List of mayors of Wolverhampton

This is a list of mayors of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands of England, historically part of Staffordshire.[1][2] Wolverhampton has elected a town council, which in turn has elected a Mayor, since 1848.

Mayors of Wolverhampton

19th century

No.	Image	Mayor	Tenure	Terms	Notes
1		George Benjamin Thorneycroft	1848/49	1	Ironmaster. First Mayor of Wolverhampton.
2		George Robinson	1849/50	1	Solicitor
3		Joseph Walker	1850/51	1	Confectioner. St Mary's Ward.
4		William Warner	1851/52	1	Draper, Borough Magistrate
5		Jeremiah Wynn	1852/53	1	Factor, Earp & Wynn, St John's Sq. Borough Magistrate.
6		John Neve	1853/54	1	Ironmonger & nail manufacturer, Magistrate
7		James Shipton	1854/55	1	Timber merchant and licensed carrier
8		Edward Perry	1855/57	2	Japanning & tinplate works owner. Tenure extended due dispute between the Council and the Wolverhampton Water Works Co. County & Borough Magistrate. St John's Ward.
9		Moses Ironmonger	1857/58	1	Rope and twine factory owner, Chief Magistrate and president of the Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce
10		John Hartley	1858/59	1	Ironmaster and Borough Magistrate.
11		Benjamin Hicklin	1859/60	1	Carrier, railway agent and farmer. Borough Magistrate.
12		Charles Clarke	1860/61	1	Grocer, Merchant and General Warehouseman. St George's Ward.
13		George Lees Underhill	c. 27 November 1861[3]—1862	1	Iron merchant. Led the people of Wolverhampton in a subscription to raise funds to erect a statue in the memory of Prince Albert. Borough Magistrate, JP.
14		Henry Hartley Fowler	1862/63	1	Solicitor. Borough Magistrate. Afterwards Rt Hon Viscount Wolverhampton GCSI
15		John Hawksford	1863/64	1	Attorney & solicitor, First Catholic Mayor of Wolverhampton
16		John Ford	1864/65	1	Hardware merchant
17		Joseph Crowther Smith	1865/66	1	Solicitor
18		Sir John Morris,	1866/67	1	Artificial manure manufacturer & farmer. St Paul's Ward.
19		James Langman	1867/68	1	Master pawnbroker. St George's Ward.
20		Moses Ironmonger	1868/69	1	Rope and twine factory owner. Chief Magistrate. 2nd term as Mayor of Wolverhampton
21		Thomas Bantock	1869/70	1	Ironmaster & Industrialist
22		James Walker	1870/71	1	Estate agent
23		Joseph Ford	1871/72	1	Foreign merchant
24		Isaac Jenks	1872/73	1	Ironmaster. Donated the gold chain and badge of office still in use today
25		William Highfield Jones	1873/74	1	Built one of the largest japanning businesses in Wolverhampton. Borough Magistrate. St John's Ward.
26		William Edwards	1874/75	1	Edge Tool Manufacturer & J.P.
27		John Clarkson Major	1875/76	1	Yorkshire-born chemist, set up first tar distillery in Wolverhampton
28		Samuel Dickinson	1876/77	1	Iron merchant & broker. Borough Magistrate.
29		David Kendrick	1877/78	1	Ironmaster
30		John Jones	1878/81	3	Ironmaster. Opened West Park, the first of Wolverhampton's large parks. Second longest number of consecutive terms as Mayor (3)
31		Herbert C Owen	1881/82	1	Solicitor
32		Francis Davis Gibbons	1882/83	1	Agricultural artificial manure manufacturer. Borough Magistrate. St James's Ward.
33		John Brotherton	1883/84	1	Master Tube manufacturer. St George's Ward.
34		John Annan	1884/85	1	Chief engineer & manager, Wolverhampton Gas Company. Dunstall Ward. Borough Magistrate.
35		Joseph G Wright	1885/86	1	Ironmaster
36		Thomas Vincent Jackson	1886/87	1	Surgeon. First member of the medical profession to become Mayor. Borough Magistrate. St Peter's Ward.
37		Joseph Jones	1887/88	1	Ironmaster. Borough Magistrate. St Matthew's Ward.
38		Frederic Edward Manby	1888/89	1	Surgeon
39		John Marston	1889/91	2	Motorcycle and car manufacturer (Sunbeam). Borough Magistrate. Merridale Ward.
40		James Saunders	1891/92	1	Iron broker & agent
41		Charles Tertius Mander	1892/96	4	Created baronet 1911. Longest number of consecutive terms as Mayor (4). Park Ward.
42		Stephen Craddock	1896/97	1	Owner with brother George of Craddock Bros, boot and shoe manufacturers of Wolverhampton. Born Northamptonshire 1853, died 1925. St George's Ward. Borough Magistrate.
43		Alexander McBean	1897/98	1	Iron merchant. Borough Magistrate, JP. Blakenhall Ward.
44		Price Lewis	1898/99	2	Master tailor. Borough Magistrate. Graiseley Ward.
45		Samuel Theodore Mander	1899-September 1900	1	Varnish manufacturer. Died in Office, 14 September 1900. St Mark's Ward.

20th century

No.	Image	Mayor	Tenure	Terms	Notes
46		Price Lewis	1900 (September–November)	1	Master Tailor. JP
47		John Walton Hamp	1900 (November)–1901	1	Surgeon & Chief Magistrate. St John's Ward.
48		Charles Paulton Plant	1901/02	1	Wine merchant & brewer. St Peter's Ward. Chairman Streets Committee.
49		George Rennie Thorne	1902/03	1	Liberal. Solicitor & Lay preacher. St Matthew's Ward.[4]
50		Levi Johnson	1903/04	1	(29 May 1850 - 12 August 1937) Brewer & Wine merchant. First treasurer of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Elected to Town Council in 1881 St John's Ward. Borough Magistrate in 1899, in 1900, Honorary Freeman of the Borough in 1926. Daughter called Alice Wulfrun Bayley Johnson born during mayoralty. Pioneer of cycle trade and chairman of Star Motor Company. Chairman of Wolverhampton Freeholders Permanent Building Society.
51		Richard Evans Willoughby Berrington	1904/05	1	Civil engineer
52		Albert Baldwin Bantock	1905–1907	2	Coal & Iron agent, High Sheriff of Staffordshire
53		Fred Evans	1907/08	1
54		Edward Lewis Cullwick	1908–1909 (April)	1	Harness manufacturer. Died in Office, 1 April 1909
55		Fred Evans	1909 (April–November)	1
56		John Grout	1909 (November)–1910	1	Physician And surgeon
57		Charles Thomas Richards	1910/11	1	Pawnbroker And Jeweller
58		Thomas William Dickinson	1911–1913	2	Fruit merchant & farmer
59		Frederick Howard Skidmore	1913/14	1	Auctioneer & Valuer
60		Albert Baldwin Bantock	1914/15	1	First Mayor to stand for a third term
61		Arthur Charles Skidmore	1915–1917	2	(c. 1865–28 May 1940) Solicitor, Borough Coroner
62		John Francis Myatt	1917/18	1	Brewer
63		Alfred George Jeffs	1918/19	1	Wholesale grocer
64		Thomas Austin Henn	1919/20	1	(c. 1871–6 May 1948), Jeweller. Freeman of Wolverhampton.
65		James Thompson	1920–1922	2	(c. 1864, Bilston–1934), Chairman of John Thompson Ltd., manufacturers. High Sheriff of Staffordshire, he lived at Ludstone Hall, Claverley. He was injured in a fall from a horse in 1933 and died the following year
66		Thomas Frost	1922/23	1	(c. 1864–22 May 1953) Founder of Thomas Frost Shopfitting
67		Joseph Clark	1923–1925	2
68		Frederick Albert Willcock	1925–1927	2	Retired chemist
69		Albert Edward Wood	1927–1929	2
70		Alan Davies	1929/30	1	(c. 1874–24 January 1954)
71		Joseph Haddock	1930/31	1	(c. 1874–25 June 1957), later manager of the Star and Garter Hotel.
72		John Lewis	1931–1932 (February)	1	Died in Office, 25 February 1932
73		Joseph Haddock	1932 (March–November)	1	Elected Mayor for remainder of Municipal year
74		Sir Charles Arthur Mander (Baronet)	1932 (November)–1933	1	Alderman
75		Bertram Kidson	1933/34	1	Chartered Accountant
76		Morris Christopher	1934/35	1
77		James Whittaker	1935/36	1	(c. 1866–3 April 1940). Died following a motor car accident near Ascot.
78		Sir Charles Arthur Mander (Baronet)	1936/37	1
79		Richard Ernest Probert	1937/38	1
80		George Edwin John Luce	1938/39	1
81		Harry Austin White	1939/40	1	(c. 1883–24 November 1947)
82		Albert Abraham Beach	1940/41	1
83		George Bates	1941/42	1
84		Anacletus Byrne-Quinn	1942/43	1	Physician & Surgeon, MB BS MRCS Eng. LRCP Lond. The Poplars, Third Ave., Low Hill, Fallings Park. (13 July 1903—1987 W'ton)
85		Frederick Stephen Thompson	1943/44	1	(c. 1871–27 March 1945) Boiler Works Manager
86		Thomas William Phillipson	1944/45	1	Former Wolves footballer and prolific striker.[5]
87		William Lawley	1945/46	1
88		Cyril Bernard Vincent Taylor	1946/47	1
89		Herbert Edwin Lane	10 November 1947–23 May 49	2
90		Henry "Harry" Bowdler	1949/50	1	(c. 1889–1 April 1957)
91		Louis Reginald Guy	1950/51	1	(1899 W'ton—1974 W'ton)
92		James Beattie	1951/52	1	Joint Managing Director of James Beattie Ltd., grandson of the founder. (chairman and managing director in 1961)
93		Harold Thomas Fullwood	1952/53	1
94		Alice Annie Braybrook	18 May 1953–1954	1	Wolverhampton's first woman Mayor.
95		Leonard James Woolridge	24 May 1954/55	1
96		Frank Mansell	23 May 1955/56	1
97		George Rastall	28 May 1956/57	1
98		Ruby Florence Ilsley	20 May 1957–1958	1
99		John Clement Horner	1958/59	1
100		Norman Frank Bagley	1959/60	1
101		Harold Marsh	1960/61	1
102		Charles Herbert Davies	1961/62	1
103		Malcolm Pascal Birch	1962/63	1
104		Herbert Preece	1963/64	1
105		Harry Bagley	1964/65	1
106		Frank Clapham	1965/66	1
107		Frank Stanley Smith	1966/67	1
108		Edward (Ted) Yardley Fullwood	1967/68	1
109		Robert Campbell	1968/69	1
110		Stanley Steventon Tatem	1969/70	1
111		Gerald Anthony Guy	1970/71	1
112		Francis Victor Law	1971/72	1
113		Arthur Storer	1972/73	1
114		Dennis Arthur Birch	1973/74	1
115		Samuel Herbert Reynolds	1974/75	1
116		Edward Mitchell	1975/76	1
117		Arthur Ernest Steventon	1976/77	1
118		Jessie Emma Beddoes	1977/78	1
119		Violet Amy Fletcher	1978/79	1
120		Ian George Claymore	1979/80	1
121		Herbert Edwin Lane	1980/81	1	2nd term as Mayor
122		Ernest William Bold	1981/82	1
123		John Arthur Morey	1982/83	1
124		Alfred Christopher Laws	1983/84	1
125		Stanley Arthur Ledsam	1984/85	1
126		George Fredrick Howells	1985/86	1
127		Bishan Dass	1986/87	1	Labour, Ettingshall Ward, first elected 1 May 1975.[6]
128		Doreen Mildred Seiboth	1987/88	1
129		Philip Reginald Richards	1988/89	1
130		Richard Reynolds	1989/90	1
131		John Geraghty	1990–1990 (October)	1
132		Richard Reynolds	1990 (October)–1991	1	2nd term as Mayor
133		Surjan Singh Duhra	1991/92	1	Labour, St Peter's Ward, election history from 4 May 1978 to 5 May 2011.[7][8][9]
134		Raymond Bert Swatman	1992/93	1
135		Richard Fredrick Whitehouse	1993/94	1	Liberal Independent, Spring Vale Ward, first elected 3 May 1984.[10]
136		Stanley Arthur Ledsam	1994/95	1	2nd term as Mayor
137		Margaret Mary Benton	1995/96	1	Labour, Bilston North Ward, election history from 2 May 1991 to 1 May 2003.[11][12][13]
138		George Fredrick Howells	1996/97	1	2nd term as Mayor
139		Francis Docherty	1997/98	1	Labour, East Park Ward, election history from 2 May 1991 to 5 May 2011.[14][15][16]
140		Gwendoline (Gwen) Mary Stafford Good	1998/99	1
141		Peter Alan Bilson	1999/2000	1	Labour, Bushbury South and Low Hill Ward, first elected 6 May 1982.[17]

21st century

No.	Image	Mayor	Tenure	Terms	Notes
142		Tersaim Singh	2000/01	1	Labour, St Peter's Ward, first elected 3 May 1990.[18]
143		Joyce Hill	2001/02	1	Labour, Fallings Park Ward, election history from 8 May 1986 to 17 May 2006.[19][20][21]
144		Robert Hart	2002/03	1	Conservative (I & II) and Independent (III), Merry Hill Ward (I, II & III), election history from 3 May 1973 to 16 Jan 4 May 1995 (I), 25 Sep 1997 to 25 Jan 2007 (II) and from 25 Jan 2007 to 14 May 2008 (III).[22][23][24]
145		John Jeffery Rowley	2003/04	1	Labour, Blakenhall Ward, first elected 6 May 1982.[25]
146		Alan Hart	2004/05	1	Conservative (I) and Independent (II), Penn Ward (I & II), election history from 6 May 1976 to 16 Jan 2007 (I) and 17 Jan 2007 to 16 May 2007 (II).[26][27][28]
147		Phil Bateman	2005/06	1	Labour, Wednesfield North Ward, first elected 3 May 1984.[29]
148		John Davis	2006/07	1	Conservative, Tettenhall Regis Ward, election history from 4 May 1978 to 6 May 1982 and 5 May 1983 to 3 May 2012.[30][31][32]
149		Trudy Bowen	2007/08	1	Labour, Bilston North Ward, election history from 8 May 1986 to 14 May 2008.[33][34][35]
150		Christine Valerie Mills	2008/09	1	Conservative, Merry Hill Ward, first elected 7 May 1987.[36]
151		Surjan Singh Duhra	2009/10	1	Second term as Mayor
152		Malcolm John Gwinnett	2010/11	1	Liberal Democrat, Spring Vale Ward, first elected 3 May 1990.[37]
153		Thomas "Bert" Turner	2011/12	1	Labour, Bilston East Ward, first elected 6 December 1990.[38]
154		Christine Valerie Mills	16 May 2012/13	1	Second term as Mayor.[36]
155		Milkinder Jaspal	15 May 2013/14	1	Labour, Heath Town Ward, election history from 2 May 1991 to 14 May 2008 and from 5 Feb 2009.[39][40][41][42]
156		Michael Heap	2014/15	1	Liberal Democrat, Spring Vale Ward.[43]
157		Ian Brookfield	2015/16	1	Labour, Fallings Park Ward[44]
158		Barry Findlay	2016/17	1	Conservative, Tettenhall Regis Ward[45]
159		Elias Mattu	2017–February 2018	1	Labour, Graiseley Ward[46][47] Died in Office, 23 February 2018. Mayoral duties are being carried out by the Deputy Mayor, Phil Page until a new Mayor is elected at the Council meeting on 16 May 2018.[48]
160		Phil Page	2018/19	1	Labour, Bilston North Ward[49]
161		Claire Darke MBE	2019/21	2	(Served 2 years due to COVID19 pandemic) Labour, Park Ward[50]
162		Greg Brackenridge	2021/22	1	Labour, Wednesfield South Ward[51]
163		Sandra Samuels	2022/23	1	Labour, Ettingshall Ward[52]
164		Michael Hardacre	2023/24	-	Labour, Park Ward[53]

References

1. "Mayors of Wolverhampton 1848 - 1948". Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies and Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Services. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
2. "Mayors of Wolverhampton 1848-1999". Retrieved 25 October 2012.
3. "Congratulations of the Wolverhampton Benevolent Society to George Lees Underhill Esquire on his elevation to Mayor of Wolverhampton". blackcountryhistory.org. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
4. "Election of Mayors". The Times. No. 36922. London. 11 November 1902. p. 12.
5. "The post-war Wolves club record Leo Bonatini is closing on". Express & Star. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
6. "Bishan Dass". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
7. "Surjan Duhra, General". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
8. "Surjan Duhra, Party History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
9. "Surjan Duhra, Ward History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
10. "Richard Whitehouse". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
11. "Margaret Benton, General". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
12. "Margaret Benton, Party History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
13. "Margaret Benton, Ward History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
14. "Francis Docherty, General". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
15. "Francis Docherty, Party History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
16. "Francis Docherty, Ward History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
17. "Peter Bilson". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
18. "Tersaim Singh". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
19. "Joyce Hill, General". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
20. "Joyce Hill, Party History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
21. "Joyce Hill, Ward History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
22. "Robert Hart, General". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
23. "Robert Hart, Party History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
24. "Robert Hart, Ward History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
25. "John Rowley". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
26. "Alan Hart, General". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
27. "Alan Hart, Party History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
28. "Alan Hart, Ward History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
29. "Philip Bateman MBE". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
30. "John Davis, General". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
31. "John Davis, Party History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
32. "John Davis, Ward History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
33. "Trudy Bowen, General". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
34. "Trudy Bowen, Party History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
35. "Trudy Bowen, Ward History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
36. "Mrs Christine Mills". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
37. "Malcolm Gwinnett". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
38. "Thomas (Bert) Turner". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
39. "Milkinder Jaspal elected as Mayor". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
40. "Milkinderpal Jaspal, Election History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
41. "Milkinderpal Jaspal, Party History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
42. "Milkinderpal Jaspal, Ward History". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
43. "Wolverhampton elects its new Mayor". Wolverhampton City Council. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
44. "A Message from the Mayor". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
45. "A Message from the Mayor". City of Wolverhampton Council. 5 June 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
46. "A Message from the Mayor". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
47. "A profile of the Mayor and Mayoress". Wolverhampton City Council. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
48. "The Mayor of Wolverhampton". City of Wolverhampton Council. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
49. "details - Phil Page". wolverhampton.moderngov.co.uk. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
50. "details - Claire Darke". wolverhampton.moderngov.co.uk. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
51. "Councillor Brackenridge elected as new Mayor of Wolverhampton". wolverhampton.gov.uk. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
52. "Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE Set to Make History as City's First African Caribbean Mayor". wolverhampton.gov.uk. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
53. "City's 164th Mayor elected and new Cabinet appointed". www.wolverhampton.gov.uk. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2024.

External links

• The role of Mayor and the historic role of the Mayor's Office, Wolverhampton City Council