Hereford City Council

Twinned with Dillenburg, Germany & Vierzon, France

At the time of the Conquest the Sovereign appointed the chief magistrates of cities. That of London was called the Port Reeve, but King Henry ll changed the word to the Norman ‘Maire’ – our term Mayor. King John made the office annual and King Edward lll conferred the title The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London in 1354 a title, which is also held by the Lord Mayor of York. The correct title for the Mayor of Hereford is ‘The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Hereford’. The title Right Worshipful has its origins in the quaint expression of a ‘worthy’ or person of local importance, and implying honour and dignity to the holder of the office. The title is quite rare and the ‘Right Worth-ship’ has evolved to Right Worshipful which is a great honour for the City. Most Mayors are only the ‘Worshipful the Mayor of ……’.

Letters Patent 15 November 1383

King Richard ll 1383  

	Grant that the chief officer be styled Mayor. The office of the Chief Bailiff of the city, who was elected annually by certain of the citizens his brethren according to well established and approved custom, differed in no particulars from that of mayor. Only the name is changed by this charter, probably to bring Hereford into line with towns of similar status whose chief officer was so styled. The title of Mayor of Hereford was indeed employed before this date in sundry royal instruments so this charter merely regularized the use of a title of status.
List of Mayors
15th Century
16th Century
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century

Name

No.

Year

Name

No.

Year

FOURTEENTH CENTURY MAYORS

King Richard ll 

Thomas Whitfield	1	1382		John Prophete	10	1391
Henry Catchpoole	2	1383		Thomas Whitfield	11	1392
Henry Catchpoole	3	1384		Thomas Whitfield	12	1393
Richard Scudamore	4	1385		Richard Scudamore	13	1394
Richard Scudamore	5	1386		John Trovie	14	1395
Richard Scudamore	6	1387		John Trovie	15	1396
Richard Faulke	7	1388		Thomas Chippenham	16	1397
Richard Scudamore	8	1389		Thomas Chippenham	17	1398
Thomas Chippenham	9	1390

King Henry lV

Thomas Chippenham

18

1399

John Falke

19

1400

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 FIFTEENTH CENTURY MAYORS

King Henry lV

John Falke	20	1401		John Mey	26	1407
John Falke	21	1402		John Mey	27	1408
John Falke	22	1403		John Mey	28	1409
John Falke	23	1404		John Mey	29	1410
John Mey	24	1405		John Mey	30	1411
John Mey	25	1406		John Falke	31	1412

King Henry V

John Mey	32	1413		John Mey	37	1418
John Mey	33	1414		Walter Mibb	38	1419
John Mey	34	1415		Thomas Chippenham	39	1420
John Mey	35	1416		John Falke	40	1421
John Mey	36	1417

 King Henry Vl

John Falke	41	1422		William Berrington	61	1442
John Mey	42	1423		Henry Chippenham	62	1443
John Mey	43	1424		Nicholas Falke	63	1444
John Mey	44	1425		Nicholas Falke	64	1445
John Mey	45	1426		John Fuyster	65	1446
John Mey	46	1427		Richard Green	66	1447
John Mey	47	1428		Maurice Newton	67	1448
John Mey	48	1429		John Wellford	68	1449
George Braynton	49	1430		John Fuyster	69	1450
George Braynton	50	1431		John Chippenham	70	1451
George Braynton	51	1432		John Chippenham	71	1452
George Braynton	52	1433		John Fuyster	72	1453
John Fuyster	53	1434		Maurice Newton	73	1454
John Falke	54	1435		Richard Green	74	1455
Henry Chippenham	55	1436		John Chippenham	75	1456
John Woodward	56	1437		John Chippenham	76	1457
John Woodward	57	1438		John Chippenham	77	1458
John Fuyster	58	1439		John Chippenham	78	1459
John Falke	59	1440		Maurice Newton	79	1460
John Mey	60	1441

King Edward lV

John Vintnor	80	1461		George Welford	91	1472
Thomas Berington	81	1462		John Parsons	92	1473
James Mey	82	1463		Thomas Brinles	93	1474
John Nash	83	1464		Thomas Mey	94	1475
Thomas Berington	84	1465		John Trylow	95	1476
John Barton	85	1466		Thomas Bromwich	96	1477
Oliver Cromwel	86	1467		George Monington	97	1478
John Fowler	87	1468		John Barton	98	1479