Lord Mayors of the City of Oxford
1962–today
"Since 1963
[Oxford] has boasted a Lord Mayor, instead of a plain Mayor,
a distinction
which it shares with 18 other English cities and which means,
pomp apart,
nothing whatsoever" (James Morris, 1965)
Above: New Lord Mayor of Oxford Mary Clarkson with outgoing Lord Mayor Susanna Pressel on her right parading through Queen Street on 25 May 2009. Behind them are the new Deputy Lord Mayor John Goddard and Sheriff of Oxford Elise Benjamin
Below: Three former Labour Lord Mayors at the Remembrance Day Parade in St Giles on 13 November 2005: Carol Roberts (1998/9), Maureen Christian (2000/1), and Gill Sanders (2002/3)
The first Lord Mayor of Oxford was Evan Owen Roberts. He was elected plain Mayor in May 1962, but served as Lord Mayor from 23 October 1962 for the last five months of his year of office. This following is a list only, and there is no plan to add biographies. Where, however, the Lord Mayor in question happens to have a full entry in the Oxford Dictionary for National Biography (2004), the words "See ODNB" have been added.
- 1962/1963: Evan Owen Roberts
- 1963/1964: Alec Percival Parker. Died 1973
- 1964/1965: John Leonard Norman Baker (University Councillor). Died 1971. See ODNB
- 1965/1966: Mrs Florence Kathleen Lower
- 1966/1967: Air-Vice-Marshall William Foster Macneece Foster. Died 1978
- 1967/1968: Francis (Frank) Vincent Pickstock (Labour). Died 1885
- 1968/1969: Peter Spencer Spokes (Conservative)
- 1969/1970: Percy Dudley Bromley. Died 1986
- 1970/1971: Michael Maclagan (University Councillor). Died 2003
- 1971/1972: Thomas James Meadows
- 1972/1973: Arthur Bernard Connors
- 1973/1974: Frederick George Ingram (Conservative)
- 1974/1975: Mrs Olive Frances Gibbs (Labour, 1st of two terms). Died 1994. See ODNB
- 1975/1976: William George Robert Fagg (Labour)
- 1976/1977: Miss Ann Hazel Spokes (Conservative)
- 1977/1978: Mrs Dora Minnie Carr. Died 1991
- 1978/1979: William Eaton (Bill) Simpson. Died 1981
- 1979/1980: John Arundell Hamilton (Conservative). Died 1999
- 1980/1981: Gordon Woodward (Conservative). Died July 2002
- 1981/1982:
Henry
Briskol Nicholson Myers Nimmo (Labour).
Died in office 12 December 1981
Mrs Olive Frances Gibbs (Labour, 2nd of two terms,
December 1981 to May 1982 only). Died 1994 - 1982/1983: Anthony William (Tony) Williamson (Labour)
- 1983/1984: Mrs Janet Gillespie Todd (Conservative). Died May 2006 More
- 1984/1985: Frank Arnold Garside (Conservative). Died 1988
- 1885/1986: Roger Alan Dudman (Labour). Died 1990
- 1986/1987: John George William Parker (Labour). Died 1989
- 1987/1988: Mrs
Elizabeth Florence Mary Standingford (Labour)
In place of her husband Bert Standingford (Labour) who
died on 19 May 1987 when he was Lord Mayor Elect - 1988/1989: Nellie Dorothy ("Queenie") Whorley (later Mrs Comfort) (Conservative)
- 1989/1990: Patricia Anne Tempest Yardley (Conservative)
- 1990/1991: Mrs Queenie Lewingdon Hamilton (Conservative)
- 1991/1992: Alan David Pope (Labour)
- 1992/1993: Mrs Barbara May Gatehouse (Labour) Retirement 2009
- 1993/1994: John Gordon Power (Labour)
- 1994/1995: William Walker Buckingham (Labour)
- 1995/1996: Joseph Charles (Joe) Blewitt (Labour)
- 1996/1997: Beryl Ivy Keen (Labour)
- 1997/1998: William John Baker (Labour)
- 1998/1999: Carol Roberts (Labour)
- 1999/2000: Mrs Valerie (Val) Smith (Labour)
- 2000/2001: Mrs Maureen Christian (Labour) Died 30 January 2009
- 2001/2002: Peter Moss (Labour). Died 1 April 2006
- 2002/2003: Mrs Gillian Ann (Gill) Sanders (Labour)
- 2003/2004: Patrick (Pat) Stannard (Labour)
- 2004/2005: Bryan Keen (Labour)
- 2005/2006: Robert John (Bob) Price (Labour)
- 2006/2007: Jim Campbell (LibDem)
- 2007/2008: John Tanner (Labour)
- 2008/2009: Susanna Pressel (Labour)
- 2009/2010: Mary Clarkson (Labour)
Lord Mayor's Parade
This takes place in Oxford each year on the Bank Holiday Monday at the end of May,
soon after the new Lord Mayor starts his or her term of office.
The election of Lord Mayor usually takes place in May each year (immediately after any city council elections). Section 37 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 established the date of local elections throughout the country as the first Thursday in May (but this can be postponed by Statutory Instrument to June if it is necessary that the election coincides with those to the European Parliament)