The Silent Ceremony

The Lord Mayor is admitted to office on the Friday in November that is the day before the Lord Mayor's show. The ceremony takes place in Guildhall, and is known as the Silent Ceremony because, apart from a short declaration of office by the incoming Lord Mayor, no words are spoken. The outgoing Lord Mayor, upon vacating his seat, ceremonially hands the City insignia to his successor, who then becomes Lord Mayor and they retire in procession.

The Lord Mayor's Show and Banquet

The second Saturday in November is the Lord Mayor's Show day, when the Lord Mayor, in a colourful procession to show himself to the Citizens of London, processes in his gilded coach from Guildhall to the Royal Courts of Justice. Here he is presented to the Lord Chief Justice and the Judges of the Queen's Bench Division (the successors of the Barons of the Exchequer to whom the Mayor was presented in days gone by) and swears allegiance to the Sovereign. The custom of the Lord Mayor's Procession is very ancient. There is evidence that the Alderman attired in coloured clothing rode with the Mayor to Westminster in 1378, of a procession of the Mayor, Sheriffs, Alderman and crafts in 1392, and again with minstrels in 1401. A water pageant to Westminster was introduced in 1422, and this had become usual by the next century. The rich barges of the companies made a fine display, hence the adoption of the word 'float' to describe today's carnival and procession vehicles. Elaborate pageants were common in Elizabethan times but gradually these gave way to the more formal processions of the 18th century. The modern practice is for the Lord Mayor to choose a theme which is reflected by the many floats.

The Lord Mayor's Banquet has been an annual event at Guildhall for over four centuries. The Banquet is held on Monday after the procession and is given by the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs in Guildhall, in honour of the outgoing Lord Mayor, with the Prime Minister as the principal speaker.

The Freedom of the City

There are 3 methods of seeking the Freedom of the City, each of which can be undertaken either with, or without, the intervention of a City of London Livery company. The first method is by servitude, or apprenticeship to a City freeman. The second is by redemption, or purchase, also known as 'nomination' because a candidate has to be nominated by 2 people who are either Common Councilmen or liverymen of the City of London. The final method is by patrimony where children of freemen may claim the freedom of the City if a parent was admitted to the freedom before the birth of the child. If a candidate becomes a freeman of the City through a livery company, he or she is admitted to the freedom of that company first, and then applies for the freedom of the City. Only after the candidate becomes a freeman of both the company and the City may full liveryman status be achieved. Generally speaking, any man or woman of good character, above the age of 21, may apply to the Corporation of London for the freedom. The admission of women to the freedom is a long standing custom: they were sometimes known as 'free sisters'. Many companies have now has women Masters, including HRH The Princess Royal who has been Master of the Farriers', Carmen's, Loriners' and Woolmen's Companies. History was made in 1983 when Dame Mary Donaldson was elected the first female Lord Mayor of London.

Once the application procedures have been completed, the final stage of admission takes place in a short but solemn ceremony administered by the Chamberlain or on his authority, in the Chamberlain's Court Room in Guildhall. It is usual for each ceremony to be conducted individually, with the freeman making his or her declaration and signing the Letter Book, and then receiving a personal Copy of Freedom and a copy of a book entitled Rules for the Conduct of Life.

The honorary freedom is the highest honour the Corporation of London can bestow and is usually reserved for royalty, statesmen, philantropists and leaders of the armed forces. Recipients of the honorary freedom have included: Lord Nelson, The Duke of Wellington; David Livingstone; Florende Nightingale; Lord Baden Powell; Sir Winston Churchill; Earl Attlee; Baroness Thatcher, and Nelson Mandela. The honorary freedom is presented at a special meeting of the Court of Common Council presided over by the Lord Mayor.

Common Hall

Common Hall is summoned by the Lord Mayor, by formal notice to the Masters and Wardens of the Livery companies that they should give notice to their liverymen to attend at Guildhall on a certain day. The Sheriffs and the other officers are elected in Common Hall on Midsummer Day, and the Lord Mayor on Michealmas Day, or the next weekday. For centuries liverymen have entered Great Hall by a wicket gate guarded by a Beadle, a relic of the past need to control unruly strangers. The Common Cryer opens the proceedings by directing all those who are not liveryment to 'depart on pain of imprisonment'. Voting is by a show of hands but if a poll is demanded one is held a fortnight later.

Livery Ceremonies

Over the years certain Livery companies have formalised the making of gifts of the products of their craft to the Lord Mayor and others. The Fruiterers, Gardeners, Butchers and Bakers present fruit, flowers, meat and bread to the Lord Mayor which is often passed on to the hospitals. The Feltmakers and Scriveners present the Lord Mayor with his ceremonial hat and the quill for signing his declaration, while the Pewterers present an item of pewter suitable to the profession of Lord Mayor. The Glovers present a selection of gloves to the Lord Mayor, the Lady Mayoress and the Sheriffs. This has been extended to include the presentation of the Coronation Gloves to the Sovereign and Judiciary Gloves to the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.

United Guilds Service

The enormously popular United Guilds Service takes place in March each year, filling St Paul's Cathedral to capacity. Members of all companies join with the Lord Mayor and Aldermen in this major religious occasion in the City, with great ceremony and an address by a leading churchman.

Cart Making

From at least the 14th century, the Corporation has exercised a right of jurisdiction over carts and persons working carts for hire within the City. Only licensed and marked carts could ply for hire. These principles led to the concept of the modern taxi rank. Each year, the first task of each new Master of the Carmen's Company is to hire a cart standing in the one 'carr room', or stand, that is now permitted for this special occasion. Although the use of carts for transport fell into disuse, a ceremony of cart marking still takes place in July each year. Carmen bring their trucks, veteran and vintage vans, waggons and carriages to be branded or marked, to maintain the ancient tradition. The ceremony takes place in Guildhall Yard; each vehicle is brought forward for the Master's inspection and under his supervision is then branded. Protective gloves for the ceremony are presented by the Glover's company.

Swan Upping

Since about the late 15th or early 16th century, the Vintners' and Dyers' Companies have had the right to share a royalty on the swans on the Thames with the Monarch. Each year in July the swan-upping voyage, counting and marking the swans, takes place on the Thames.