Page:Notes by the Way.djvu/326

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256

��NOTES BY THE WAY.

��The

Coronation luncheon,

��Lord The Lord Chancellor in giving judgment said that

Chancellor's the Court would report to His Majesty that it had been established judgment, before them that the Lord Mayor had by usage a right, subject to His Majesty's pleasure, to be present at the Coronation in the capacity mentioned in the petition."

At the service in the Abbey on the 9th of August, 1902, when the King's procession was formed, the Lord Mayor, carrying the Crystal Sceptre, took his place on the left of Deputy Garter King of Arms (Garter being too unwell to attend), and immediately in front of the Lord Great Chamberlain, in exact conformity with ancient usage, and so proceeded from the west door of the Abbey into the choir.

The Report also furnishes an account of the ceremony on the occasion of the Coronation luncheon on Saturday, the 25th of October :

" The Lord Mayor, wearing the scarlet and ermine Coronation robe, and riding a black charger, left the Mansion House at 11 o'clock A.M., accompanied by the Sheriffs (also mounted), with the City Marshal in attendance."

The deputation of Aldermen and Common Councilmen in carriages proceeded to Temple Bar, where the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs dismounted, and were received, with the other members of the deputation, by three of the partners in Messrs. Child's Bank Mr. Hilton Price, Mr. J. Hall, and Mr. F. W. Fane. Shortly before the arrival of the King, the Lord Mayor went and stood at the City boundary, and surrendered the sword to the King, who returned it

" with a few gracious words. The Lord Mayor with obeisance retired, and, mounting his horse, took his place in the procession immediately in front of the King's personal escort, carrying the sword erect before His Majesty."

At the luncheon no fewer than thirty-one representatives of the press were present.

It is strange that while the Mayor of London takes such pre- cedence on all State and public occasions, and signs the Accession proclamation, yet the prefix " Lord " has never been officially conferred. This has been shown by the researches made by Dr. Sharpe at the time of the Coronation and since. Dr. Sharpe in

  • N. & Q.' for January llth, 1908, says :

Title of " ^ r * Beaven (no mean authority on such matters) and I are

" Lord " agreed that the Mayor of London has only a prescriptive right to the Mayor prefix ' Lord,' unlike the Mayors of Dublin and other places. The never charter of Edward III. (1354) permitting the Serjeants of the City to officially bear gold or silver maces, with the royal arms or otherwise, is commonly conferred, supposed to have incidentally conferred the title of ' Lord Mayor,' and indeed was so reported in the City's statement to the Royal Com- mission of 1893 (p. 7).

" Here are a few of my notes on the subject that I have ready at hand,

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