Mayor of Derry

Mayor of Londonderry
Mayor of Derry

Incumbent
Elisha McCallion
since 26 March 2015
Appointer Derry and Strabane District Council
Term length One year
Inaugural holder John Rowley
Formation 1604 (as Provost)
1613 (as Mayor)
Deputy Thomas Kerrigan
Website Council Website

The Mayor of Derry, legally the Mayor of Londonderry is an honorary position bestowed upon a citizen of Derry in Northern Ireland, who is in practice a member of Derry City Council, chosen by his or her peers on the Council to serve a one-year term. The Mayor is Chairman of the Council as well as the city's first citizen. The current Mayor is Elisha McCallion of Sinn Fein.

The post has a long history. A provost, Sir Henry Docwra, was appointed in the initial city charter of 1604 by James I. In 1613, this post was replaced with that of governor, or mayor, with John Rowley being the first to serve.[1] The City charter of 1665 which provided:

“ And further we will, and by these presents for us our heirs and successors do grant and ordain, that for ever hereafter there be and shall be within the city of Londonderry aforesaid one of the more honest and discreet citizens of the said city, or of the more honest and discreet inhabitants within the liberty of the same, in form hereafter in these presents mentioned, from time to time to be elected, who shall be and called the mayor of the said city.[2] ”

During much of its history, it has been held by unionists (largely due to the practice of gerrymandering),[3] but in recent years, the majority of mayors have been Irish nationalists, reflecting the majority of the city's population.

From 1921 until 1969, the Mayor was automatically entitled to a seat in the Senate of Northern Ireland.

List of Mayors of Derry (incomplete)

17th Century[4]

From To Name Party
1615 John Vaughan
1617 Sir John Vaughan
1618 Henry Wray
1620 1621 Jesse Smith
1625 H Vaughan
1629 Sir John Vaughan
1631 William Gage
1636 Thomas Hammond
1641 James Vaughan
1643 Sir Robert Stewart[5]
1644 Colonel Audley Mervyn
1646 Sir Charles Coote
1653 Henry Finch
1654 Ralph King
1655 1656 John Handford
1657 John Elwin
1658 Samuel Dawson (died in office)
1659 John Westgate
1660 Luke Ash
1662 W Gardiner
1664 Colonel John Gorges
1670 Thomas Skipton
1671 Hugh Edwards
1672 1674 Samuel Norman
1675 1676 Gervais Squire
1677 Colonel William Cecil
1678 1680 Thomas Moncrieff
1681 1682 John Campsie
1683 Alexander Tomkins
1684 James Hobson
1685 1686 John Campsie
1687 Andrew Coningham (died in office)
1688 John Campsie
1690 Gervais Squire
1691 Alexander Lecky
1692 William Squire (died in office)
1693 James Lenox
1694 Henry Long
1695 Alexander Lecky
1696 Henry Ash
1697 James Lenox
1698 Horace Kennedy
1699 Gervais Squire
1700 Edward Brooks

18th Century

From To Name Party
1769 1770 Robert Fairly[6]
1782 Robert Fairly

19th Century

From To Name Party
1868 1869 Sir Edward Reid[7] Conservative
1875 1877 Sir William Miller, MD[8] Conservative
1888 1889 Sir William Miller Conservative

20th Century

From To Name Party
1908 1911 John McFarland Irish Unionist
1911 1912 M. A. Ballantine Irish Unionist
1912 1913 John McFarland Irish Unionist
1913 1915 William McLearn Irish Unionist
1915 1920 Robert Newton Anderson Irish Unionist
1920 1923 Hugh O'Doherty Nationalist
1923 1925 Maxwell Scott Moore UUP
1925 1927 John Gilbert Magee UUP
1927 1929 James Hamilton UUP
1929 1935 Dudley McCorkell UUP
1935 1939 James McElmunn Wilton UUP
1939 1940 Basil McFarland UUP
1940 1945 Frederick James Simmons UUP
1945 1950 Basil McFarland UUP
1950 1952 Gerald Stanley Glover UUP
1952 1954 Samuel Orr UUP
1954 1957 Samuel Sydney Dowds UUP
1957 1961 John Gordon Colhoun UUP
1961 1963 Gerald Stanley Glover UUP
1963 1968 Albert Anderson UUP
1968 1969 William Beatty UUP
1969 1973 Post vacant - council replaced by interim development commission
1973 1974 Raymond McClean SDLP
1974 1975 Jack Allen UUP
1975 1976 Ivor Canavan Alliance
1976 1977 James Hegarty Nationalist
1977 1978 Hugh Doherty SDLP
1978 1979 Thomas M. Craig UUP
1979 1980 Pat Devine SDLP
1980 1981 Marleen Jefferson UUP
1981 1982 Joe Fegan SDLP
1982 1983 William O'Connell SDLP
1983 1984 Len Green SDLP
1984 1985 John Tierney SDLP
1985 1986 John McNickle SDLP
1986 1987 Noel McKenna SDLP
1987 1988 James Guy Independent Unionist
1988 1989 Annie Gallagher SDLP
1989 1990 Tony Carlin SDLP
1990 1991 David Davis Independent Unionist
1991 1992 Mary Bradley SDLP
1992 1993 William Hay DUP
1993 1994 Annie Courtney SDLP
1994 1995 James Guy Independent Unionist
1995 1996 John Kerr SDLP
1996 1997 Richard Dallas UUP
1997 1998 Martin Bradley SDLP
1998 1999 Joe Millar DUP
1999 2000 Pat Ramsey SDLP

21st Century

From To Name Party
2000 2001 Cathal Crumley Sinn Féin
2001 2002 Mildred Garfield DUP
2002 2003 Kathleen McCloskey SDLP
2003 2004 Shaun Gallagher SDLP
2004 2005 Gearóid Ó hEára Sinn Féin
2005 2006 Lynn Fleming Sinn Féin
2006 2007 Helen Quigley SDLP
2007 2008 Drew Thompson DUP
2008 2009 Gerard Diver SDLP
2009 2010 Paul Fleming Sinn Féin
2010 2011 Colum Eastwood SDLP
2011 2012 Maurice Devenney DUP
2012 2013 Kevin Campbell Sinn Féin
2013 2014 Martin Reilly SDLP
2014 2015 Brenda Stevenson SDLP
2015 Elisha McCallion Sinn Féin

References

  1. ↑ Thomas Colby, Ordnance Survey of the County of Londonderry, p.87
  2. ↑ Charter of the City of Londonderry
  3. ↑ sdy60f2.tmp
  4. ↑ " Corporation of Londonderry Minute Book 1673-1686", PRONI LA79/2AA/1
  5. ↑ Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 54
  6. ↑ "History of Congregations of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and Biographical Notices of Eminent Presbyterian Ministers and Laymen", 1886
  7. ↑ Template:Personal memorandum of Sir Edward Reid
  8. ↑ "Obituary - Sir William Miller" The Times (London). Tuesday, 30 January 1900. (36052), p. 10.
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