COMMONWEALTH (British Commonwealth of Nations)
Last week, dressed in his black robes of state, trimmed with gold, and wearing the famous Chain of Esses (bequeathed in 1567 by ex-Lord Mayor Sir John Alen to the then Lord Mayor and his successors to "use and occupie yerely at and uppon principall and festival dayes"), Sir Alfred Bower, member of the Vintners' Company (14th Vintner to be elected Lord Mayor), athlete and bicyclist, rode in state from the Guildhall* to the Law Courts to be sworn in as Lord Mayor of London.
Preceding him rode in one long, gorgeous procession the representatives of the City Guilds, the Army, Navy and Air Force, the fire brigade, countless bands, etc. Then came the City Marshal, "an official chosen for his handsomeness," on a fine, prancing horse. Among the thousands upon thousands of people who lined the streets to witness the show the usual comments at the expense of the Marshall were heard: " 'E don't 'arf fancy hisself, don't 'e," yelled a shrill female voice. "Chuck it, Liz," growled her young man. "Jus' look at 'is 'at," shrieked the damsel. The crowd looked; and although they had all seen it before, they broke into jeering laughter. And so it is year after year; yet these taunts are the outer signs of an inner satisfaction and pride; no Londoner would willingly miss the Lord Mayor's Show, rain or sunshine.
A burst of delirious delight heralded the approach of the Lord Mayor's Coach. This magnificent coach, built in 1896 as a replica of the famous coach used since 1757, is made of wood, ornately carved and gilded and hung from leather straps. Drawn by six horses, driven by two powdered, white-winged coachmen and with powdered footmen hanging on behind, the gorgeous coach bore the Lord Mayor on his way to receive recognition from the Justices acting in the King's name. The Lord Mayor then returned to the Mansion House (his official residence) ; and, in the evening, the usual and historic banquet was given at the Guildhall.
The significance of this yearly pageant bound very closely with the civic history of London whose people have ever safeguarded with religious zeal their ancient liberties.
Before the Norman invasion, the Mayor was known as the Portreeve (porta, Latin for gate; reeve, Saxon for chief magistrate of town; of, shirereeve, contracted to sheriff). So strong was the City at this time that the Great Conqueror placed special value on securing its voluntary sanction to his kingship.