List of mayors of Norwich

This is a list of mayors and the later lord mayors of the city of Norwich.

Joseph Clover – Portrait of Crisp Brown, Mayor of Norwich 1817, Norfolk Museums Collections

Norwich had elected a mayor since 1403 when a Charter of Henry IV allowed the Freemen of the city to elect Councillors, Aldermen, Sheriffs and a Mayor serving for one year. The city was awarded the dignity of a lord mayoralty by letters patent in 1910 "in view of the position occupied by that city as the chief city of East Anglia and of its close association with his Majesty".^[1] When Norwich became a metropolitan borough in 1974 the honour was reconfirmed by letters patent dated 1 April 1974.^[2]

Mayors of Norwich

Source (1900–2013): Norwich City Council^[3][4]

Year	Name	Notes
1403–04	William Appleyard	First Mayor of Norwich. MP for Norwich, 1383, 1384, 1385, 1388, 1390, 1395, 1397, 1402, 1416 and 1419
1408–09	Edmund Warner[5]	Merchant. MP for Norwich, 1401
1414–15	John Bixley[6]	Merchant. MP for Norwich, 1413, 1415, 1416, 1419
1421–22	William Sedman[7]	MP for Norwich, 1413, 1414, 1416
1424–25	Robert Baxter[8]	Mercer. MP for Norwich, 1420, 1421
1429–30	Robert Baxter	Mercer. MP for Norwich, 1420, 1421
1435, 1440, 1452 and 1458	Robert Toppes	MP for Norwich
1481 and 1492	Robert Aylmer[9]	Grocer, Sheriff of Norwich in 1471, Alderman of Norwich in 1480
1511	Richard Aylmer[10]	Grocer, Sheriff of Norwich in 1501
1515–16	John Clerke[11]	Mercer. MP for Norwich, 1512
1520–21	John Clerke	Mercer. MP for Norwich, 1512
1521–22	Edward Rede[12]	MP for Norwich, 1529
1531–32	Edward Rede[13]	MP for Norwich, 1529
1532–33	Reginald Lytilprowe[14]	MP for Norwich, 1529
1534–35	Augustine Steward[15]	MP for Norwich, 1539, 1547
1539–40	Nicholas Sotherton[16][17]	Alderman and grocer of Norwich[18]
1542–43	William Rogers[19]	MP for Norwich, 1542
1543–44	Edward Rede[20]	MP for Norwich, 1529
1545–46	Robert Rugge[21]	MP for Norwich, 1545
1546–47	Augustine Steward[22]	MP for Norwich, 1539, 1547
1547-48	Robert Leech[23]
1548-49	Edmond Wood[23]	Died in office
1548-49	William Rogers[23]
1549-50	Thomas Codde[23]
1550–51	Robert Rugge[24]	MP for Norwich, 1545
1551-52	Richard Davy[23]
1552-53	Thomas Cook[23]
1553-54	Henry Crooke[23]
1554–55	Thomas Marsham[25]	MP for Norwich, 1553
1555-56	Felix Puttock[23]	died in office
1555-56	Thomas Codde[23]
1556–57	Augustine Steward[26]	MP for Norwich, 1539, 1547
1557-58	Henry Bacon[23]
1558–59	John Aldrich[27]	MP for Norwich, 1555, 1572
1559-60	Richard Fletcher[23]
1560–61	Robert Michell[28]	MP for Norwich, 1563
1561-62	William Mingay[23]
1562-63	William Ferrour[23]
1563-64	Richard Davy[23]
1564-65	Nicholas Norgate[23]
1565–66	Thomas Sotherton[29]	MP for Norwich, 1558, 1559
1566-67	Henry Bacon[23]
1567-68	Thomas Whall[23]
1568–69	Thomas Parker[30]	MP for Norwich, 1563
1569-70	Robert Wood[23][31]
1570–71	John Aldrich[32]	MP for Norwich, 1555, 1572
1571-72	Thomas Greene[23]
1572–73	Robert Suckling[33]	Mercer. MP for Norwich, 1586
1573-74	Christopher Soam[23]
1574-75	Thomas Peck[23]
1575-76	William Ferrour[23]
1576–77	Thomas Layer[34]	Grocer. MP for Norwich, 1586
1577-78	Thomas Culley[23]
1578-79	Sir Robert Wood[23][31]
1579–80	Simon Bowde[35]	MP for Norwich, 1584
1580-81	Christopher Soam[23]
1581–82	Christopher Layer[36]	Grocer. MP for Norwich, 1584 and 1597
1582–83	Robert Suckling[37]	Mercer. MP for Norwich, 1586
1583–84	Thomas Gleane[38]	Draper or mercer. MP for Norwich, 1589
1584-85	John Suckling[23]
1585-86	Thomas Layer[23]
1586-87	Thomas Peck[23]
1587–88	Francis Rugge[39]	Mercer. MP for Norwich, 1589
1588-89	Simon Bowde[23]
1589–90	Christopher Layer	Grocer. MP for Norwich, 1584 and 1597
1590-91	Thomas Pettus[23]
1591–92	Robert Yarham[40]	MP for Norwich, 1593
1592–93	Thomas Gleane[38]	Draper or mercer. MP for Norwich, 1589
1593-94	Clement Hyrne[23]
1594-95	Christopher Soam[23]
1595-96	Thomas Layer[23]
1596-97	Richard Ferrour[23]
1597-98	Thomas Pye[23]
1598-99	Francis Rugge[23]
1599-1600	Roger Weld[23]
1600–01	Alexander Thurston[41]	MP for Norwich, 1601
1601-02	John Tesmond[23]
1602	Thomas Gleane (disputed)[38]	Gleane was elected in 1602, but the election was disputed.[n1 1][38]
1602-03	Francis Rugge[23]
1603-04	Thomas Lane[23]
1604–05	Thomas Hyrne[42]	Grocer. MP for Norwich, 1614, 1624, 1625, 1626
1605–06	Thomas Sotherton[43]	MP for Norwich, 1597
1606-07	Joshua Culley[23]
1607-08	George Downing[23]
1608–09	John Pettus[44]	MP for Norwich, 1601, 1604
1609–10	Thomas Hyrne	Grocer. MP for Norwich, 1614, 1624, 1625, 1626
1610–11	Roger Ramsey
1611–12	Thomas Anguish
1612–13	Thomas Blosse
1613–14	George Cocke
1614–15	Thomas Pettus
1615–16	Peter Gleane[45]	MP for Norwich, 1628
1616–17	Sir Thomas Hyrne	Grocer. MP for Norwich, 1614, 1624, 1625, 1626
1618–19	Richard Rosse[46]	MP for Norwich, 1621
1621–22	George Birch	Grocer and Apothecary
1624–25	Robert Debney[47]	MP for Norwich, 1628
1652–53	William Barnham[48]	Hosier. MP for Norwich, 1659, 1660
1657–58	Christopher Jay[49]	MP for Norwich, 1661
1660	Sir Joseph Payne[50][51]	Monument in St Gregory Pottergate, Norwich
1670–71	Augustine Briggs[52]	MP for Norwich, 1678
1681–82	Hugh Bokenham[53]	MP for Norwich, 1690
1685–86	Francis Gardiner[54]	MP for Norwich, 1695
1691–92	Thomas Blofield[55]	MP for Norwich, 1689
1694–95	John Ward[56]	MP for Norwich, 1694
1700–01	Edward Clarke[57]	MP for Norwich, 1701
	John Hall
	John Atkinson
	John Freeman
1704	William Blyth
	Peter Thacker
	William Cooke
	Peter Seaman
	Thomas Havers
	Matthew Nall
1710–11	Robert Bene[58]	MP for Norwich, 1710
	William Cockman
	John Goose
	Nicholas Helwys
1714–15	John Norman	Local farmer, landowner and brewer
1734	Philip Meadows	Worsted manufacturer [59][60]
1735	Thomas Vere[61]	MP for Norwich, 1735
1737	John Spurrell[62]	Sheriff 1728, mayor 1737, alderman of South Conisford Ward for nearly 40 years
1759	Nockold Tompson[63]	Brewer
1774	James Crowe	surgeon[64]
1781	John Morse	Brewer, Sheriff of Norwich 1779
1788	John Patteson[65]	MP for Norwich, 1806
1797	James Crowe	Surgeon[64]
1803	John Morse	Brewer, Sheriff of Norwich 1779
1819-20	Nathaniel Bolingbroke	Founder of Bolingbroke & Co
1823	John Staniforth Patteson	Brewer
1824	Thomas Thurtell[66]	Father of John Thurtell
1828–29	Thomas Thurtell[67]
1833–34	Sir Samuel Bignold	MP for Norwich, 1854
1838-39	John Marshall	Dry salter, oil and gum dealer. Sheriff of Norwich 1834-35[68]
1846–47	Jeremiah Colman	Miller. Founder of Colman's Mustard
1848–49	Sir Samuel Bignold	MP for Norwich, 1854
1849–50	Henry Woodcock	Dental Surgeon, Sheriff of Norwich 1838-39[69]
1850–51	Henry Woodcock	Dental Surgeon, Sheriff of Norwich 1838-39[70]
1853–54	Sir Samuel Bignold	MP for Norwich, 1854
1859–60	Jacob Henry Tillett	Solicitor. MP for Norwich, 1880
1860–61	W. J. Utten Browne
1861–62	John Oddin Taylor
1862–63	Henry Stanley Patteson
1863–64	Osborn Springfield
1864–65	Charles Edward Tuck
1865-66	W.P. Nichols	Prominent Norwich surgeon. Liberal
1866–67	Frederick Elwin Watson[71]
1867–68	Jeremiah James Colman	MP for Norwich, 1871
1868–69	Edward Kerrison Harvey
1869–1870	Augustus Frederick Coke Bollingbroke[72]
1870–71	Frederick Elwin Watson[73]
1872–73	Sir Samuel Bignold	MP for Norwich, 1854
1873–74	Samuel Gurney Buxton	of The Hall, Catton, Norfolk
1875–76	Jacob Henry Tillett	Solicitor. MP for Norwich, 1880
1876–77	Richard Coller[74]
1877–78	Joseph De Carle Smith[75]
1878–80	Harry Bullard	Brewer
1883-84	Sir Peter Eade
1885-86	John Gurney	[76]
1886–87	Harry Bullard	Brewer
1891–92	George Moore Chamberlin	Store owner. High Sheriff of Norfolk, 1926
1893-94	Sir Peter Eade
1894–95	Charles Edward Bignold[77]
1895 (May-Nov)	Sir Peter Eade
1895–96	John Moore
1896–97	Sir Charles Rackham Gilman	Knighted 1897
1897–98	Clement Charles Rix Spelman
1898–99	George Henry Morse
1899–1900	James William Clabburn
1900–01	Joseph John Dawson-Paul
1901–02	Russell James Colman
1902–03[78]	Lieutenant Colonel John Robert Harvey
1903–04	Geoffrey Fowell Buxton
1904–05	Henry Zachariah Thompson Flowers
1905–06	Edward Thomas Boardman	Architect[79]
1906–07	William Robert Crow Howlett
1907–08	Edmund Gurney Buxton	High Sheriff of Norfolk, 1922
1908–09	Walter Rye

Notes

1. The city assembly had decided in 1598 that no one was to be mayor more than twice, and that nine years had to elapse between the two periods of office. Gleane had already been twice mayor of Norwich, in 1583–84 and 1592–93. The validity of the election was referred to the Lord Chief Justice and the learned counsel of the city, but Gleane died later that year.

Lord mayors of Norwich

Source: Norwich City Council

Year	Name	Notes
1909–10	Ernest Egbert Blyth
1910–11	Sir Eustace Gurney	of Sprowston Hall
1911–12	Henry John Copeman
1912–13	Arthur Michael Samuel	created Baron Mancroft 1937
1913–14	James Arthur Porter
1914–15	Dr John Gordon Gordon-Munn	Psychiatrist at Heigham Hall
1915–16	Edwin Batterbee Southwell
1916–17	George Moore Chamberlin	Store owner. High Sheriff of Norfolk, 1926
1917–18	Richard Jewson
1918–19	Sir George Moore Chamberlin	Store owner. High Sheriff of Norfolk, 1926
1919–20	George Green
1920–21	Lieutenant Colonel Granville John B Duff
1921–22	Sir Henry Nicholas Holmes
1922–23	Sir George Henry Morse	Brewer
1923–24	Ethel Mary Colman
1924–25	George Stevens Pope	Psychiatrist at Heigham Hall
1925–26	Thomas Glover
1926–27	Sir Charles Robert Bignold
1927–28	Herbert Witard
1928–28	Herbert P Gowen
1929–30	Harry Harper-Smith
1930–31	Mabel Maria Clarkson
1931–32	Sir George Ernest White
1932–33	Sir Henry Nicholas Holmes
1933–34	Frederick C Jex
1934–35	Percy William Jewson	Businessman and MP for Great Yarmouth (1941–45)
1935–36	Walter Alfred Riley
1936–37	Herbert Frazer
1937–38	Charles Frederick Watling
1938–39	Percy Edward Curl
1939–40	James Frederick (Fred) Henderson	Socialist writer
1940–41	Bernard James Hanly
1941–42	James Henry Barnes
1942–43	Arthur J Cleveland
1943–44	William James Finch
1944–45	Edward Frank Williamson
1945–46	Sidney Albert Bailey
1946–47	William Oliver Copeman
Nov 1947 – May 1949	Walter Gibbard Cutbush
May 1949–50	Alfred Ernest Baines
1950–51	Ruth Elsie Hardy
1951–52	Eric John Sidney Hinde
1952–53	William Ernest Walker
1953–54	Ralph Hale Mottram
1954–55	Horace Allen
1955–56	Ian Dunbar Dickson
1956–57	Sir Arthur South
1957–58	Thomas Christopher Eaton
1958–59	Norman Reeve Tillett
1959–60	Michael Waldo Boone Bulman
1960–61	Alfred E Nichols
1961–62	Richard Quinton Gurney
1962–63	Andrew Ryrie
1963–64	Leonard Arthur Howes
1964–65	Sydney W W Clapham
1965–66	Charles Boardman Jewson
1966–67	Harry Perry
1967–68	Cecil Harry Sutton
1968–69	Edward Albert Gambling
1969–70	Jessie Ruby Griffiths
1970–71	Herbert John Jarrold
1971–72	Donald M Pratt
1972–73	Richard B. Seabrook
1973–74	Robert J Symonds
1974–75	William A J Spear
1975–76	Joyce L Morgan
1976–77	Raymond C Frostick
1977–78	Ralph W Roe
1978–79	Dr J Peter English
1979–80	Valerie Guttsman
1980–89	Eric Hartley
1981–82	Alan R Driver
1982–83	L George Richards
1983–84	Leonard A Stevenson
1984–85	Stanley B Petersen
1985–86	Barbara E E Stevenson
1986–87	Jill B Miller
1987–88	Garry S Wheatley
1988–89	David Bradford
1989–90	David Fullman
1990–91	Bernard N Smith
1991–92	Philip Moore
1992–92	Arthur V Clare
1993–94	Roy Durrant
1994–95	Brenda Ferris-Rampley
1995–96	Lila D Cooper
1996–97	Rory E N Quinn
1997–98	Harry W Watson
1998–99	Derek F J Wood
1999–2000	Douglas C Underwood
2000–01	Ron Borrett
2001–02	Keith Ratcliffe
2002–03	Derek F J Wood
2003–04	Chris Southgate
2004–05	Joyce Climie Divers
2005–06	Michael John Banham
2006–07	Felicity E Hartley
2007–08	Roy George Blower
2008–09	Jeremy Nigel Hooke
2009–10	Evelyn J Collishaw
2010–11	Tom Dylan
2011–12	Jennifer Susan Lay
2012–13	Ralph Gayton
2013–14	Keith Driver
2014–15	Judith Lubbock
2015–16	Brenda Arthur
2016–17	Marion Maxwell
2017–18	David Fullman[80]	Second term (see 1989)
2018–19	Martin Schmierer
2019–21	Vaughan Thomas[81]	Terms extended to two years due to deferred elections (COVID-19)
2021–23	Dr Kevin Maguire[81]
2023–24	James Wright[82]