The annual mayoring ceremony took place in a wind-swept Winchelsea on Easter Monday. But while the wind howled outside Winchelsea’s Court Hall, no winds of change blew inside. As usual, the handful of members of the unelected Winchelsea Corporation re-elected themselves and chose one of their number to be their mayor. And, as usual, the decision was known before the ‘election’. It was the same as last year, J Spencer Esq.
However, the Corporation did manage to spring something of a surprise in the choice of two residents as freemen. According to one member of the Corporation emerging from the post-mayoring drinks, neither of the new freemen have been active in the town’s affairs. This is the usual reason given for co-opting a new freeman, although the accuracy of such an accolade has often been disputed in the past. This year’s new freemen were apparently appointed because “they come with impressive CVs”. A triumph of hope over experience?
One of the new freemen has recently been appointed a QC, an impressive achievement indeed and one which persuaded the Corporation to lift its traditional bar on residents only recently arrived and weekenders. Moreover, the Corporation was always persuaded to overlook the absence of their new freeman from the mayoring. This is the first time a freeman has been appointed in his absence since 1926, a fact which prompted the suggestion in less deferential quarters of Winchelsea that the gentleman may not actually know he was going to be made a freeman!
Our source in the Corporation explained that the second new freeman was co-opted because he has recently become a Freeman of the City of London. Winchelsea Corporation likes to claim a link with the City in that both are “unreformed corporations”, meaning that they have been preserved from various Municipal Corporations Acts. In reality, however, the link is a rather tenuous one. The City has over 30,000 voters. Winchelsea Corporation has fewer than 30.
Apart from appointing two new freemen, the Corporation took the opportunity to fill a dead man’s shoes. Resident Robert Holland became a jurat, ie member of the Corporation.
The mayoring ceremony was followed, as usual, by a reception for invited guests, most of whom, as usual, were not Winchelsea residents. But Winchelsea residents were no doubt grateful to County Councillor Keith Glazier, who was rumoured to be making his annual appearance in the town. The current MP did not attend this year but former MP, Michael Foster, did. Michael, a committed socialist, always tried to attend the Winchelsea mayoring. This year, he came dressed as the High Sheriff of East Sussex.
Photo: Richard Comotto