Preston's first recorded Mayor was a man called Aubrey, Son of Robert, who held the office in 1327.

Apart from his name, we know little about him, but he was almost certainly an influential and wealthy businessman of his time, whom a select band of similarly wealthy merchants had agreed should be Preston's first citizen. The vast majority of the townspeople would have had no say in his selection. Universal suffrage was still a very long way off!

Today, the Mayor of Preston must firstly be a Member of the Council, duly elected by his or her constituents in local government elections. Then, usually after many years as a Councillor, and with the consent of the majority of his peers, a Mayor is chosen for a period of one year. At the end of this period he or she will spend a further 12 months as the Deputy Mayor assisting and deputising for the Mayor when necessary. Election of the Mayor takes place at the Annual Council Meeting held in May.

Once every 20 years a Mayor is chosen to oversee the Preston Guild Celebrations and is known as the Guild Mayor. The next Guild will be held in 2012.

The primary function of the Mayor is to chair the meetings of Council which are held at the Town Hall approximately every eight weeks. Like his fellow councillors he may vote at these meetings and in the event of a tie, he or she has an additional casting vote. The secondary function of the Mayor is to act as the town's First Citizen, its civic representative. He or she will be called upon to meet important visitors to the city or to open new schools, businesses, health centres etc. The list of engagements for the Mayor is huge with well over 500 in an average year. These may involve welcoming Royalty in the morning and assisting in a prestigious opening ceremony, presenting a bouquet and good wishes to a delighted centenarian in the afternoon and greeting a professional institute at their Annual Dinner in the evening. Apart from a wide wardrobe, the Mayor of Preston needs stamina!

Since the electoral reforms of 1928, a Mayor can be either a man or a woman. The Mayor's partner, if a women, is called the Mayoress but if the Mayor's partner is a man, he is called the Consort. Despite the modern emphasis on political correctness, the Mayor of Preston whether a man or a woman, is usually addressed as 'Mr Mayor'.

Date Updated: 10/12/08