This is a list of mayors of Cardiff, Wales. The first mayor recorded for Cardiff was in 1126 though the title was generally given to the Constable or military governor of Cardiff Castle.[1] The first elected Mayor of Cardiff took office in 1835 (elected by the members of the council), the same year the first council elections were held.[1] When Cardiff was granted city status in 1905 the post holder was given the title Lord Mayor[1] (Welsh: Arglwydd Faer). The Lord Mayor of Cardiff is considered to be the first citizen of Wales and since 1956 has enjoyed the style of The Right Honourable.[2]
The first mayor of Cardiff is listed by the County Borough Records as Ralph "Prepositus de Kardi" who took up office in 1126. In 1835, Thomas Revel Guest became the first elected mayor of Cardiff when the first council elections were held. When Cardiff was granted city status in 1905 Cardiff's First Citizen became lord mayor. Robert Hughes, the mayor in 1904, was re-elected to become Cardiff's first lord mayor in the following year. The lord mayor was granted the right to the style "The Right Honourable." The lord mayor now bears the style "The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Cardiff".[3]
In 1999 a new system was introduced whereby the leader of the council could also serve as mayor for the duration of the council without re-election. This led to Russell Goodway serving as both council leader and mayor from 1999 to 2003. From 2003 the mayoralty reverted to a separate role, elected annually.[4]
The official residence of the Lord Mayor of Cardiff was the Mansion House, Cardiff, although the Lord Mayors have not lived there since 1971.[5]
The years given are for when each mayor took office. Most mayoral terms extended into the following year.
1836: Thomas Revell Guest, from 1 January[6] Also Judge of the Borough Court of Record.[1]
1900: Thomas Andrews – Cllr John Jenkins, a councillor for 10 years, had initially been elected to the post. It was the first time the position of mayor had been offered to a Labour councillor. However, Jenkins refused the post and left the council chamber. Andrews was elected following a second vote.[12]
1989: Mary Elizabeth (Beti) Jones JP, the first Girl Guide Lord Mayor of Cardiff.[citation needed]
1990: John Smith (Labour)
1991: Jeffrey Sainsbury (Conservative), came to office earlier than expected, after two nominees lost their seats in the May 1991 election.[21]
1992: Derek Allinson
1993: Victor Riley
1994: Ricky Ormonde
1995: Timothy Davies
1996: John Phillips
1997: Max Phillips
1998: Marion Drake
1999: Russell Goodway (Labour). From 1999 council elections, the Leader of the council was nominated as Lord Mayor for the lifetime of the council.[10]
2000: Russell Goodway
2001: Russell Goodway
2002: Russell Goodway
2003: Gordon Houlston (Labour). From 2003 election, reverted to annual appointment of Lord Mayor.[10]
2012: Derrick Morgan, from 27 September 2012 – between May and September 2012 the position of Lord Mayor was unfilled, while the new Labour council attempted to split the responsibilities of the mayor between two councillors. Cllr Cerys Furlong (Labour) filled the traditional mayoral role of Chair of the Council during this period.[25]
Mayors and other secular officials, British History Online, information reproduced from Cardiff Records: Volume 5 edited by John Hobson Matthews (1905) pp. 508–548. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
Matthews, John Hobson (1903). CARDIFF RECORDS BEING MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF THE COUNTY BOROUGH FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES. London: ORDER OF THE CORPORATION AND SOLD BY HENRY SOTHERAN & Co.. pp.441–445.
Elizabeth Baigent, 'Vachell, Ada Marian [Sister Ada] (1866–1923)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 8 Oct 2016
