Lord Mayor's Show in London: photos of parade and fireworks

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Photographs of the Lord Mayor's Show in London

The Lord Mayor's Show is a procession which takes place every year after a new representative for the City of London has been appointed. The tradition is about 800 years old. About 500,000 people line the road and cheer as the parade goes past. The event is also broadcast live on British television.

In 2011 the Lord Mayor's Show is on Saturday 12 November.

The Royal Mews
Author: Sir John Miller
Publisher: Pitkin Guides
Date: June 1980

London City Churches
Authors: Leigh Hatts, Paul Middleton
Publisher: Bankside Press
Date: October 2003

THE JOURNEY TO WESTMINSTER

The show starts in the centre of the City of London (near the Bank of England) at 11am.
First, the mayor watches the street parade from outside Mansion House.
The Lord Mayor will later travel in the coach shown below. This was built in 1757, and is pulled by six shire horses.
There are over 20 carriages in the procession - the only event which has more is a coronation.

The Lord Mayor's coach arrives

MILITARY BANDS

Bands from the Queen's guards provide part of the musical entertainment in the parade.

Band of the Household Cavalry

Band of the Welsh Guards

GIANTS

Magog

Gog

Dick Whittington and his cat

SOLDIERS

The Lord Mayor's Show is the biggest military display in Britain, involving over 2,000 soldiers.
The second largest display is Trooping the Colour, a celebration of the Queen's birthday in June each year.

A modern army tank ...

... and a traditional cannon

The Royal Navy

The Royal Gurkha Rifles (from Nepal)

LIVERY COMPANIES

Over a hundred livery companies are represented - each one represents a traditional industry.
The vehicles used in parades such as this are known as floats. This is because originally the Lord Mayor's Show took place on the River Thames: the Lord Mayor and other representatives of the City of London floated down to Westminster on barges.

The City Markets: most of the large
food markets have now moved

The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers:
represented by "Adam and Eve"

The Worshipful Company of Paviors:
an old steamroller (used to make roads)

BANKERS AND LAWYERS

The modern professions in the City of London - including banks and law firms - put on displays together with the charities which they support.

Barclays Bank

Linklaters (a law firm)

HISTORY

Pikemen and Musketeers of the
Honourable Artillery Company
are the Mayor's traditional escort

King Edward the Sixth founded
"King Edward's School"

Swiss guilds join the parade,
riding Household Cavalry horses
in traditional uniforms

ANIMALS

Animals are a popular theme in the parade.

Unicorn Theatre

Colourful dragonfish costumes

The Lions raise money for charity

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home look after
and try to find homes for
dogs or cats which have been abandoned

Poppies are worn at this time of year
to remember those who died in wars

Some members of the procession travel by car.
The "Morris Minors Owners Club" drive their Morris Minors, many of which are over 50 years old.

Cars were first produced by Vauxhall Motors over 100 years ago (Vauxhall is named after a place in south London).

Back to the time of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"

A patriotic British car!

Other members of the procession use alternative methods of transport.

Some travel on horseback ...

... others in a coach
with Yeomen of the Guard
as escorts

Fortnum & Mason's
coach brings the tea and jam

Michelin Man's
modern motor

ARRIVAL IN WESTMINSTER

The Lord Mayor's coach arrives in Westminster when it crosses Temple Bar - the border between the "City of London" and the "City of Westminster".

The new Lord Mayor goes into the Royal Courts of Justice to swear allegiance to the Queen.

RETURN TO THE CITY

The Lord Mayor and the aldermen return to the City to start work promoting the City and to supporting charities. A new mayor will take over next year ...

The Lord Mayor waves his triangular hat at the crowd
before travelling back to the City along Victoria Embankment

Aldermen traditionally wear hand puppets
to entertain the children who are watching

At about 5pm fireworks are launched from a barge on the River Thames (between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge).
Spectators watch from the bridges and from along Victoria Embankment (north bank of the Thames) or Queen's Walk (south bank).
The display lasts about 15 minutes.

FURTHER INFORMATION

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Photographs of the Lord Mayor's Show in London