“Know ye that we have granted … to our barons of our city of London, that they may choose to themselves every year a mayor, who to us may be faithful, discreet and fit for government of the city, so as, when he shall be chosen, to be presented unto us, or our Justice if we shall not be present… and he shall swear to be faithful to us…” The 1215 London Charter
Once per year, on the 29th September, the City of London elects a new Lord Mayor. He or she must have served as a Sheriff of the City, and since 1436, the rule has stated that candidates must be chosen from among the Aldermen.
The Lord Mayor’s duty is to promote and represent the City of London - presenting the City (and the whole country) to the world as a leader of financial technology, trade and innovation in areas including cybersecurity and green finance.
It’s a tradition that our team at Grant Macdonald London are very attached to - because the Sheriff and the Lord Mayor have played important roles in the history of our workshop.
Grant has always been proud of the fact that our pieces, designed by Londoners and created in a London workshop, are cherished by the Corporation of London. Our craftsmen have been designing and producing badges and chains of office for the Sheriffs of London since 1972, when Grant made his very first Sheriff’s Badge and Chain commission, for Sir Alan Trail - with a triple chain hand-woven by Alan Smith.
Sheriff’s Badge and chain for Alderman Tim Hailes / 2017
Over the last four decades we have produced over 34 badges, intrigued by the heraldic symbols and interests of the varied personalities who have served as Sheriff. In every badge, our craftsmen include, in an imaginative way, the small personal details that make them both intimate and ceremonial.
To learn more about heraldic symbols, take a look through our archive to discover the Alphabet of Heraldry, or explore our collections to see the work we’ve produced for Livery Companies and the Corporation of London over the years.