THE ALDERMAN

Pre-eminent among the Ward officers is the Alderman. His office is a very ancient one, being traceable to the Saxon period. He is elected by the voters in the Ward, and since 1934 holds office for life, subject only to resignation or removal for reasonable cause.

In addition to his work as a member of the Court of Aldermen, the Alderman presides at Wardmotes held in the Ward, but at the election of the Alderman himself the Lord Mayor presides.

An important part of his duty, however, is to sit as a City magistrate, and now that magistrates elsewhere in the kingdom may not serve after reaching the age of seventy, it is customary for each Alderman to resign his aldermanry upon reaching that age.

Since 1978 the City of London is the only municipality which includes aldermen in its constitution. Their survival in the City is largely attributable to the fact of their election by the voters, and not, as was formerly the case elsewhere, by appointment by the council.

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THE WARD DEPUTY AND WARD REPRESENTATIVES ON THE COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL

At each annual Wardmote when the common councilmen for the Ward are elected the Alderman appoints one of those elected to assist him, in the words of the Act of Common Council of the 6th December l912, "in the rule and government of his ward". The wearing of a special uniform by the Deputy has long since lapsed.

The Deputy allocates the common councilmen to the various Corporation committees upon which they are to serve for the year, and he is the spokesman for the Ward members in Common Council and on other appropriate occasions.

THE WARD CLERK

The Ward Clerk is appointed by the Alderman and is usually a professional man. He is not subject to annua! re-appointment. He plays an essential part in the functioning of the Ward, having many duties in connection with the convening of wardmotes, the election of common councilmen and aldermen, and the making of returns to the Town Clerk. He is the custodian of the Ward records and receives a small remuneration from the Corporation.

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THE WARD BEADLE

The Ward Beadle is an indispensable functionary in connection with Ward affairs, and his traditional uniform is well known. It is he who carries the Ward Mace and attends the Alderman upon all official occasions, both within and outside the Ward. On the direction of the Alderman at the beginning of each wardmote he calls upon those present to be silent and give attention to the business in hand. He also closes the wardmote proceedings with "God save the Queen ".

Upon any vacancy occurring in the office of Beadle an Act of Common Council of 1763 required the Ward to nominate "two honest sufficient and discreet persons" for the choice of one to be made by the electors in their wardmote. The office not heing one which changed hands very frequently, the nomination of a second candidate became something of a formality. In the Ward of Broad Street the same second candidate, Mr. William T. Fletcher, was nominated for many years, but the general understanding was that this gentleman did not in fact exist. Fortunately the election never went in his favour. The nomination of a second candidate, however, is now no longer required.