The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-26

BY La MARQUIsE DE FONTENOY.
n 1R THOMAS NESEY STRONG, who
comes UP for election on Thurs
~ day next as Lord Mayor of Lon
don, and who, having no compe-
titton, is already assured of victory, Is
q teetotaller, the first temperance
leader to fill the ancient office Of chief i,,
He is at the head of all sorts OF tenn
perance organizations, and an enthu-
siast on the subject of total absti-
nence-a cause which one does not
usually associate in ones mind with
Lord Mayors of London; for the latter
have for hundreds of years past been
renowned for the lavish character of
their hospitality and for the excel
lence of their cheer, especially in the
matter of fine wines, The cellars OF
the Mansion House enjoy a celebrity
that is international, and it is to be
hoped that when he is elected on
some assurance that where they are
concerned, he will not permit his tenn
perance fervor to influence him TO any
iconoclastic action, or TO impair the
The idea OF a Lord Mayors banquet,
with only water to wash down the
world famed turtle soup, and at which
no wine is served, would be suttcient
chief magistrates to turn in horror in
their graves.
Sir Thomas is the head of the great
paper supply firm of Strong, Hanbury
e. company Of Upper Thames street;
governments with the paper that they
require Like so many of his prede-
cessors in the office Of chief magis-
trate OF the city of London, he is
self made man, and has not had the
advantages OF education at any of the
great colleges or universities of his
native land, having gone into business
at a very early age. He owes his
kniEhthood to the TACT that he ne wa wa
inasmuch as he has selected the WORD
promptly" for the code address of his
firm, he may be relied upon to trans
act the duties of his great Office with
than most of the aldermen who have
been elected to the chair was married
ten years ago to Miss Lille Hartnol.
has been master OF the ancient Guild
Company of Plumbers" and finds his
chief recreation in sculling on the
Thames.
All sorts Of trades are, represented
London, whose term Of office is for
Wotton, who was Lord Mayor during
the reign of Henry ". was pawn
as "uncle" to the King who being on
one occasion hard pressed for money.
pledged his jewels with "Old Nick"
Thomas coke, Lord Mayor IN 146s, was
a bootmaker. and to promote his bnsl-
the citizens of London to wear boots
with turned up toes of prod!gious
length, and filming. heavily all those
who dlsobeyed/ his mandate. John
Mayor Walwortb who killed the rebel
Wat Tyler, was barber when elected,
but becoming a member OF the clergy
during his term OF office, claimed the
right to occupy the pulpit Of any
Samuel Fleyer Lord Mayor in 176ll.
was a bricklayer; and the famous Dick
Wilmington, thrice Lord Mayor OF
London, and or cat celebrity, was a
bakers, printers and fishmongers figure
on the list. urapers and goldsmiths,
however, being more extensively rep
resented than any other trade,
years. a1S the in0 9th rs Of November next VIII
be observed In London as a purely
municipal festival; for the date is not
only that OF the inauguration of the
Lord Mayors annual term OF office, but
King, and throughout his. life, during
his near sixty years OF heirship appar-
ent and his nine years OF reign, It
was always celebrated as naion a!
Of r1s onao NJ ' grew up
believe that there was some connec-
ton between Lord MAYORS Day and
the royal birthday, other than that or
mere fortultous coincidence.
Formerly, Lord Mayors OF London
We're Installed in Office on October 20.
the day after the feast OF ST. Simon
and ST Jude. But this date was
changed more than 100 years ago to
November by statute bearing the
signature of George IT. The election
of the Lord MAYOR OF London used 10
be held on the Feast OF the Translation
OF st, Edward, October 1S, but 1T was
altered to Mchaclmas Day, that is to,
say, to the 29th OF September, by an
act OF the Common Council, dating
from the reign OF King Henry VIII,
The Lord MAYOR Is clected on that NY