Lord Mayor’s Show

11th November 2023

Parade Route

In the U.S. the annual Macy’s Day Parade in New York is renowned. On Thanksgiving morning TV sets across the country are turned on to watch the floats and pageantry. I remember attending one in person, which was incredible. The sights, sounds, excitement is palatable everywhere! It was electrifying. However, I never expected to actually be in a parade, let along as Master of a Livery Company in the City of London. But, here I was with my Consort, Will and Senior Warden, Henry Tuck on a blissfully dry November day walking to our meeting station in our gowns carrying the new magnificent banner, IPM Paul Taberer donated to the Company, to find our place amidst the Modern Livery Companies. We were about to embark on an historical walk through the square mile culminating in a lunch break on The Wellington Ship.

To quote the Lord Mayor’s parade website:

The procession is different every year, reflecting the history and interests of the new Lord Mayor, the changing patterns of City life and the creativity of the Show’s participants, but there are some features you can expect to see:
STATE COACH
Restored in 2018 to a splendour that we have not seen for many years, the State Coach has carried almost every new Lord Mayor since it was commissioned and paid for by the Aldermen of 1757.

MARCHING BANDS
The procession is led off and kept in shape by its many military bands. Walking at 120 well-drilled 30 inch paces per minute, they take 26 minutes and 51 seconds to march from from Mansion House to the Royal Courts.

PAGEANTMASTER
All of this is devised, assembled, set in motion and eventually delivered home again by the Pageantmaster, Dominic Reid OBE, who will be directing his 28th Lord Mayor’s Show from the ceremonial Land Rover as usual.

GOG AND MAGOG
Near the front of the procession you will see the ancient figures of Gog and Magog, guardians of London since antiquity and a regular feature of the Show since the Middle Ages.
THE ASH CART
An ancient London saying will tell you that ‘after the Show comes the ash cart’, usually to imply that the fun you are having now comes with a cost later. The last entry in the Show always belongs to the City of London Sanitation department and as it has been for hundreds of years, most of their work is provided by the horses.

While the above gives you a flavour of the day, it doesn’t reflect the magnitude of for instance just how large Mog and Gog are (The Guild of Young Freemen and The Basketmakers deftly escort them through the City), how magnificent the pageantry is and how elaborate and impressive the floats are! Master Pavior was literally blowing steam from his restored steam engine! The streets are lined with families, friends and tourists. Everyone is clapping and cheering. We all slow down to nod to the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress and their invited guests, including our own amazing Past Master Fiona Adler. There are high fives and handshakes throughout the crowds as Livery Companies and City Companies join together to present the UK’s version of the Macy’s Day Parade! The Lord Mayor’s Parade like the Macy’s Day Parade is televised and if you look very carefully, the Pipe Makers can be seen……