Issue 2, Feb 2001 (Back to Contents)

November 2000 saw my installation as the 673rd Lord Mayor of London. We don't keep an index, at the Mansion House, of the schools that Lord Mayors have attended, so I can't tell you how many Radleians have preceded me. Wykehamists and Carthusians seem to turn up pretty regularly. But Radleians are very rare. The only other one that I'm aware of was my father, Sir Edward Howard (F, 1929-34), who was Lord Mayor in 1971.

The first Mayor of London is recorded in 1189. In the subsequent 811 years there have been just nine pairs of father and son roughly one every century and no previous example of father, son and grandson (my grandfather was Lord Mayor in 1954). Happily, at this ninth attempt, we have also broken the jinx that no Lord Mayor has ever lived to see his son become Lord Mayor. Incidentally, father would very much enjoy hearing from any of his contemporaries at Radley.

So, what does the job entail? "Vocation" might be a better description, after 28 years' service on the Common Council of the City, first as a Councilman and then since 1986 as an Alderman. The electoral process involves three different constituencies: the voters in my Ward of Cornhill; around 25,000 members of the Livery and my 24 colleagues on the Court of Aldermen. There is an unremitting series of elections.

The Lord Mayor is head of the City Corporation, the most ancient local authority in the country, yet the most modern in terms of its efficiency, and the most far-reaching in terms of its duties. In addition to the usual municipal functions town planning, education, housing and so on the Corporation undertakes a great host of other responsibilities. Examples of our rich inheritance are Smithfield and Billingsgate markets, our four historic bridges over the Thames, and our cultural activities, particularly as the third largest sponsor of the arts in Britain (after the government and the BBC). And there are many others: for instance we operate the quarantine station at Heathrow, three HMC schools, and the official archives of Greater London.

And the list continues to grow. Recent additions include the acquisition of Hampstead Heath, a legacy of the GLC. This complements our huge and still expanding acreage of open space ringing Greater London, a far-sighted Victorian precursor to the Green Belt.

More recently, the Corporation moved quickly to fill the vacuum left by the abolition of the GLC. Cross-borough partnerships and associations sprang up to fill the gap in London-wide strategic planning, and the City has acted as partner and facilitator, resourcing bids to central government for funding, and in some cases staffing and even housing the new bodies. Given our central position in the history of London it was natural that the boroughs should look to us for a lead. That supportive role continues within the new framework of the Mayor and Assembly. And my job includes close liaison with Mayor Livingstone personally, and with his team.

But the Lord Mayor has a wider national role, too. The Mayoralty has evolved in recent years into acting as spokesman for the "City" in its wider sense the financial sector throughout the United Kingdom. I spend much of my time talking with the Governor of the Bank of England, the chairman of the Stock Exchange, indeed the leaders of all our major financial markets and institutions. In terms of diplomatic protocol the Lord Mayor ranks as a cabinet minister. I welcome heads of state and heads of government to London, and call on them when abroad. This gives me unparalleled access, as representative of Britain's financial sector, to the people that matter to the City.

My typical day starts with a working breakfast at the Mansion House, my home for the year, with perhaps a group of FTSE-100 chairmen, or maybe a visiting Senator and his team. Then a series of briefings with the Town Clerk, perhaps, then senior committee chairmen or presenting national awards. In between, there may be a press interview, or a slot on BBC Radio. Then a working lunch at an exchange, or at one of the banks. Then maybe an address to an international institution that we are seeking to lure to the City. Or welcoming a visiting President. Or, as Chancellor of City University, the country's leading professional and business university, I might be presiding over a graduation ceremony. And so the day continues, typically eight to ten separate engagements every day, culminating with an early evening reception and then every night a dinner at Guildhall, at Livery Hall or the Mansion House.

I speak at about half the engagements, perhaps two or three significant speeches every day more than 600 during the year. Some of these I write myself, some are written by our researcher cum speechwriter and his team, and most are a combination of the two. There are particular themes that we promote, focusing on maintaining and developing the City as the world's leading international financial centre. That is really the essence of my role as Lord Mayor. So the subjects include the constructive work we are doing for transport, the future of our markets, and the leading-edge work of the Corporation in housing, training and employment in the Inner Fringe.

The job is hugely varied, and no two days are alike. Once in a while people expect the Lord Mayor to dress in finery and to process in state, with sword and mace and all the accoutrements of the office. Tradition plays a valuable role, but the ceremonial takes only a fraction of my time. The other ninety-five per cent is hands-on, promoting the City. And this includes nearly a quarter of the year spent overseas.

You can see that it's a hugely busy year, but I am supported by a very effective team 45 in the Mansion House alone, in addition to the entire resources of the Corporation. So much of my time has been spent working with Lord Mayors, in previous years, that neither the quantity nor the content of the work comes as a great surprise. But this doesn't lessen the fascination of the job, or the degree of commitment that it requires. Or the need for a very supportive Lady Mayoress!

What a strange but fulfilling year! The role of Lord Mayor of London is as vital and vibrant today as at any time in its eight centuries of colourful history. And I hope that, like every Lord Mayor, I will have contributed something to this extraordinary, unique and ancient public office.

David Howard (F, 1959-63)