LONDON’S PICTURESQUE PAGEANT

Evening Star, Issue 23113, 12 November 1938, Page 3

LONDON’S PICTURESQUE PAGEANT

THE LORD MAYOR DOWN THE CENTURIES [By E. R. Yaiuiam, F.R.G.S.] On Lord Mayor’s Day, November 9, the most famous procession in the Empire passes through the streets of London, just as it has done for over seven centuries, the Lord Mayor for the ensuing year riding to the Law Courts to be sworn into office. Britons are very loyal to their pageants, and the cocked hats of the Guildsmen, the splendid presence ot the State trumpeters, the gay trappings of the horses, and the Lord Mayor’s gilt coach help to render the Show one of the most popular of all official ceremonies. B it the Show is more than a mere pageant, for it is a literal fact that the City looks upon the procession as part of its privileges gradually won through hundreds of years. Its story is inextricably intertwined will that of Loudon itself. The office of Mayor goes far back into national history, and the citizens of London gained a notable triumph when they wrung from the unwilling King John a charter recognising their right to elect a Mayor. It was the custom for the chosen citizen to ride or walk from the City to the palace of the Sovereign at Westminster in order to receive the Royal Assent. As he more often rode than walked, because of the awful state of the roads, the custom was early known as the Ridings. 'The first procession is said to have taken place as early as 1215. The occasion of the Ridings was seized upon as being ap, appropriate time to indulge in a general holiday, andl to make a display in celebration of the newly-won right. The craftsmen’s guilds played a prominent part in this. Nearly every craftsman, were he butcher, baker, barber; goldsmith, or silversmith, belonged to a guild, which arose because of the necessity for the workmen to protect their privileges that had been hardly won, usually from the nobility and barons whose purses were more often than not empty Because of the constant bickerings one with another, petty wars, and the extravagant outlay tm the upkeep of sumptuous households. These guilds still play a' vital part in the life of the City, and their liverymen elect the Lord Mayor.

Centuries ago the craftsmen gradually freed themselves from tolls levied on the use of certain roads, from exorbitant charges for sundry trading rights, from heavy taxation of all kinds, and innumerable petty restrictions, and in this light for freedom the guilds were potent factors. They became exceedingly rich and powerful, and Mayor’s Day was deemed an excellent opportunity to exhibit their privileges before the world. Each guild tried to outdo the others in the magnificence of its efforts. Elaborately decorated arches spanned the streets and decorated horses drew gaily attired wagons, on which were set fantastic tableaux, before the admiring eyes of the populace. During the Middle Ages the streets of London were little more than muddy lanes. They were rough, narrow, and uncomfortable to travel upon, and so in 1453 Mayor Sir John Norman decided to go to Westminster by boat. There was nothing very revolutionary in this, for at the time the Thames was the City’s main highway, and was much used by Royalty. The pomp and display of the Show were not allowed to suffer, for a stately civic barge was constructed to carry London’s first citizen. The gorgeous gilded barges seen in procession equalled anything that the Court could produce, for the guilds seized every opportunity of showing they wore as wealthy as royalty. The following contemporary account from the ‘ Chronicles of London ’ speaks of this first river procession;—

And this year, upon tho morn after Sinion and Jude, John Norman being chosen mayor for the present year, was rowed by water to Westminster with the Aidermen; and all the. chief of the commoners of the City went also thither by bargeswhich of times' out of mind was used before season by the Mayors to ride alwny by land to take their charge. Wherefore the watermen of the Thames made a song of this John Norman, whereof the beginning was “ Row thy boat, Norman ” ; which new custom was well allowed. Just over a century later we comp to tho account of the Show, “ Wrytten by . . . Wyllyam Smythe, citizen and haberdasher, of London, 1575.” William Smith tells us how the next daio following he goeth by water to Westmynster, in most tfiumphlyke manner. His barge (wherein also all the Aldermen be) bcenge garnished with the armes of the Citie; and ncre the syd barge goeth a syppbote of the Queen’s Majestie, being trymmed unp, and lagged lyko a shippe of waive, with divers pecos of ordenanee, standards, penens, and targetts of the proper armes of the sayd Mayor, the armes of the City, of his. Company, and of the marchaunts adventurers . . . and §o all, the companies in London, in order, everyone havingo their owne proper barge garnished with the armes of their company. After going to Westminster he returned by water to Powles Wharfe, where he and the reste of the Aldermen take their horses, and in great pompe passe through the greate .street of the Citie, called Cheapsidc , . . next before the Mayor goeth the sword bearer, having on his headd the cappe of honor, and tho sworde of the citie in his righto haude, in a rich skabarde, sett with pearle, and on his left goeth the common cryer of the cittie, with his great mace on his shoulder, all gilt. The Mayor hath on a Jong gowne of skarlet, and on his lefte shoulder a hood of black velvet and a rich collcr of gold . . . about his neck; and with him rydeth the olde Mayor also, in Jjis skarlet gowne, hood of velvet, and a chaine of golde about his necke. . . . The shereffes come last of all, in their skarlet gownes and chaynes of golde.*". . . In this order they passe alonge throughe the citie to the Guyldliall, where they dyne. . . . Immediately after dinner they go to tho churches of St. Paule, every one of the aforesaid poore men bcarynge stafl’e torches and tagetts, while torches are lighted when it is late, before they come from ovenyge prayer.

Smith also tells ns that during the procession, “to make wave in the streetes, there are certain men appended like devolls and wylde men, with skvbbs (squibs), and ccrtayne bradells.” Very ornate panoramas continued to

be staged in the streets, and in 1616, when Sir John Leman, of the Fishmongers’ Company, was elected Lord Mayor;—the honour of the prefix “ Lord ” having been acquired about 70 years earlier —the first pageant showed a fishing boat with fishermen “ seriously at their labour, drawing up their nets laden with living fish and bestowing them bountifully upon the people.!’ The wheels of the wagon were concealed by drapery,- which was painted to resemble the waves of the sea. Then came a “ lemon tree richly laden with. fruit and flowers,” as : a punning allusion to the name of the Lord Mayor. During the Puritan era, from 1639 to 1655, there was no show owing to the strong opposition, but the Restoration' saw it revived with eveu greater pomp, although it did not take place during the years of the Fire and the Plague. Early in the eighteenth century, an untoward incident occurred,, the Lord Mayor (Sir Gilbert Heathcote) being thx-own from his horse. The next year, a new wonder was introduced when the Lord Mayor forsook ; horseback for a more stately position in a coach drawn by “ six horses adorned with grand harness, ribbons, etc.” During the middle of the century a wonderful- coach • was built costing over £I,OOO. This carriage was used until 1896, when the replica now used was built to replace it. Usually the King, with officials of the Court and Ministers of the Crown, attended the mayoral banquet at the Guildhall. Wine flowed freely, and during the uproarious days of the Restoration the King in 1674 allowed himself to be half dragged across the banqueting hall to drink “ t’other bottle.” as the Lord Mayor called it, humming the words of the old song; “He that is drunk is as great as a king.” Tfie last of bur Sovereigns who honoured the Lord Mayor’s Show was King George 111., who took with him his bride of two months. In the evening thev were royally entertained in the Guildhall by the Lord Mayor at a cost of £B,OOO. an enormous sum for those days. They were heard to remark that “ for elegance of entertainment the City beat the Court end of the Town.” The year 1830 witnessed a unique incident in the show’s history, for it was cancelled because of the fear of “ desnerate and abandoned, characters.” This was about the time of the Reform Bill disturbances, when there was much unrest in London. Sir John Key, the Lord Mayor, was so alarmed that of his own initiative he posted a

proclamation: “ Notice is hereby given that the Right Honourable the Lord! Mayor will not have any public procession to-morrow, and there will be noentertainment given at the Guildhall. Consternation ensued. _ and the council said Sir John had yielded; to panic, and that it was a reflection on the City to suggest it ■ could not keep the peace. The. Lord Mayor had to confess he . did not know upon what evidence he had acted. Eventually another notice was. posted denying all knowledge of the other as an official proclamation by the_ corporation. In order to gratify the spectators early last century the Lord Mayors reverted to the old custom of remaining on land, : and the Thames voyage fell into abeyance. Just 30 years after iti was built in 1807 the stately bargai that had cost £2,000 was sold for ai mere 100 guineas. To-day the' showj maintains all its old dignity and splendour, and is one of the most important functions in the City’s civic calendar. while the Guildhall banquet is attended by the chief members of thd Cabinet and the nation’s most eminent] men in every walk of life.