LORD MAYOR’S BILLS

Southland Times, Issue 22485, 21 January 1935, Page 5

LORD MAYOR’S BILLS

UP TO £20,000 INVOLVED. The recent Lord Mayor’s Show brings to mind the fact that the honour of being Lord Mayor of London is probably the most expensive that can be offered to any man, says the news of the World. The City Corporation makes an allowance of £lO,OOO for entertaining, but practically the whole of that is signed away in the first week of office, when the catering contract for the year is arranged. The “Show” and the Guildhall banquet entail an outlay of £4OOO, of which the Lord Mayor pays half, the remainder being borne equally by the two sheriffs. The Lord Mayor is personally responsible for the full maintenance of the Mansion House during his year of office. Every official luncneon, d r, and entertainment has to be paid for out of his private purse, and when the inventory is taken at the end of his term, he is called upon to make good everything, to the last kitchen saucer. In practice, no one can afford to be Lord Mayor unless he is prepared to spend £20,000 out of his own pocket. There are, at least, two instances since the war where the personal cost amounted to £68,000 and £61,000 respectively. The new Lord Mayor, Sir Stephen Killik, is certain to find expenses exceptionally heavy, since his year of office already ihcludes a royal wedding and the “Silver Jubilee” celebrations next May. The creation of an expensive and somewhat extensive warchobe is alone a considerable item. When he drives through the city to the law Courts at the head of the “Show,” the Lord Mayor wears a scarlet robe. That is his “working attire.” Then there is the black damask robe which he dons at the Guildhall banquet. This is no ordinary garment, for it is trimmed with gold and closely resembles that worn by the Lord Chancellor.

This particular garb is always worn by the Lord Mayor at banquets, which are held during his term of office, when attending St. Paul’s Cathedral services in his official capacity, and when granting the Freedom of the City to illustrious personages.

The most gorgeous of all the attires which have been specially designed for the use of London’s chief citizen is that worn at a Coronation, a royal wedding, or at a State ceremony at which the Sovereign is present. This robe is a creation of rich colours and of expensive fabric and trimmings, with a predominant hue of purple and violet. The Lord Mayor must also have a robe in which to receive the Sovereign when he pays an official visit to the city, as will be the case next May. This is a mantle of crimson velvet, not unlike that worn by an earl. All these robes—each of them costly —have to be provided for an appointment which lasts only 12 months, but an appointment, which in its civic importance, has no parallel the world over.