Lord Mayor of Liverpool

Lord Mayor of Liverpool
Lord Mayor of Liverpool
	Arms of Liverpool City Council
	Incumbent; Richard Kemp; since 15 May 2024
	Liverpool City Council
Style	The Right Worshipful
Member of	Liverpool City Council
Nominator	Political parties
Appointer	Liverpool City Council
Term length	One year

The Lord Mayor of Liverpool is a largely ceremonial civic office of Liverpool City Council. The Lord Mayor is the ‘first citizen’ of Liverpool representing the city and acting as a focal point of community events and is also the presiding officer for the Liverpool City Council Chamber.^[1]

The post has existed in one form or another since the foundation of Liverpool as a borough by the Royal Charter of King John in 1207, then simply being referred to as the Mayor of Liverpool. The position is now a largely ceremonial and civic role. It is one of the two Mayor positions that serve Liverpool with the other being the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region a non ceremonial, executive post.

The position of Lord Mayor is always held by a sitting councillor, currently the Lord Mayor of Liverpool is Richard Kemp CBE, who has held the post since May 2024.

History

The most prominent Mayors were the Stanleys of Knowsley, of which Sir Thomas Stanley (son of the 3rd Earl) and the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 16th and 18th Earls of Derby have held this office since ancient times. The Molyneuxs of Sefton have also held this office on numerous occasions over the centuries: Sir Richard Molyneux, his grandson Sir Richard Molyneux Baronet, the 1st Viscount Molyneux and the 7th Earl of Sefton.

When Liverpool was granted city status in 1880 it was deemed necessary for the "second city of the Empire" to have a Lord Mayor. The city was granted a Lord Mayoralty on 3 August 1893 through letters patent making it the equal third oldest office of this kind in England along with Manchester.^{[citation needed]} and Robert Durning Holt became the first Lord Mayor of Liverpool.^[2]

For a substantial period of time the Lord Mayor of Liverpool used the prefix of "The Right Honourable" as did the Lord Mayor of London. Sir Albert Woods, Garter Principal King of Arms was of the opinion that this honorific should be enabled, due to the importance of Liverpool as a city second only to London. When Sir Alfred Scott-Gatty succeeded as King of Arms, he expressed the view that his predecessor had made an error. This changed nothing, however, and the city continued to use the prefix up until a Parliamentary statement in 1927. From then on the Lord Mayor was styled "The Right Worshipful".

William Wallace Currie was the first "Mayor of Liverpool" under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835.^[3]

In 1983, the Labour controlled Council replaced the office of Lord Mayor with that of chairman. The Lord Mayoralty was formally restored in 1990.^[4]

Mayors of the Borough of Liverpool (1207–1684)

1207–91 Unknown
1292 John De More
1293 John De More
1294–1308 Unknown
1309 John De More
1337 Roger De More
1338 Adam of Liverpool
1339 Roger De More
1340 Adam of Liverpool
1341 Roger De More
1342 Adam of Liverpool
1343 Roger De More
1344 Adam of Liverpool
1345 Roger De More
1346 Adam of Liverpool
1347 Roger De More
1348 Adam of Liverpool
1349 Roger De More
1350 Adam of Liverpool
1351 William, Son of Adam
1352 Unknown
1353 William De Grenof
1356 William, Son of Adam
1358 William, Son of Adam
1361 William, Son of Adam
1369 William, Son of Adam
1373 John de Hull
1375–77 Richard de Aynesargh
1379 William, Son of Adam de Liverpool
1382 Richard de Aynesargh
1382–88 Thomas de La More
1396–97 Thomas de La More
1401 Robert De Derby
1416 Henry De Moysok
1425 Thurston De Holcroft
1428 John De Fasakerly
1448 William Gaythirde
1454William Gaythirde
1462 Gilbert Mercer
1474 John Davinport
1476 John Crosse
1477–1539 Unknown
1540–41 Thomas Hughton
1541–42 Sir Richard Molyneux (Grandfather of the 1st Baronet)
1542–50 Unknown
1550–51 Ralph Sekerton
1551–52 Thomas More
1552–53 Ralph Balie
1553–54 Roger Walker
1554–55 Sir William Norres
1555–56 Thomas More
1556–57 John More
1557–58 Thomas More
1558–59 Robert Corbet
1559–60 Alexander Garret
1560–61 Ralph Sekerton
1561–62 Robert Corbet
1562–63 Alexander Garret
1563–64 Robert Corbet
1564–65 Alexander Garret
1565–66 John Crosse
1566–67 Robert Corbet
1567–68 William Secum
1568–69 Sir Thomas Stanley K.G. (son of the 3rd Earl)
1569–70 Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby (then Lord Strange)
1570–71 Ralph Burscough
1571–72 Thomas Bavard
1572–73 John Crosse
1573–74 Robert Corbet
1574–75 John Mainwaring
1575–76 William Secum
1576–77 Thomas Bavard
1577–78 Sir Thomas Hesketh
1578–79 William More
1579–80 Edward Halsall
1580–81 Robert More
1581–82 John Crosse
1582–83 William Secum
1583–84 Ralph Burscough
1584–85 Thomas Bavard
1585–86 Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby (then Lord Strange)
1586–87 Edward Halsall
1587–88 William More
1588–89 Sir Richard Molyneux Bt
1589–90 Thomas Whicksted
1590–91 John Bird
1591–92 Robert More
1592–93 Giles Brook
1593–94 Robert Berry
1594–95 John Bird
1595–96 Robert More
1596–97 William More
1597–98 Richard Hodgeson
1598–99 William Dixon
1599–1600 Robert More
1600–01 John Bird
1601–02 Giles Brooks
1602–03 Ralph Secum
1603–04 William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby
1604–05 Edward Moore
1605–06 Edmund Rose
1606–07 William Banaster
1607–08 Robert Moore
1608–09 Ralph Secum
1609–10 Richard Rose
1610–11 Thomas Hockenhull
1611–12 Edward Moore
1612–13 Henry Stanley
1613–14 Peter Ulster Alias Darbie
1614–15 Richard Mellinge
1615–16 Sir Cuthbert Halsall
1616–17 Robert Moore
1617–18 Edmund Rose
1618–19 Sir Richard Molyneux, 1st Viscount Molyneux
1619–20 Ralph Seacome
1620–21 Edward Moore
1621–22 Oliver Fairhurst
1622–23 John Walker
1623–24 John Williamson
1624–25 Richard Rose
1625–26 James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby K.G. (then Lord Strange)
1626–27 Edward Moore
1627–28 Ralph Seacome
1628–29 John Walker
1629–30 Robert Williamson
1630–31 John Williamson
1631–32 Ralph Sandiford
1632–33 John Walker
1633–34 John Moore
1634–35 Robert Williamson
1635–36 Thomas Bickesteth
1636–37 William Dwarihouse
1637–38 Thomas Eccleston
1638–39 John Williamson
1639–40 Thomas Stanley
1640–41 William Ireland
1641–42 John Walker
1642–43 Thomas Bickesteth
1643–44 James Williamson
1644–45 John Holcroft
1645–46 Thomas Bickesteth
1646–47 Richard Tarleton
1647–48 Thomas Tarleton
1648–49 William Williamson
1649–50 Thomas Hodgeson
1650–51 James Williamson
1651–52 Thomas Williamson
1652–53 Ralph Massam
1653–54 Edward Williamson
1654–55 Robert Cornell
1655–56 Thomas Ayndoe
1656–57 Gilbert Formy
1657–58 John Holcroft
1658–59 Richard Peicival
1659–60 James Williamson
1660–61 Alexander Greene
1661–62 Henry Corles
1662–63 William Stanley
1663–64 Peter Lurting
1664–65 John Sturzaker
1665–66 Michael Tarleton
1666–67 Charles Stanley, 8th Earl of Derby
1667–68 Thomas Savage, 3rd Earl Rivers
1668–69 William Stanley, 9th Earl of Derby (then Lord Strange)
1669–70 Thomas Bickesteth
1670–71 Thomas Johnson
1671–72 Lawrence Brownlowe
1672–73 Silvester Richmond
1673–74 James Jerrom
1674–75 Sir Gilbert Ireland
1675 Thomas Bickesteth
1675–76 Thomas Chapman
1676–77 Robert Williamson
1677–78 William Stanley, 9th Earl of Derby
1678–79 John Chorley
1679–80 William Williamson
1680–81 Thomas Clayton
1681–82 Richard Windall
1682–83 Capt.Edward Tarleton
1683–84 Robert Seacome

Mayors of the Borough of Liverpool (1684–1880)

1684–85 Sir Richard Atherton^[5]
1685–86 Oliver Lyme
1686–87 Peter Bold
1687–88 James Prescott
1688–89 Thomas Tyrer
1689–90 William Clayton
1690–91 Thomas Brookbancke
1691–92 Richard Houghton
1692–93 Joshua Fisher
1693–94 Jasper Maudit
1694–95 Alexander Norres
1695 Thomas Johnson Snr.
1695–96 Thomas Johnson Jnr.
1696–97 William Preeson
1697–98 James Benn
1698–99 Thomas Sweeting
1699–1700 Cuthbert Sharples
1700–01 Richard Norris
1701–02 Thomas Bickesteth
1702–03 John Cockshuttle
1703–04 John Clievland
1704–05 William Hurst
1705–06 William Webster
1706–07 Sylvester Moorcroft
1707–08 James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby
1708–09 John Seacome
1709–10 John Earle
1710–11 George Tyrer
1711–12 James Townsend
1712–13 Edward Tarleton
1713–14 Thomas Coore
1714–15 Richard Gildart
1715–16 William Squire
1716–17 Foster Cunliffe
1717–18 Richard Kelsall
1718–19 Josia Poole
1719–20 Thomas Fillingham
1720–21 Henry Taylor
1721–22 Bryan Blundell
1722–23 Edward Ratchdale
1723–24 John Scarbrick
1724–25 John Goodwin
1725–26 William Marsden
1726–27 Sir Thomas Bootle
1727 George Tyrer
1727–28 John Huges
1728–29 Bryan Blundell
1729–30 Foster Cunliffe
1730–31 George Tyrer
1731–32 Richard Gildart
1732–33 Thomas Brereton
1733–34 William Pole
1734–35 James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby
1735–36 Foster Cunliffe
1736–37 George Tyrer
1737–38 George Norton
1738–39 Robert Armitage
1739–40 Thomas Steers
1740–41 Henry Trafford
1741 Peter Rainford
1741–42 William Carr
1742–43 Edward Trafford
1743–44 John Brookes
1744–45 Owen Pritchard
1745–46 James Blomfield
1746–47 Joseph Bird
1747–48 Thomas Shaw
1748–49 Joseph Clegg
1749–50 Joseph Davies
1750–51 James Gildart
1751–52 Edmund Rigby
1752–53 Henry Winstanley
1753–54 James Crosbie
1754–55 Charles Goore
1755–56 Spencer Steers
1756–57 Richard Hughes
1757–58 William Goodwin
1758–59 Robert Cunliffe
1759–60 Lawrence Spencer
1760–61 John Blackburne, the Younger
1761–62 John Williamson
1762–63 William Gregson
1763–64 George Campbell
1764–65 John Tarleton
1765–66 John Crosbie
1766–67 Thomas Johnson
1767–68 William Pownall
1768 Charles Goore
1768–69 Matthew Stron
1769–70 Ralph Earle
1770–71 John Sparling
1771–72 Thomas Wilson
1772–73 Thomas Golightly
1773–74 John Parr
1774–75 Peter Rigby
1775–76 James Clemens
1776–77 William Crobie
1777–78 Thomas Birch
1778–79 William Pole
1779–80 William Crobie, the Younger
1780–81 Richard Gerard
1781–82 George Case
1782–83 John Brown
1783–84 William Hesketh
1784–85 John Gregson
1785–86 Charles Pole
1786–87 James Gildart, the Younger
1787–88 Thomas Earle
1788–89 James Blackburne, the Younger
1789–90 Thomas Smyth
1790–91 John Sparling
1791–92 Henry Blundell
1792–93 Clayton Tarleton
1793–94 Henry Blundell
1794–95 John Shaw
1795–96 Peter Baker
1796–97 George Dunbar
1797–98 Thomas Staniforth
1798–99 Thomas Leyland
1799–1800 Pudsey Dawson
1800–01 John Shaw
1801–02 Peter Whitfield Brancker
1802–03 Jonas Bold
1803–04 William Harper
1804 John Bridge Aspinall
1804–05 William Harper
1805–06 Henry Clay
1806–07 Thomas Molyneux
1807–08 Henry Blundell Hollinshead
1808–09 James Gerard
1809–10 John Clark
1810–11 James Drinkwater
1811–12 John Bourne
1812–13 Samuel Staniforth
1813–14 William Nicholson
1814–15 Thomas Leyland
1815–16 Sir William Barton
1816–17 John Wright
1817–18 Thomas Case
1818–19 Jonathan Blundell Hollinshead
1819–20 Sir John Tobin
1820–21 Thomas Leyland
1821–22 Richard Bullin
1822–23 William Molyneux
1823–24 Charles Lawrence
1824–25 Jonathan Blundell Hollinshead
1825–26 Peter Bourne
1826–27 Thomas Littledale Sr.
1827–28 Thomas Colley Porter
1828–29 Nicholas Robinson
1829–30 Sir George Drinkwater
1830–31 Sir Thomas Brancker
1831–32 Samuel Sandbach
1832–33 Charles Horsfall
1833–34 John Wright
1834–35 James Aspinall
1835–36 William Wallace Currie
1836–37 William Earle Jr.
1837–38 William Rathbone V
1838–39 Hugh Hornby
1839–40 Sir Joshua Walmsley
1840–41 Thomas Bolton
1841–42 John S. Leigh
1842–43 Robertson Gladstone
1843–44 Thomas Sands
1844–45 James Lawrence
1845–46 David Hodgson
1846–47 George Hall Lawrence
1847–48 Thomas Berry Horsfall
1848–49 John Bramley-Moore
1849–50 John Holmes
1850–51 Sir John Bent
1851–52 Thomas Littledale Jr.
1852–53 Samuel Holme
1853–54 John Buck Lloyd
1854–55 James Aspinall Tobin
1855–56 John Stewart
1856–57 Francis Shand
1857–58 James Holme
1858–59 William Preston
1859–60 Thomas Darnley Anderson
1860–61 Samuel Robert Graves
1861–62 Robert Hutchinson.
1862–63 Richard Cardwell Gardner
1863–64 Charles Mozley
1864–65 Edward Lawrence
1865–66 John Farnworth
1866–67 John Grant Morris
1867–68 Edward Whitley
1868–69 Thomas Dover
1869–70 Joseph Hubback
1870–71 Joseph Gibbons Livingston
1871–72 John Pearson
1872–73 Edward Samuelson
1873–74 Sir Andrew Barclay Walker Bt.
1874–75 Lieut. Col. Richard Fell Steble
1875–76 Peter Thompson (died 13 May 1876)
1876 Lieut. Col. Richard Fell Steble (died 22 May 1876)
1876–77 Sir Andrew Barclay Walker Bt.
1877–78 Sir Arthur Forwood, 1st Baronet
1878–79 Sir Thomas Bland Royden, 1st Baronet
1879–80 Bernard Hall

Mayors of the City of Liverpool (1880–1892)

1879–80 Bernard Hall
1880–81 Sir William Bower Forwood
1881–82 John Hughes
1882–83 William Radcliffe
1883–84 Thomas Holder
1884–85 Sir David Radcliffe.
1885–86 Sir David Radcliffe
1886–87 Sir James Poole
1887–88 Thomas William Oakshott
1888–89 Edward Hatton Cookson
1889–90 Thomas Hughes.
1890–91 Joseph Bond Morgan.
1891–92 James de Bels Adam.
1892–93 Robert Durning Holt

Lord Mayors of the City of Liverpool (1892–present)

• 2025-Present Barbara Murray

1893 Robert Durning Holt
1893–94 Sir William Bowring, 1st Baronet
1894–95 William Henry Watts
1895–96 Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby
1896–97 Thomas Hughes
1897–98 John Houlding
1898–99 William Oulton
1899–1900 Louis Samuel Cohen
1900–01 Arthur Crossthwaite
1901–02 Sir Charles Petrie, 1st Baronet
1902–03 Sir William Rutherford, 1st Baronet^[6] (resigned Jan 1903)
1903 Sir William Bower Forwood (Jan–Feb 1903)
1903 Sir William Rutherford, 1st Baronet (re-elected Feb 1903)
1903–04 Sir Robert Alfred Hampson
1904–05 John Lea
1905–06 Joseph Ball
1906–07 John Japp
1907–08 Richard Caton, M.D.
1908–09 Harold Chaloner Dowdall
1909–10 William Humphrey Williams
1910–11 Samuel Mason Hutchinson
1911–12 Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby
1912–13 Sir John Harmood-Banner, 1st Baronet
1913–14 Herbert Henry Rathbone
1914–15 John Edward Rayner
1915–16 Arthur Stanley Mather
1916–17 Sir Max Muspratt, 1st Baronet
1917–18 Sir John Utting
1918–19 John Ritchie
1919–20 Burton William Eills
1920–21 Edward Russell Taylor
1921–22 Charles Henry Rutherford
1922–23 Frank Campbell Wilson
1923–24 Sir Arnold Rushton
1924–25 Thomas Dowd
1925–26 Sir Frederick Charles Bowring
1926–27 Sir Frederick Charles Bowring
1927–28 Margaret Beavan
1928–29 Henry Morley Miller
1929–30 Lawrence Durning Holt
1930–31 Edwin Thompson.
1931–32 James Conrad Cross
1932–33 Alfred Gates
1933–34 George Alfred Strong
1934–35 Frederick Thomas Richardson
1935–36 Robert John Hall
1936–37 William Denton
1937–38 Michael Cory Dixon
1938–39 Sir Sydney Jones
1939–40 Sir Sydney Jones
1940–41 Sir Sydney Jones
1941–42 Sir Sydney Jones
1942–43 Robert Duncan French
1943–44 Austin Harford
1944–45 Hugh Molyneux, 7th Earl of Sefton
1945–46 Luke Hogan
1946–47 William Gainsborough Gregson
Nov.1947 – May 1949 Walter Thomas Lancashire
1949–50 Sir Joseph Jackson Cleary
1950–51 Revd. Harry Dixon Longbottom
1951–52 Vere Egerton Cotton
1952–53 Albert Morrow
1953–54 William John Tristram
1954–55 Alexander Griffin
1955–56 Reginald Richard Bailey
1956–57 John Sheehan^[7]
1957–58 Frank Hamilton Cain
1958–59 Sir Harry Livermore
1959–60 Herbert Neville Bewley
1960–61 John Leslie Hughes
1961–62 Peter McKernan
1962–63 David John Lewis
1963–64 John Mcmillan
1964–65 Louis Caplan
1965–66 David Cowley
1966–67 Herbert Mylrea Allen
1967–68 Ethel May Wormald
1968–69 James Edward Thompson
1969–70 Stephen Minion
1970–71 Ian Isadore Levin
1971–72 Charles Cowlin
1972–73 Robert Meadows
1973–74 Francis Burke
1974–75 Joseph Robert Wilmington.
1975–76 Owen Joseph Doyle
1976–77 Raymond Frederick Craine
1977–78 Paul Orr
1978–79 Ruth Dean
1979–80 Doreen Jones
1980–81 James Stanislaus Ross
1981 Cyril Eric Carr
1981–82 James Stanislaus Ross
1982–83 Stanley Airey
1983–84 Hugh Dalton – Chairman
1984–85 Hugh Dalton – Chairman
1985–86 Hugh Dalton – Chairman
1986–87 Hugh Dalton – Chairman
1987 Lady Doreen Jones – 17 March – 19 May
1987–88 Thomas McManus – Chairman
1988–89 Dorothy May Gavin – Chairman
1989–90 Dorothy May Gavin – Chairman
1990–91 Dorothy May Gavin
1991–92 Trevor Smith
1992–93 Rosemary Cooper
1993–94 Michael Black
1994–95 Roger Johnston
1995–96 Michael Black
1996–97 Frank Doran
1997–98 Margaret Clarke
1998–99 Herbert E. Herrity
1999–2000 Joseph A. Devaney.
2000–01 Edwin M. Clein.
2001–02 Gerard P. Scott
2002–03 Jack Spriggs
2003–04 Ron Gould
2004–05 Frank Roderick
2005–06 Alan Dean
2006–07 Joan Lang
2007–08 Paul Clark
2008–09 Steve Rotheram
2009–10 Mike Storey
2010–11 Hazel Williams
2011–12 Frank Prendergast
2012–13 Sharon Sullivan
2013–14 Gary Millar
2014–2015 Erica Kemp
2015–2016 Tony Concepcion
2016–2017 Roz Gladden
2017–2018 Malcolm Kennedy
2018–2019 Christine Banks
2019 Peter Brennan^[8]^[9] (resigned)
2019–2020 Anna Rothery^[10]
2020–2021 Anna Rothery^[11]
2021–2022 Mary Rasmussen^[12]
2022–2023 Roy Gladden
2023–2024 Mary Rasmussen
2024-present Richard Kemp

References

^ "Lord Mayor of Liverpool". Liverpool City Council. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
^ Annual report and bulletin of the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool – Volumes 5–6 – Page 16 Walker Art Gallery – 1975 "He was the last Mayor and first Lord Mayor of Liverpool 1892-3. A son of George Holt (1790–1861), cotton broker, who founded the family fortunes"
^ Gomer Williams History of the Liverpool – Privateers and Letters of Marque 2004 Page 572 "... Dr. James Currie, a native of Annandale, and father of William Wallace Currie, who became first Mayor of Liverpool, under the Municipal Corporations Bill."
^ "List of Lord Mayors of Liverpool" (PDF). Retrieved 13 August 2016.
^ "Liverpool Town Hall – MAYORS OF THE CITY OF LIVERPOOL SINCE 1207".
^ "Election of Mayors". The Times. No. 36922. London. 11 November 1902. p. 12.
^ Re: 1956–7 John Sheehan see The Liverpool Echo Wednesday 23 May 1956
^ "Former Lord Mayor resigns from council and Labour Party over racist video scandal". Liverpool Echo. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
^ Walker, Amy (30 July 2019). "Liverpool lord mayor stripped of title after sharing racist video". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
^ "Liverpool: First black mayor succeeds race row councillor". BBC News. 13 August 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
^ "Anna Rothery reappointed as Liverpool Lord Mayor for 'historic' second term – Liverpool Echo". 18 June 2020.
^ "Lord Mayor". Liverpool City Council. Retrieved 21 June 2021.