The Mayor of Monmouth is an elected position given to a town councillor in Monmouth in Wales. The position dates back about 750 years.
History The position of Mayor in Monmouth was established in the 13th century by the people who were controlling the town's market. A seal was obtained from King Henry III confirming the rights and privileges of the position and the right to also establish bailiffs for the town. The position was confirmed in 1447 when Henry VI granted a charter to the town which permitted the town to raise taxes to pay for the town and also gave some freedom from the King's taxes. (Henry VI's father had been born in the town.) This charter confirmed the position of mayor as an annual elected position and agreed that two maces should be carried before the elected person. These maces survive and carry the arms of the Duchy of Lancaster.
An elected mayor and bailiffs came to lead this body and by the middle of the 13th century a seal had been acquired from King Henry III with certain privileges. The office of mayor can be dated from this time.
John Speed mentions the position again in 1611 when he itemises the authorities as a mayor, two bailiffs and fifteen councillors. This list is still true in 2012.
In 1813 that was a court case concerning the over the influence of the Duke of Beaufort in the appointment of Mayors of Monmouth. The case was won by a team including local historian, Charles Heath but the Duke found other ways of gaming the system. Heath eventually became Mayor in 1819 and 1821.
In 1835 the Municipal Corporations Act adjusted the powers but identified 1666 as the defining date of Monmouth's last charter.
William Sambrook who was a local chemist and a keen supporter of Monmouth Baptist Church was elected Mayor of Monmouth nine times.
List of mayors (incomplete)
1675 – Richard BallardKissack K., (2003) Monmouth and its Buildings. Logaston Press 1744 – William Williams 1785 – William Cecel 1786 – Luke Phillips 1787 – Thomas Morrison? 1806 – Thomas Prosser Keith Kissack, Monmouth School and Monmouth 1614–1995, Lapridge Publications, 1995, , p.41 1819 – Charles Heath 1820 – Rev. Thomas Prosser 1821 – Charles Heath 1822 – Hezekiah Swift 1836 – Thomas Watkins 1837 – Thomas Watkins 1838 – Thomas Prosser 1839 – Thomas Prosser 1839 – Thomas DykeKeith Kissack, Victorian Monmouth, The Monmouth Historical and Educational trust, , page 196 1840 – John Leach Nicholas 1841 – John Leach Nicholas 1842 – George Willis 1843 – George Willis 1844 – James Pearce King 1845 – James Pearce King 1852 – John Mayou 1860 – John Leach Nicholas 1861 – John Leach Nicholas 1862 – George Willis M.D. 1863 – George Willis M.D. 1864 – James Pearce King 1865 – James Pearce King 1870 – Alexander Rolls 1871 – Alexander Rolls 1872 – Alexander Rolls 1873 – Alexander Rolls 1874 – Thomas Jones Baker 1875 – Thomas Richard Hyam 1876 – Thomas Richard Hyam 1877 – Joseph Coates 1879 – Arthur Vizard 1880 – G.P. Tippins 1883 – Champney Powell 1884 – Champney Powell 1885 – Champney Powell 1889 – William Hall 1891 – William Honeyfield, 1891–96 1896 – John Rolls, 1st Baron Llangattock 1896 – Col J.H. Walwyn 1898 – Col J.H. Walwyn 1899-1900 – James Howse 1900-01 – Hamilton Traherne BaillieKelly's Directory of Monmouthshire, 1901 1901-02 – Hamilton Traherne Baillie (second term) 1902-03 – Hamilton Traherne Baillie (third term)Alan Sutton Publishing, Monmouth and the River Wye in Old Photographs, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1989, , page 16 1903 - G. R. Edwards 1904 - G. R. Edwards 1906 – Major John Rolls, 2nd Baron Llangattock 1907 – Major John Rolls, 2nd Baron Llangattock 1908 – W Sambrook 1909 – W Sambrook 1914 - W Bunting 1910 – W Sambrook 1921 – A.T. Blake Alan Sutton Publishing, Monmouth and the River Wye in Old Photographs, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1989, , page 35 1934 – Charles James Jones 1950 – Bernard Partridge 1951 – Bernard Partridge 1952 – Bernard Partridge 1953 – Bernard Partridge 1954 – Stanley Howard Bowen 1955 – Stanley Howard Bowen 1956 – James Benjamin Breakwell 1957 – James Benjamin Breakwell 1958 – Richard Pryce Burnet Thomas 1959 – Richard Pryce Burnet Thomas 2009 – Terry Christopher10m Gibraltar Care Home ... 2010 – Ann Were 2011 – Jeana Hall 2012 – Gerry Bright 2013 – Jeana Hall 2014 – Jane Gunter 2015 – Graham Pritchard 2016 - Terry Christopher 2017 - Felicity Cotton 2018 - Terry Christopher 2019 - Richard Roden 2020 - Mat Feakins 2021 - Terry Christopher 2022 - Alice Fletcher 2023 - Tom Kirton 2024 - David Evans 2025 - Jackie Atkin 2026 - Rob Barrell
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