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List of heads of London government

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of the various heads of local government organisations that have served London, England.

Summary of London-wide heads of government

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The Metropolitan Board of Works, created in 1855, was the first elected authority covering the whole metropolis of London, including the suburbs outside the ancient boundaries of the City of London. The area of the Metropolitan Board of Works became the County of London in 1889, which was enlarged to become the county of Greater London in 1965. The leaders of these bodies were:

From To Name Party Role
22 Dec 1855 8 Aug 1870 John Thwaites Chairman of Metropolitan Board of Works
18 Nov 1870 20 Mar 1889 James McGarel-Hogg
21 Mar 1889 27 Mar 1890 Thomas Farrer Progressive Leader of London County Council
27 Mar 1890 9 Mar 1892 James Stuart Progressive
9 Mar 1892 10 Mar 1898 Charles Harrison Progressive
10 Mar 1898 8 Mar 1907 Thomas McKinnon Wood Progressive
8 Mar 1907 11 Mar 1908 Richard Robinson Municipal Reform
11 Mar 1908 8 Mar 1910 William Wellesley Peel Municipal Reform
8 Mar 1910 19 Dec 1911 William Hayes Fisher Municipal Reform
19 Dec 1911 16 Mar 1915 Cyril Jackson Municipal Reform
16 Mar 1915 1 Mar 1918 Ronald Collet Norman Municipal Reform
1 Mar 1918 11 Mar 1925 George Hume Municipal Reform
11 Mar 1925 9 Mar 1934 William Ray Municipal Reform
9 Mar 1934 27 May 1940 Herbert Morrison Labour
27 May 1940 29 Jul 1947 Charles Latham Labour
29 Jul 1947 31 Mar 1965 Isaac Hayward Labour
1 Apr 1965 14 Apr 1967 Bill Fiske Labour Leader of Greater London Council
14 Apr 1967 13 Apr 1973 Desmond Plummer Conservative
13 Apr 1973 6 May 1977 Reg Goodwin Labour
6 May 1977 8 May 1981 Horace Cutler Conservative
8 May 1981 2 Aug 1984 Ken Livingstone Labour
2 Aug 1984 21 Sep 1984 John Wilson Labour
21 Sep 1984 31 Mar 1986 Ken Livingstone Labour
1 Apr 1986 3 May 2000 No London-wide elected authority
4 May 2000 Dec 2003 Ken Livingstone Independent Mayor of London
Dec 2003 3 May 2008 Labour
4 May 2008 8 May 2016 Boris Johnson Conservative
9 May 2016 Incumbent Sadiq Khan Labour

City of London

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Lord Mayor of London

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The Lord Mayor of the City of London is an ancient office and is the chief position of the Corporation of London.

The Metropolis

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Chairmen of the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers

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The Metropolitan Commission of Sewers was an ad hoc body formed in 1849 to bring London's sewerage and drainage under the control of a single public body. In 1856 it was abolished with its powers passing to the Metropolitan Board of Works.[1]

  • Viscount Ebrington (1 January 1849 – 6 October 1851)
  • Edward Lawes (6 October 1851 – 24 July 1852)
  • Richard Jebb (24 July 1852 – 1 January 1856)

Chairmen of the Metropolitan Board of works

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The Metropolitan Board of Works was a general purpose authority for the metropolitan area of London from 1855 to 1889.

Chairmen of the London School Board

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The London School Board was an ad hoc authority. The functions were eventually absorbed by the London County Council.

Chairmen of the Metropolitan Asylums Board

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The Metropolitan Asylums Board was an ad hoc authority. The functions were eventually absorbed by the London County Council.

County of London

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The London County Council was a county council covering the County of London.

Chairmen of the London County Council

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The chairmanship and vice chairmanship of the London County Council were statutory offices created in 1889 and abolished in 1965. The positions were largely ceremonial, similar to the office of mayor in a borough. The council's standing orders also provided for the post of deputy chairman. Each of these offices were held for a one-year term of office.

Leaders of the London County Council

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The post of Leader was only officially recognised in 1933. This table gives the Leaders of the majority parties on the council before this time, although in the first term this had little relevance in terms of the leadership of the Council.

Greater London

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Leaders of the Greater London Council

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The Greater London Council was the county council for Greater London from 1965 to 1986.

Leaders of the Inner London Education Authority

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Although Inner London Education Authority was created in 1964 and came into its powers in 1965, the post of Leader did not exist until April 1967. For the period 1964–67 the de facto Leadership was shared between the Chairman of the Education Committee, James Young, and the Chairmen of the Authority, Harold Shearman (from 1964–1965) and Ashley Bramall (1965–1967).

Chairman of the London Residuary Body

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The London Residuary Body was responsible for disposing of the assets of the Greater London Council.

Mayor of London

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The Mayor of London is the executive of the Greater London Authority. The role has existed since 2000.

Timeline for leaders of London-wide government

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Timeline
Sadiq KhanBoris JohnsonKen LivingstoneKen LivingstoneHorace CutlerReg GoodwinDesmond PlummerBill Fiske, Baron Fiske

References

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  1. ^ Augustin Sayer (1857). Metropolitan and town sewage, their nature, value, and disposal [&c.]. pp. 60–70.