Lord Mayor's shows in film and pictures
The Lord Mayor's Show is one of the oldest traditions of London life. Dating back to the time of King John and the Magna Carta, the annually elected Lord Mayor was required to travel from the safety of London to swear loyalty to the monarch at Westminster. As such, the show has attracted the attention of artists, writers and film makers to record the events.
These films and images are just a small selection of some of the visual collections held at London Metropolitan Archives. You can see more by exploring the collections on the London Picture Archive or the LMA YouTube channel.
The Lord Mayor's Show, 1928
This silent, black and white film depicts amateur footage of the Lord Mayor's Show in 1928. The film is captured from the street and punctuated by handwritten intertitle cards which introduce each of the parade marchers.
The film opens with the City Police on horseback processing with surrounding crowds followed by the 17th/21st Lancers Cavalry Regiment band. Other regiments from the Armed Forces are also depicted including the Honourable Artillery Company, City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders), City of London Artillery, 53rd (City of London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, King's Royal Rifle Corps, Royal Fusiliers and the Legion of Frontiersmen.
The film depicts City of London Livery Companies including the Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers who are shown on a moving podium beating gold leaves and the banners of The Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers.
The Salvation Army, Girl Guards, Cadets band, City of London Boy Scouts and Girls Brigade with a moving lifeboat podium are also depicted with surrounding crowds.
The film concludes with scenes of the Aldermen and Sheriffs in their horse drawn carriages, the former Lord Mayor Sir Charles Albert Batho and The Lord Mayor Sir John Edward Kynaston Studd.
My Lord Mayor, 1960
This colour film opens with the Lord Mayor's Show depicting the Lord Mayor Sir Edmund Stockdale in his carriage with surrounding crowds. The film describes how the Lord Mayor's Show has grown over the centuries and how the City of London has also grown and innovated to become a modern city.
The film documents the functions of the Corporation of London at the Guildhall depicting the Court of Common Council and describes the activity of the Square Mile, which is felt all over Great Britain and the world. The Bridge House Estates charitable trust is also described as perhaps having the oldest of the City's functions by looking after the road and foot bridges in London.
The film describes the Corporation of London's reconstruction plan after the Second World War with the building of the Golden Lane Housing Estate, Barbican Estate and office blocks. It also describes the Corporation's management of land outside the City's boundaries including Epping Forest and Burnham Beeches.
The film explains the Corporation of London's management of the City of London Police, City of London School for Girls, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, The City of London School and the City of London Freemen's School.
The film describes the Corporation's management of the Port of London and how the cargo reaches London markets including Billingsgate Market and Spitalfields Market, which are also managed by the Corporation.
The film concludes with a description of the City's ceremonial duties where the Lord Mayor will often receive visiting foreign Heads of State.
