to the court of the mayor and aldermen, by whom one of the aldermen so chosen, (generally the senior,) is declared lord mayor èlect. And on the 9th of November he enters on his office. Aldermen. THE aldermen are chosen for life by the free householders of the several wards, one for each ward, except for Bridge Ward Without; for which the election is made by the court of aldermen from among those who have passed the chair, or those who have filled the office of lord mayor, and who is commonly the senior, and hence called the father of the city. Common Council. THE COMMON Council are the representatives of the commons, and compose one of the parts of the city legislature, which nearly resembles that of the kingdom: for as the latter consists of the king, lords, and commons, so this is composed of the lord mayor, aldermen, and common council; with this difference, that in the three estates of the kingdom, each has a separate negative, while in the city this right is denied to the lord mayor, and confined to the aldermen and common council. The common council are chosen annually by the free householders in their several wards, the number for each ward being regulated by ancient custom, the body corporate having a power to extend the number. Yearly Installation of the Lord Mayor. THE 9th of November, being the day on which the lord mayor elect enters upon his office, the aldermen and sheriffs attend him to Guildhall in their coaches, and about noon proceed to the Three Cranes' Stairs; where the lord mayor, the lord mayor elect, the aldermen, recorder, and sheriffs, go on board the city barge; and, attended by the several city companies in their several barges, adorned with flags and pendants, proceed in great state to Westminster, where his lordship having taken the oaths prescribed, returns in the same manner to Blackfriars' Stairs. Having landed, he is preceded by the artillery company, which is followed by the company of which he himself is free; and in regular order by the other city companies, with flags and music: and, among the rest, the armourers have usually one or more persons on horseback, completely dressed in polished armour. Το these succeed the domestics and servants of the lord mayor and then his lordship in his state coach, followed by the aldermen, recorder, sheriffs, chamberlain, common sergeant, town clerk, &c., in their several coaches and chariots. This annual cavalcade in general excites great interest in the minds particularly of occasional visitors, and exhibits no ordinary display of municipal magnificence. It concludes at Guildhall, and is succeeded by an entertainment of appropriate magnificence, at which it is customary to see princes of the blood, distinguished members of administration, and many representatives of the first families in the kingdom. Power, &c. of the Lord Mayor. THE power of the lord mayor is at present much greater than formerly. He is not only the king's representative in the civil government of the city; but also first commissioner of the lieutenancy; perpetual coroner and escheator within the city and liberties of London, and the borough of Southwark; chief justice of oyer and terminer, and jail delivery of Newgate; judge of the court of wardmote at the election of aldermen; conservator of the River Thames and Medway: but he is also perpetual commissioner in all affairs relating to the River Lea, and chief butler of the kingdom at all coronations; when his fee for that service is a gold cup and cover, with a golden ewer. The lord mayor, upon public occasions, wears either scarlet or purple robes richly furred with a broad hood, and gold chain or collar. When he goes in his state coach, the mace-bearer sits upon a stool in the middle facing one of the windows, and the sword-bearer upon a stool also, facing the other: and when on foot, his train is supported by a page, and the mace and sword carried before him. The lord mayor determines all differences which may happen among the citizens, and transacts all business incident to the office of a chief magistrate. The aldermen also, in their respective wards, superintend the choice of ward officers, settle grievances, and present all defaults found in the ward. In these concerns every alderman has a deputy, chosen out of the common council, and in some large wards two deputies are appointed. CITY OFFICERS. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, with their Wards, and Dates when elected Aldermen, Sheriffs, and Mayors. Right Hon. CHRISTOPHER SMITH, Lord Mayor, Alderman of Cordwainers' Ward in 1807, Sheriff in 1814, and Mayor in 1817. Tower Wards. Aldermen. Ald. Sher. May. Bridge without......Sir Watkin Lewes, knt. ..1772 1772 1780 ........Sir W. Curtis, bt. M. P. ..1785 1788 1795 Bishopsgate........Sir Rich. Carr Glyn, bt...1790 1790 1798 Aldgate ................................H. Chris. Combe, esq. M.P.1790 1791 1799 Langbourn..........Sir John Eamer, knt.....1795 1794 1801 Farringdon without Sir Charles Price, bt. M.P.1797 1799 1802 Broad-street........Sir J. Perring, bart. M. P. 1793 1800 1803 Portsoken ..........Sir James Shaw, bt. M. P. 1798 1303 1805 Billingsgate........Sir William Leighton, knt..1799 1803 1806 Bread-street........John Ansley, esq.........1800 1805 1807 ..Sir Charles Flower, bart...1801 1799 1808 Farringdon within..Thomas Smith, esq. ......1802 1805 1809 Castle Baynard ....Jos. J. Smith, esq. M. P...1803 1808 1810 Bassishaw..........Sir Claud. Steph. Hunter, bt.1804 1808 1811 Dowgate .......George Scholey, esq.......1805 1804 1812 Queenhithe ........Sir William Domville, bart.1806 1804 1813 Candlewick ........Samuel Birch, esq.........1807 1814 1814 Cripplegate Matthew Wood, esq....... 1807 1809 1815-16 Cornhill ..... RECORDER. Sir John Silvester, bart. Sheriff's ...... Under Sheriffs George Alderson, Esq. |