1.
Lord Mayor of London
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The Lord Mayor of London is the City of Londons mayor and leader of the City of London Corporation. This office differs from the Mayor of London, which is an elected position. However, the legal and commonly used title remains Lord Mayor of London, the Lord Mayor is elected at Common Hall each year on Michaelmas, and takes office on the Friday before the second Saturday in November, at The Silent Ceremony. One of the worlds oldest continuously elected civic offices, the Lord Mayors main role nowadays is to represent, support and promote the businesses and residents in the City of London. As leader of the Corporation of the City of London, the Lord Mayor serves as the key spokesman for the local authority, all Lord Mayors of London are apolitical. The Lord Mayor of London typically delivers dozens of speeches and addresses per year, many incumbents of the office make overseas visits while Lord Mayor of London. Currently serving is the 689th Lord Mayor Dr Andrew Parmley Of the 69 cities in the United Kingdom, the City of London is among the 30 that have Lord Mayors. The Lord Mayor is entitled to the style The Right Honourable, the same privilege extends only to the Lord Mayors of York, Cardiff and Belfast, the latter prefix applies only to Privy Counsellors. A woman who holds the office is known as a Lord Mayor. The wife of a male Lord Mayor is styled as Lady Mayoress, a female Lord Mayor or an unmarried male Lord Mayor may appoint a female consort, usually a fellow member of the corporation, to the role of Lady Mayoress. In speech, a Lord Mayor is referred to as My Lord Mayor, and it was once customary for Lord Mayors to be appointed knights upon taking office and baronets upon retirement, unless they already held such a title. This custom was followed with a few inconsistencies from the 16th until the 19th centuries, however, from 1964 onwards, the regular creation of hereditary titles such as baronetcies was phased out, so subsequent Lord Mayors were offered knighthoods. Furthermore, foreign Heads of State visiting the City of London on a UK State Visit, for example, in 2001, Sir David Howard was created a Grand Cordon of the Order of Independence of Jordan by King Abdullah II. Recently Lord Mayors have been appointed at the beginning of their term of office Knights or Dames of St John, as a mark of respect, by HM The Queen, Sovereign Head of the Order of St John. The office of Lord Mayor was instituted in 1189, the first holder of the office being Henry Fitz-Ailwin de Londonestone. The Mayor of the City of London has been elected by the City, rather than appointed by the Sovereign, the title Lord Mayor came to be used after 1354, when it was granted to Thomas Legge by King Edward III. Lord Mayors are elected for terms, by custom, they do not now serve more than one consecutive term. Almost 700 people have served as Lord Mayor, Dame Mary Donaldson, elected in 1983, and Dame Fiona Woolf, elected in 2013, are the only women to have held the office
2.
Wat Tyler
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Walter Wat Tyler was a leader of the 1381 Peasants Revolt in England. He marched a group of rebels from Canterbury to the capital to oppose the institution of a tax and demand economic. While the brief rebellion enjoyed early success, Tyler was killed by officers loyal to King Richard II during negotiations at Smithfield, nothing is known of Wat Tylers early life. Born with the first name Walter, his surname was unknown It is thought that the name Tyler comes from his occupation as a roof tiler. Prior to the Peasants Revolt he lived in Kent, and has been represented as coming from Dartford, Deptford. The Peasants Revolt began in May 1381, triggered by a recently imposed poll tax of 12 pence from every adult, the revolt was not only about money. The peasants also sought increased liberty and other social reforms and they demanded that each labourer be allowed to work for the employer of his choice, and sought an end to serfdom and other rigid social demarcation. There were uprisings across England, with much of the unrest focused on Essex, the uprising represented a significant part of English society in those regions, including nobility and wealthy religious establishments. Many were inspired by the teachings of John Ball, a radical priest who preached that all humans should be treated equally, as descendants of Adam and Eve. How Wat Tyler became involved with the revolt is unknown, although a much later sixteenth-century source indicates that a man of similar name and this account suggests that a poll-tax collector had indecently assaulted John Tylers daughter. In revenge he killed the miscreant and triggered the insurgency, whatever the basis of that story, by June 1381, when groups of rebels from across the country began a coordinated assault on London, Wat Tyler had emerged as a leader of the Kentish forces. On 13 June, the reached the capital and crossed London Bridge. Once in the city, they attacked civil targets, destroying legal records, opening prisons, sacking homes, and killing individuals they thought were associated with the royal government. In response, the king, Richard II, met with the rebels on 14 June 1381 and agreed to make many concessions, while some of the rebels were satisfied by the kings promises and dispersed, Tyler and his followers were not. On 15 June 1381, Tyler and his Kentish forces met with King Richard at Smithfield, there, Tyler spoke personally with the king and put forward his demands. At first, the meeting seems to have gone well, with Tyler treating the king in a friendly, if overly-familiar, manner, sir John Newton insulted Tyler by calling him the greatest thief and robber in all Kent. Tyler attacked Newton, but was restrained and arrested by the Lord Mayor of London, Tyler then attempted to stab the mayor, who was saved by his armour. Walworth slashed his attacker across the neck and head with his sword, Tyler managed to ride thirty yards before he fell from his horse
3.
Durham, England
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Durham is a historic city and the county town of County Durham in North East England. The city lies on the River Wear, to the west of Sunderland, south of Newcastle upon Tyne, founded over the final resting place of St Cuthbert, its Norman cathedral became a centre of pilgrimage in medieval England. The cathedral and adjacent 11th-century castle were designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, the castle has been the home of Durham University since 1832. HM Prison Durham is also located close to the city centre, the name Durham comes from the Celtic element dun, signifying a hill fort, and the Old Norse holme, which translates to island. The Lord Bishop of Durham takes a Latin variation of the name in his official signature. The city has been known by a number of names throughout history, the original Nordic Dun Holm was changed to Duresme by the Normans and was known in Latin as Dunelm. The modern form Durham came into use later in the citys history, archeological evidence suggests a history of settlement in the area since roughly 2000 BC. Local legend states that the city was founded in A. D.995 by divine intervention, Aldhun, Bishop of Chester-le-Street and leader of the order, decreed a holy fast of three days, accompanied by prayers to the saint. During the fast, Saint Cuthbert appeared to a monk named Eadmer. After Eadmers revelation, Aldhun found that he was able to move the bier, the legend of the Dun Cow, which is first documented in The Rites of Durham, an anonymous account about the Durham Cathedral, published in 1593, builds on Symeons account. According to this legend, by later that day, the monks came across a milkmaid at Mount Joy. She stated that she was seeking her lost dun cow, which she had last seen at Dun Holm, the monks, realising that this was a sign from the saint, followed her. They settled at a wooded hill-island – a high wooded rock surrounded on three sides by the River Wear, there they erected a shelter for the relics, on the spot where the Durham Cathedral would later stand. Symeon states that a modest wooden building erected there shortly later was the first building in the city, Bishop Aldhun subsequently had a stone church built, which was dedicated in September 998. It no longer remains, having been supplanted by the Norman structure, during the medieval period the city gained spiritual prominence as the final resting place of Saint Cuthbert and Saint Bede the Venerable. The shrine of Saint Cuthbert, situated behind the High Altar of Durham Cathedral, was the most important religious site in England until the martyrdom of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury in 1170, Saint Cuthbert became famous for two reasons. Firstly, the healing powers he had displayed in life continued after his death, with many stories of those visiting the saints shrine being cured of all manner of diseases. This led to him being known as the worker of England
4.
Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
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The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers is one of the 110 Livery Companies of the City of London, being an incorporated guild of sellers of fish and seafood in the City. The Company ranks fourth in the order of precedence of City Livery Companies, the Company records an unbroken existence for over 700 years – although undoubtedly it existed earlier – having received its first Royal Charter in 1272. A predecessor guild was fined as adulterine in 1154 and it took the name Stock Fishmongers Company under another Royal Charter granted in 1508. Then, in 1537, it merged with the Salt Fishmongers Company to form the Company with its present name, however, in a Royal Charter granted to the Fishmongers by Richard II in 1399, all their privileges were restored. The same Charter states they should elect six Wardens annually, the number continues to the present day. Until the end of the 14th century the Fishmongers convened their own court of law, called Leyhalmode, at which disputes over fish, from 1555 to the present day, the Company has acted as Trustee of Greshams School at Holt, Norfolk. In the early 17th century, the Company was granted lands at Ballykelly and Banagher in modern-day Northern Ireland and it remained a major landowner there until the 20th century, and the villages contain some of the most interesting buildings erected in Ulster by the Plantation companies. In 1714, the Irish actor Thomas Doggett provided money to endow a boat race called Doggetts Coat and Badge Race in honour of the new king, George I of Hanover. The race was originally to be rowed annually on 1 August on the River Thames, the prize for the champion oarsman is a fine red coat embellished with a large silver badge on one arm, depicting the white horse of Hanover with the word liberty underneath. Peters Hospital and almshouses at Newington in Surrey, the Company is governed by its Prime Warden, five other Wardens and its Court of Assistants, comprising 28 appointed Livery members. In its early history, the Company established a monopoly over the sale of fish in the City of London and this responsibility is undertaken by the Companys fishmeters under powers established by a Royal Charter of James I in 1604. The Company is closely involved with monitoring salmon and fresh water fishing as well as the catching of shellfish throughout UK waters and it encourages research through grants and sponsorship and also publishes books on fish, such as Fish and Shellfish and The Fishmongers Company Cook Book. The Fishmongers Company is also a significant educational charity, as well as Greshams School, it has also long supported the City and Guilds of London Art School and the City and Guilds of London Institute. The Company comprises about 300 members, including a representation of working fishmongers. Voting is by show of hands, but should one liveryman call for a recount, the Companys livery hall in the City of London is known as Fishmongers Hall, its earliest recorded hall was built in 1310. A new hall, on the present site, was bequeathed to the Company in 1434, together with 43 other Livery halls, this one was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and a replacement hall designed by the architect Edward Jerman opened in 1671. This hall by Jerman was demolished to facilitate the construction of the new London Bridge in 1827, the Fishmongers next hall was designed by Henry Roberts and built by William Cubitt & Company, opening in 1834. After severe bomb damage during the Blitz, Fishmongers Hall was restored by Austen Hall, since 1555, the Company has acted as the Trustee of Greshams School in Holt, Norfolk, in accordance with the wishes of Lord Mayor Sir John Gresham
5.
Bridge (ward)
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Bridge is a small ward in the City of London and is named from its closeness to London Bridge. The ward includes Fishmongers Hall, St. Magnus-the-Martyr church, the Monument to the Great Fire of London, and the full span of London Bridge. The present day ward of Bridge was historically known as Bridge Within — a separate ward called Bridge Without existed south of the Thames in Southwark with its own Alderman between 1550 and 1978, the existing ward north of the river became Bridge Within. This is, in a sense, a return to the prior to 1550. However the ward is still referred to as Bridge and Bridge Without as a result of the 1978 amalgamation. This had no effect in terms of representation on the Court of Common Council because Without had never had Councilmen. The full span of London Bridge was for many centuries lined with buildings, including many houses, indeed, so numerous were the dwellings on the bridge that at one time it constituted three of the 14 precincts of Bridge Within. The area of the former Bridge Without ward today forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. Bridge is one of 25 wards in the City of London, each electing an alderman to the Court of Aldermen, only electors who are Freemen of the City of London are eligible to stand. Bridge and Bridge Without currently elect two commoners to the Court of Common Council
6.
City of London (UK Parliament constituency)
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The City of London was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and this borough constituency consisted of the City of London, which is the historic core of the modern Greater London. The southern boundary of the City is the bank of the River Thames. The City of Westminster is situated to the west, the districts of Holborn and Finsbury are to the north, Shoreditch to the north-east and Whitechapel to the east. London is first known to have been enfranchised and represented in Parliament in 1298, because it was the most important city in England it received four seats in Parliament instead of the normal two for a constituency. Previous to 1298 the area would have been represented as part of the county constituency of Middlesex, the City formed part of the geographic county, even though from early times it was not administered as part of Middlesex. The City was represented by four MPs until 1885 and two thereafter until 1950, the City of London was originally a densely populated area. Before the Reform Act 1832 the composition of the City electorate was not as democratic as that of some other borough constituencies, the right of election was held by members of the Livery Companies. However the size and wealth of the community meant that it had more voters than most other borough constituencies, namier and Brooke estimated the size of the City electorate, in the latter part of the 18th century, at about 7,000. Only Westminster had a size of electorate. During the course of the 19th and 20th centuries the area of London expanded enormously. The resident population of the City fell as people moved to the new suburbs, however the City authorities did not want to extend their jurisdiction beyond the traditional square mile, so the Parliamentary constituency was left unchanged as its resident population fell. By the 20th century almost all electors in the City qualified as business voters, in 1950 the area was merged for Parliamentary purposes with the neighbouring City of Westminster, to form a new single-member constituency of Cities of London and Westminster. There are special provisions concerning the City and Parliamentary boundaries, see City of London for citizens known to have represented the City in Parliament before 1707 Note, - Expelled In multi-member elections the bloc voting system was used. Voters could cast a vote for one to four candidates, as they chose, the leading candidates with the largest number of votes were elected. In 1868 the limited vote was introduced, which restricted an individual elector to using one, in by-elections, to fill a single seat, the first past the post system applied. After 1832, when registration of voters was introduced, a figure is given for contested elections. In multi-member elections, when the number of participating voters is unknown
7.
Usury
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Usury is, as defined today, the practice of making unethical or immoral monetary loans that unfairly enrich the lender. Originally, usury meant interest of any kind, a loan may be considered usurious because of excessive or abusive interest rates or other factors. Historically in Christian societies, and still in many Islamic societies today, someone who practices usury can be called a usurer, but a more common term in contemporary English is loan shark. The term may be used in a moral sense—condemning, taking advantage of others misfortunes—or in a legal sense where interest rates may be regulated by law, historically, some cultures have regarded charging any interest for loans as sinful. Some of the earliest known condemnations of usury come from the Vedic texts of India, similar condemnations are found in religious texts from Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. At times, many nations from ancient China to ancient Greece to ancient Rome have outlawed loans with any interest, though the Roman Empire eventually allowed loans with carefully restricted interest rates, the Christian church in medieval Europe banned the charging of interest at any rate. Banking during Roman times was different from modern banking, during the Principate, most banking activities were conducted by private individuals, not by large banking firms like the ones that exist today. Since almost all moneylenders in the Empire were private individuals, anybody that had any additional capital and wished to lend it out could easily do so. The annual rates of interest on loans varied in the range of 4–12 percent, the apparent absence of intermediate rates suggests that the Romans may have had difficulty calculating the interest due on anything other than mathematically convenient rates. They quoted them on a basis, and the most common rates were multiples of twelve. Monthly rates tended to range from simple fractions to 3–4 percent, moneylending during this period was largely a matter of private loans advanced to persons short of cash, whether persistently in debt or temporarily until the next harvest. Mostly, it was undertaken by exceedingly rich men who were prepared to take on a risk if the profit looked good. Investment was always regarded as a matter of seeking personal profit, Banking was of the small, back-street variety, run by the urban lower-middle class of petty shopkeepers. By the 3rd century, acute currency problems in the Empire drove them into decline and it was evident that usury meant exploitation of the poor. The First Council of Nicaea, in 325, forbade clergy from engaging in usury, at the time, usury was interest of any kind, and the canon forbade the clergy to lend money at interest rates even as low as 1 percent per year. Later ecumenical councils applied this regulation to the laity, Lateran III decreed that persons who accepted interest on loans could receive neither the sacraments nor Christian burial. Pope Clement V made the belief in the right to usury a heresy in 1311, pope Sixtus V condemned the practice of charging interest as detestable to God and man, damned by the sacred canons and contrary to Christian charity. Theological historian John Noonan argues that the doctrine was enunciated by popes, certain negative historical renditions of usury carry with them social connotations of perceived unjust or discriminatory lending practices
8.
Richard II of England
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Richard II, also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed on 30 September 1399. Richard, a son of Edward, the Black Prince, was born in Bordeaux during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III. Richard was the brother of Edward of Angoulême, upon whose death, Richard. Upon the death of Richards father prior to the death of Edward III, Richard, by primogeniture, with Edward IIIs death the following year, Richard succeeded to the throne at the age of ten. During Richards first years as king, government was in the hands of a series of councils, most of the aristocracy preferred this to a regency led by the kings uncle, John of Gaunt, yet Gaunt remained highly influential. The first major challenge of the reign was the Peasants Revolt in 1381, the young king played a major part in the successful suppression of this crisis. By 1389 Richard had regained control, and for the eight years governed in relative harmony with his former opponents. In 1397, Richard took his revenge on the appellants, many of whom were executed or exiled, the next two years have been described by historians as Richards tyranny. In 1399, after John of Gaunt died, the king disinherited Gaunts son, Henry of Bolingbroke, Henry invaded England in June 1399 with a small force that quickly grew in numbers. Claiming initially that his goal was only to reclaim his patrimony, meeting little resistance, Bolingbroke deposed Richard and had himself crowned as King Henry IV. Richard died in captivity in February 1400, he is thought to have starved to death. Richard was said to have tall, good-looking and intelligent. Less warlike than either his father or grandfather, he sought to bring an end to the Hundred Years War that Edward III had started, modern historians do not accept this interpretation, while not exonerating Richard from responsibility for his own deposition. While probably not insane, as historians of the 19th and 20th centuries believed, Richard of Bordeaux was the younger son of Edward, the Black Prince, and Joan of Kent. Edward, heir to the throne of England, had distinguished himself as a commander in the early phases of the Hundred Years War. After further military adventures, however, he contracted dysentery in Spain in 1370 and he never fully recovered and had to return to England the next year. Joan of Kent had been at the centre of a dispute between Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent, and William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, from which Holland emerged victorious. Less than a year after Hollands death in 1360, Joan married Prince Edward, since she was a granddaughter of King Edward I and a first cousin of King Edward III, the marriage required papal approval
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Walworth, Sir William". Encyclopædia Britannica. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.