On Saturday 9th November, crowds flocked to the City of London to watch the Lord Mayor’s Show, an annual event which marks a new Lord Mayor taking office. Each year a three-mile-long procession including marching bands, military detachments, dance troupes and floats makes its way from Mansion House, the Lord Mayor’s official residence, to the Royal Courts of Justice, returning to Mansion House via Victoria Embankment. The procession started at 11am, and finished at around 3pm. Across the city, visitors could enjoy free activities such as arts and craft workshops, hourly walking tours, and access to museums and galleries.
Highlights of the parade included Gog and Magog - two wicker giants from pre-Roman legends that are said to protect the City - paraded by volunteers from the Guild of Young Freemen. The 692nd Lord Mayor of London, William Russell, joined the rear of the procession in the 250-year-old Lord Mayor’s State Coach.
The tradition, in its 804th year, originated from the 13th century when the King issued a charter requiring the newly elected Mayor to travel from the City to Westminster in order to swear loyalty to him. Since then, the show has evolved into one of the most lively events in London, involving over 7000 people this year.
All roads in the area usually close from 7am and reopen at around 3-4pm, bus routes are diverted, and parking is restricted. However, despite the dismal weather, the City was nonetheless packed full of cheerful spectators, as well as grandstand tickets being fully booked. The stands were set up on either side of St Paul’s Cathedral where the Lord Mayor stopped en route to receive a blessing from the Dean. If the cheering crowds and deafening drums from multiple marching bands did not make enough noise to announce the festivities, the cathedral bells were also ringing for nearly four hours throughout the day, echoing the buoyant mood of the celebration.
Next to St Paul’s Cathedral, one of the parade’s Show Zones was located in Paternoster Square: here, young children could queue for face painting as an animated (albeit damp) audience watched bands from Monmouth School for Boys and Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School perform upbeat jazz tunes. Other performances included the Banana Hut Gang, a comedy improvisation group, leading the watching crowd on a spontaneous journey inspired by the phrases “pirate adventure,” ‘looking for treasure,” and “scallywag.” There was no chance of younger spectators being bored, with hourly arts and crafts sessions set up making the Lord Mayor’s Chain out of colourful paper plates and sequins, and a small playground area complete with giant chessboard. Volunteers had been busy since as early as 11am preparing for the long day of activities and entertainment, which lasted until 5pm. Speaking to Josh Smith - a young volunteer at one of the stalls - about the atmosphere of the Lord Mayor’s Show, he said, “It’s not something you see every day… I’ll definitely be bringing my younger sister back next year.”
By Isabelle Ho
