Bradford’s Civic regalia consist of chains of office for the Lord Mayor, Lady Mayoress, the Deputy Lord Mayor and Deputy Lady Mayoress. The Evening Jewels, Mace and City Sword also form a part of the collection.
The Lord Mayor’s Chain of Office
This extract from William Cudworth’s Historical Notes on the Bradford Corporation published in 1881 explains how the Civic chain came into use:
"The dignity of the Mayoral office was considerably enhanced during Mr. Smith’s occupation by the presentation, on the part of a number of influential townsmen, of a massive gold chain, to be worn by the Mayor on municipal occasions. This badge of office is a beautiful specimen of the goldsmith’s art: the chain is of the “ribbon” pattern, tied in the centre by a medallion, bearing the letters “V.R.” reversed, and from this point is suspended the badge, which contains a crown, shield and crest, surrounded by wreaths of oak leaves and other ornaments tastefully chased. The chain weighs twenty-nine and a half ounces of solid gold and cost £250. The presentation was made on behalf of the subscribers, on October 24th, 1854.”
The central boss, or medallion, bore an inscription on the reverse recording the gift of the chain to the corporation by the burgesses and inhabitants “during the third successive and exemplary mayoralty of Samuel Smith Esq., 24th October 1854”.
The stolen Mayor's chain of 1854
In 1937 the two supporters that form a part of the City’s coat of arms – a ram and an Angora goat – were modelled in solid gold and added to the massive and exquisitely ornamented badge.
The two images below show the badge prior to this 1937 embellishment and afterwards.
The stolen Mayor's chain showing detail of the original medallion
Detail of the post-1937 medallion augmented with supporters flanking the shield
The chain of office was revalued at that time and was said to be worth £562.
The theft of the Lord Mayor’s Chain
On Tuesday 4th December 1945, the then Lord Mayor of Bradford – and, incidentally, the first female holder of the office – Alderman Kathleen Chambers, JP visited Leeds to attend a reception at the University. Before doing so she called in at the offices of the Northern Committees’ Association for the Blind, of which she was Chairman, in Blenheim Terrace. The Austin 24 Civic car was parked in the driveway and was soon hemmed-in by other vehicles. An attaché case which contained the Lord Mayor’s chain of office was concealed in a secret compartment and could not be seen from the outside.
While the car was temporarily left unattended it was stolen and the vehicle was not recovered until just before midnight. In it was the attaché case specially made to hold the Lord Mayor’s chain. It was empty. The combined Police forces of Bradford and Leeds searched for the chain, while the press speculated that it was “a planned affair”.
The chain’s insurers posted a £100 reward for information resulting in the recovery of the chain, but it was never found. In 1945 prices the chain was estimated to be valued at £1000. Three Leeds men were later accused of involvement in the theft and in 1946 a man was jailed after the court was told that the chain had since been broken up.
Bradfordians rally to create a replacement
Gold was in short supply in the immediate aftermath of the war so Alderman William Illingworth, who had been Lord Mayor in 1940, launched an appeal to Bradfordians in the Telegraph and Argus. Local people responded well and contributed many items of old gold – from pencil holders and coins to military badges – towards the required 100 ounces.
The new chain was fashioned from the old gold in the Birmingham workshops of Fattorini and Sons Limited, under the watchful eye of Mr William Norman their chief designer and arrived in Bradford in March 1947 in time for formal presentation at the centenary meeting of the Council in June that year. On the reverse of the boss is an inscription which recounts its creation.
The Lord Mayor's replacement chain of 1947 - shown with the Lady Mayoress's chain inset - from a photographic survey of the Civic regalia in the 1960s by C H Wood
After Bradford became a metropolitan authority in 1974 and acquired a new coat of arms, the badge was replaced. This solid gold badge, bearing the new arms enamelled in full heraldic colours, was generously donated by Mr and Mrs Colin Wilkinson and family in 1977.
Lord Mayor's chain, with its 1977 medallion
The Lady Mayoress’s Chain of Office
The Lady Mayoress’s gold chain and badge were purchased as the result of a sub-committee decision and was provided by subscription list (subscriptions limited to £1.1.0d) initiated by the City Council and Justices. It was presented to the Mayoress (for, at that time, Bradford did not have the distinction of a Lord Mayoralty) on 14th February 1899.
Decorative gold lozenges around the chain bear the names of previous office holders. The badge has since been replaced by one bearing the post-1974 coat of arms.
The Lady Mayoress's chain, dates from 1899
The Evening Jewels
When attending functions in evening dress, the weighty day chains may be deemed uncomfortable or inappropriate and, on these occasions, the Evening Jewels may be worn.
The Lord Mayor’s Evening Jewel was presented anonymously in 1954 and is of solid 18ct gold with the arms, crest and motto enamelled in brilliant colours. The supporting goat is fashioned in 18ct white gold and the ram in 18ct white gold oxidized. The diamond rose spray and all settings are in platinum.
The Lady Mayoress’s Evening Jewel was presented anonymously in 1955 and is described as ‘a diamond collar necklet, with four diamond festoons each side, in all platinum and diamond, crystal and platinum circle pendant, with double circle of diamonds and incorporating the Bradford arms in relief enamel (obverse) and inscription (reverse)’. There are 289 diamonds in the necklet.
Evening Jewels - Lady Mayoress's on left, Lord Mayor's on right
Lord Mayor's Evening Jewel in detail
The Mace
The Mace was presented in 1873 at the opening of the Town Hall by the Mayor himself, Alderman Matthew William Thompson. Thompson was a very well-respected local figure and served as Mayor of Bradford for three terms in the Victorian period. The Mace, made by the London firm of Cox and Sons at a cost of £150, is of 9ct gold and is richly ornamented with boars’ heads in relief and studded with semi precious stones, cabochons and agates.
The Mace symbolises the authority of the Lord Mayor and is still regularly used today, carried by a Macebearer, on occasions of Civic ceremony. It is also placed before the Lord Mayor when a meeting of the District Council is in session. According to Civic protocol, on only one occasion can a Mace be inverted – this takes place in the presence of the monarch when municipal authority is deemed to be derogated.
Civic Mace, 1873, in a study by C H Wood
Deputy Lord Mayor's chain and original medallion in a study by C H Wood
