THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR OF DURHAM
Welcome to the Internet Site for the Mayor of the City of Durham, England
In the Municipal Year 2006/2007 - we will have the 404th Mayor of the City of Durham
HOMEPAGE
BIOGRAPHY
FOR THE MAYOR
THE ROLE OF THE
MAYOR
MAYOR'S
APPEAL
WEEKLY
DIARY
LIST OF FORMER
MAYORS
CIVIC
INSIGNIA
TOWN HALL (in
brief)
CIVIC
OCCASIONS (ADVANCE NOTIFICATION)
THE MAYOR'S
BODYGUARD
PROTOCOL
STAFF
OTHER CIVIC
OFFICES HELD WITHIN THE CITY OF DURHAM
OTHER CIVIC OFFICES HELD WITHIN THE CITY OF DURHAM
To the right of the fireplace in the Main Hall is a board inscribed as follows:
HONORARY FREEDOM of The City of Durham
Conferred by Virtue of an Act of Parliament
Passed in the 48th and 49th years of the Reign of
Her
Majesty Queen Victoria. Intituled "An Act to Enable
Municipal Corporations to Confer the Honorary Freedom of
Boroughs Upon Persons of Distinction".
Since 1st April, 1974 Honorary Freedoms have been granted under the provisions of section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972.
The following have received the Honorary Freedom of the City of Durham, recorded on the honours boards in the Main Hall, and in a special Roll of Honorary Freemen which they have singed:-
1885 18th Dec Alderman James Fowler (former Mayor)
1890 10th Nov Alderman William Boyd (former Mayor)
1900 10th May Captain the Honourable Hedworth Lambton,
C.B, R.N
1904 28th July Field Marshal the Rt Hon Frederick Sleigh.
1st Earl
Roberts of Kandahar. Pretoria and Waterford, V.C.,
K.G, K.P., K.C.B, G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E.O.M, P.C. D.C.L,
LL.D.
1912 23rd October The Rt Hon John George Lambton, 3rd
Earl of Durham,
K.G. (former Mayor).
1912 23rd October The Most Noble Charles Vane-Tempest
Stewart, 6th
Marquess of Londonderry, K.G (Mayor 1910-11).
1918 24th April The Very Reverend Henry Gee, D.D. (Dean
of
Gloucester 1908-18, Chaplain to the Corporation of
Durham (1908-18). Master of University College,
Durham (1902-18).
1918 24th April The Rt Reverend Herbert Hensley Henson,
D.D. (Lord
Bishop of Hereford, Dean of Durham (1913-18)
1919 23rd June Mrs Helena Rosa Duncombe Shafto
1919 23rd June Lieutenant General Sir William Raine
Marshall, K.C.B
K.C.S.I, G.C.M.G.
1938 6th October The Most Honourable Sir Charles Stewart
Henry Vane-
Tempest Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry, K.G.
P.C, M.V.O (former Mayor).
1944 15th March Durham Light Infantry - Grant of Marching
Freedom
1945 4th October The Rt Hon Robert Anthony Eden, P.C.,
M.C, J.P.,
D.C.L, M.P (formerly His Majesty's Secretary of
State
for Foreign Affairs, (Prime Minister 1955-7; later
1st
Earl of Avon).
1945 4th October Alderman Frank William Goodyear, J.P,
C.C (former Mayor)
1953 14th January Field Marshall Bernard Law, the
Viscount Montgomery
of Alamein, K.G., G.C.B, D.S.O.
1955 22nd Sept. Alderman Henry Cecil Ferens, M.A., LL.B,
J.P ( former Mayor)
1963 2nd May Alderman Mrs Hannah Harrison Rushford, J.P.
(former Mayor)
1971 7th April Alderman Gordon McIntyre, B.Com, J.P.
(former Mayor)
1971 7th July Charles Frederick Grey, C.B.E (former MP
for Durham)
1973 30th May Alderman Mrs Evelyn Blyth, M.A., J.P.
(former Mayor)
1979 11th April Norman Richardson (former Mayor)
1981 2nd Sept Kenneth George Nelson Miller, M.C. T.D.
(former Chief
Executive and Deputy Lieutenant, County of Durham)
1982 8th October University of Durham - in its 150th
Anniversary Year;
Grant of the Perpetual Right to Process the Civic Sword
of the City
1986 30th July Councillor Thomas Marsden
1987 10th March The Most Reverend Desmond Mpilo Boy
Tutu,
Archbishop of Cape Town
2005 8th December Mr Gerry N. Steinberg (former MP for
the City of Durham)
The Deputy Mayor
The Council is obliged to appoint a Deputy Mayor.
In the absence of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor is entitled to the Mayor's right of precedence within the District, although the Deputy does not have the right to wear the robes or chain. i.e. the Deputy only has a civic, legal and Royal status in the absence of the Mayor.
It, therefore, follows that:-
1. Invitations to a function should not be sent to (or
solicited by) a Deputy Mayor. The Deputy Mayor should not
attend functions in his/her own right but only when
deputising for the Mayor;
2. All invitations should be sent for consideration to
the Mayor as First Citizen and, if the Mayor cannot
attend, it may be appropriate to "pass down" an
invitation. However, this should be by no means automatic
or desirable.
The Deputy Mayor is given an annual allowance; has civic robes, hat, regalia and chains; is entitled to use the civic car when deputising for the Mayor.
In short, the role of the Deputy Mayor is as follows:-
1. Assist and deputise for the Mayor in carrying out the
responsibilities of office;
2. In the absence of the Mayor, to preside over meetings
of the City Council, in line with the Constitution;
3. To attend such civic functions as the Mayor may
determine.
The current Deputy Mayor is Councillor Grenville
Holland.
The Executive Director
The Executive Director is the 'Second Citizen' in the City in view of the advisory and ceremonial role played alongside the 'First Citizen'.
The role is very important, both for the Mayor to be supported by a very senior officer and for the dignity of the office.
For traditional and ceremonial purposes, the Executive Director should be robed when the Mayor is robed.
The current Chief Executive is Mr David Marrs BSc
The Civic Sword and Mace are carried by special bearers, who do not belong to the Bodyguard.
The Mace and Sword Bearers are Council appointments; these posts are remunerated.
The Mace Bearer will assist the Mayor whilst robing and disrobing for civic ceremonies. The Sword Bearer will assist the Deputy Mayor to robe/disrobe.
The Mace/Bearer
The Mace is an emblem of the power and dignity of the Mayor and of his authority and the office of Mace Bearer has a long history. In years gone by he/she may have been known by the ancient title of Sergeant at Mace; and as the title implies, this officer carries the Mace before the Mayor and is responsible for its proper care.
When carried in procession, the Mace is usually, according to custom, carried at the "slope" on the right shoulder. Mace Bearers or other uniformed civic officers should not remove their hats or other head-dress on ceremonial occasions, either whilst the National Anthem is playing, during Devine Service or during the two minutes' silence on Remembrance Sunday (this does not of course, apply to male Mayors or Councillors).
The origin of the Mace as a weapon of defence is well known and is accordingly the emblem of authority of the Mayor, therefore, immediately precedes the Mayor in all civic processions. Unless there is an overriding local custom to the contrary, no person should be permitted to walk between the Mayor and Mace Bearer.
The Sword/Bearer
There are two swords in the Guildhall the one on the left is the old Civic Sword dating back to 1895; the present one was given to the City in 1913 by the then Earl of Durham to commemorate his being made Mayor of the City. On this beautiful two-handed sword is the Royal Standard, with the Coat of Arms on the hilt. Above that are the City Coat of Arms, the County Coat of Arms, and the Coat of Arms of the Earl of Durham. The Scabbard is of purple velvet, the colour of the old Palatine of Durham. Following a Prayer by the City, on 3rd May, 1919 King George V granted "the privilege of bearing within the confines of the said City a sword ornamented with the Royal Arms which should be borne before the Mayor erect and sheathed and that the bearer of the sword might be attired in an appropriate cap or hat to which no special name or significance should be attributed". The original grant is in the Durham County Record Office.
The Civic Sword was cleaned and restored by the Wilkinson
Sword Company in 1982, and on the 8th October, 1982 the
City granted the University of Durham, in recognition of
its 150th anniversary, the Perpetual Right to Process the
Civic Sword of the City at its Annual Congregation for
the Conferment of Honorary Degrees. This right was first
exercised by the University in the Great Hall of Durham
Castle, on 30th June, 1983 in the presence of the Mayor,
Councillor Derek Hanson, and of the University's
Chancellor, Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias - a year to the
day after her installation as Chancellor in the
Cathedral.
The Mayor's Chaplain
The Dean of Durham is the Mayor's Chaplain. The Mayor's Chaplain has no legal status but the post is usually appointed.
The traditional role of the Chaplain is to say Prayers at Council Meetings and Civic Dinners.
The Mayor may care to take spiritual/religious advice/guidance from the Chaplain.
The Recorder and Honorary Judicial Recorder
The post of Recorder is held by the Head of Legal and Strategic Services, Mrs Claire Greenlay.
The Council recently appointed an Honorary Judicial Recorder (His Honour Judge Richard Lowden).
The Recorder of a city was charged with duties of dispensing justice within the city at the Court of Quarter Sessions. By section 8 of the Courts Act in 1971, the jurisdiction of Quarter Sessions was transferred to the Crown Court and the function of the Recorder discharged. However, a number of Councils have acknowledged the important part in the life of a city played by the judiciary and have established a post of Recorder/Honorary Judicial Recorder under the powers derived from section 54 of the Courts Act 1971 and by sections 245 and 246 of the Local Government Act 1972. The post may be appointed by resolution of the Council but is purely an honorary position.
Honorary Aldermen
The City Council has previously decided that the conferment of such an honour would only be given to those Members who had served on the Council for a period of 15 years or more.
In accordance with Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972, the City Council may, by resolution passed not less than two-thirds of the Members voting thereon, confer the title of Honorary Alderman on persons who had, in the opinion of the Council, rendered eminent service to the Council as past Members.
Honorary Aldermen of the City are to wear robes and collars and process in order of length of service in front of Members of the Council.
In 1991 the City Council appointed two Honorary Aldermen, Ebenezer Shuker and James Mackintosh; sadly, both are deceased.
In January, 2005, the Council appointed six Honorary Aldermen:-
Mr Joseph Sylvester Anderson
Mr Colin Willoughby Beswick M.B.E.
Mrs Irene Lupton J.P.
Mr Michael Howarth
Mr Edward Ramsay
Mr James William Turnbull
On 26 February, 2008, the Council appointed a further 3 Honorary Aldermen:-
Mrs Mary Hawgood
Mr Tom Gill
Mr Raymond Gibbon
In general, Honorary Aldermen may work in support of the Mayor and the Office of the Mayor. However, they have no legal, social or Royal precedence.
What role do they play and how do they interact with the Mayor:-
- The Honorary Aldermen should be encouraged to attend en-masse all Civic Ceremonial events when invited;
- With the Mayor's permission they may assist in hosting receptions/functions;
- They should be encouraged to support the work of the Mayor's Charity;
- To actively promote civic pride in Durham and its Council.
The Billet Master
The Billet Master for the City Council is a serving Police Officer of the Durham Constabulary. At the present time, the Divisional Commander holds the position of Billet Master; Chief Superintendent Trevor Watson is the current Billet Master. The post is a civic post and is primarily an honorary role which involves attendance at a limited number of ceremonies held in the Cathedral and other churches each year. Such a role emphasises the link between the Police and the local authority. Traditionally, the Billet Master processes in front of the Mayor's Bodyguard.
The Pant Master
The current Pant Master is Mr Jeff Riddell the Head of Environment and Leisure Services. The holder of this post is not required to take part in any civic ceremonies. In times gone by the Pant Master was charged with maintaining the water pant in the Market Place, Durham.