Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-10-05
LONDON ELECTS
NEW LORD MAYOR
Sir David Burnett Elected to Serve
One year and VIII Take His Seat
November 9.

both ulBhiHeu ana picturesque, and
closely in accord with ancient tradi-
tons and precedents, Sir David Bur-
nett, senior member of the Board of
Aldermen, was today 1scted Lord
Mayor of London for the term of one
year beginning with November g.
For Londerers this annually repeated
quaint but never varying ceremony
has lost much of the charm of novel
ty; some of the younger folk are even
Inclined to poke fun at in mild and
inoffensive way; but to strangers Wis
iting London the ceremonies accomp-
anying the election of a new Lord
Mayor are invariably interesting and
even fascinating Among the throngs
in the vicinity of Guild Hall during
the election ceremonies were many
Americans.
The interest of the day had its CEN
ter in the Guild Hail. where the cleo
ton took place. Outside the historic
building barrier had been erected,
with a score or more of gates, in
scribed with the names of the various
guilds or City Companies" In ac-
cordance with anancient custom sweet
herbs were strewn outside the gates,
TO preserve the civic dignitaries from
the fevers of the crowd"
The members of the city eompan-
les assembled at the Church of ora
Jewry, where they attended the Gus
tomary services preceding the cleo
ton. From the church they walked
in stately procession to the adjoining
Guild Hall. After they were assem-
bled in the big hall of the building,
the town crier solemnly announced
that only 'liverymen" or members of
the city companies were permitted to
remain, while all others must with
draw on pain of Imprisonment. Even
the retiring Lord Mayor and his col
leagues of the Board of Aldermen
were thus excluded from the privacy
of the mofnenteus gathering IVA
Then the common sergeant from
the hustings of Guild Hall read the
names of the two candidates avail
able for election, Sir David Burnett
and Sir T. Vansittart Bowater. The
name of the senior alderman, Sir Da-
vid Burnett, was received with cries
of reclamation from the liverymen,
while the name of the other candidate
was greeted with cries of Next Year"
This really settled the matter but in
accordance with the prescribed rules
o show of hands was taken and the
common sergeant declared that the
choice of the liverymen had fallen
on Sir David Burnett and Sir T. Van
sittart Bowater and that their names
would be submitted for final choice
to a court of aldermen.
The aldermen assembled in their
room in Guild Hall were officially
informed with great solemnity of the
action of the liverymen. After a
short deliDeration the retiring Lord
Mayor and the aldermen marched in
procession to the large hall, where
The announcement that Sir David Bur-
nett had been chosen to fill the Office
of Lord Mayor was GREETED with cheers
Having been invested with the chain
of Office Sir David Burnett returned
thanks for his election in a brief
speech. He win take the oath of Of
fee and formally take charge of his
office on November 8, known as Lord
Mayors Day"
Sir David Burnett was born in 1851
and has been alderman since 1902.
He served his term as Sheriff in 1907
s. In private life he is member of
a firm of surveyors. He was knighted
after the completion of his term as
Sheriff, in 1908.
The City of London over which the
Lord Mayor is elected to rule, is not
great metropolitan London, the larg-
est city in the world, but very in
significant part of it. II lies between
the town of London and Westminster
Abbey, is about one mile square and
contains only $4,000 inhabitants.
The area encloses, however, a number
of important institutions, first among
them being the world-famous Bank of
England, behind the walls of which
reposes at all times a reserve fund of
s100,000e00 in gold. This small ter
ritory is divided into twenty-six wards
each of which elects one member OF
the Board of Aldermen every year
From time immemorial 1t has been
the custom that the senior member of
the Board of Aldermen was elected
Lord Mayor, after he had served his
term as sheriff The salary of the
Lord Mayor is $4,000 year and his
duties are principally representative
and ornamental. The Lord Mayor is
by duty bound to attend an incredi-
Bile number of public and semi-public
dinners and other public functions at
which he is represents the City prop
err not, however the great metropoli-
tan corporation which is governed by
the London County Council, a thourgh'
ly modern institution. the functions OF
which are not surrounded with medi-
aeval pomp and ceremonial and lack
altogether the spectacular and pic
turesque features of the ancient
Titv vrynt.,, N, nrf