Mayor of Totnes

Totnes, Devon, England received its first borough charter from King John and the recorded list of mayors dates from 1359. The town was incorporated in 1505 with a governing structure consisting of a mayor, recorder and a single council of burgesses. A further charter in 1596 concentrated power in the hands of the town’s leading merchants, redefining the corporation as a governing body of 14 ‘masters’, including the mayor, with an inferior council of 20 burgesses. The masters filled vacancies in their ranks by co-option and nominated the mayoral candidates. ^[1]

The following have been mayors of Totnes:

• 1396–98: Walter Browning (MP for Totnes), 1388 ^[2]
• 1399–1400: Walter Browning
• 1401–03: Walter Browning
• 1535-37: Christopher Savery^[3]
• 1548-49: Christopher Savery
• 1556-57: Christopher Savery
• 1585-86: Nicholas Ball^[4]
• 1589-90: Nicholas Hayman^[5]
• 1593-94: Leonard Darr^[6]
• 1598-99: Philip Holditch (MP for Totnes, 1601) ^[7]
• 1605–06: Christopher Wise ^[8]
• 1612-13: Richard Rodd^[9]
• 1621–22: Christopher Wise
• 1623–24: Philip Holditch II (son of Philip Holditch above, MP for Totnes, 1626) ^[10]
• 1638–39: Philip Holditch II
• 1718–19: Nicholas Trist (High Sheriff of Devon, 1708)
• 1737–38: Nicholas Trist (High Sheriff of Devon, 1708)
• 1754-55: Benjamin Babbage (grandfather of Charles Babbage)^[11]
• 1780–81: William Adams (MP for Plympton Erle 1796–1801 and Totnes 1801–11)
• 1788–89: William Adams
• 1797–98: William Adams
• 1882–84: Frederick Bowden ^[12]
• 1950–51: Charles Stanley Jacka ^[13]
• 1970–71: Jean M Gilbert ^[14]

21st century

• 2001: Pruw Boswell
• 2003: J.A. Westacott
• 2004–05: Jim Parkes
• 2005–07: Pruw Boswell
• 2008: David Horsburgh
• 2009–10: Jean Rosemary Harrop
• 2010–11: Anthony Whitty
• 2011–12: Judy Westacott
• 2012–13: Pruw Boswell
• 2014–16: Jacqui Hodgson ^[15]

References

1. "Totnes". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
2. "BROWNING, Walter, of Totnes, Devon". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 2014-09-04.
3. Members Constituencies Parliaments Surveys. "SAVERY, Christopher (by 1502-60), of Totnes, Devon.". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
4. Members Constituencies Parliaments Surveys. "BALL, Nicholas (d.1586), of Totnes; later of Dartington, Devon.". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
5. Members Constituencies Parliaments Surveys. "HAYMAN, Nicholas (d.1606), of Totnes; later of Dartmouth, Devon.". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
6. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/darr-leonard-1554-1615
7. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/holditch-philip-1608
8. "Christopher Wise (c.1566–1628), Mayor of Totnes (1605 & 1621)". BBC. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
9. http://historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/rodd-richard-1633
10. "HOLDITCH, Philip (by 1587-1654), of Totnes, Devon". History of Parliament online. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
11. "Devon Perspectives-On Charles Babbage". Retrieved 3 September 2014.
12. "Frederick Bowden (1819–1903), Mayor of Totnes (1883)". BBC. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
13. "Charles Stanley Jacka (1893–1970), Mayor of Totnes (1950–1951)". BBC. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
14. "Mayor Choosing in Totnes Guildhall". Retrieved 3 September 2014.
15. "Councillors". Totnes Town Council. Retrieved 2014-06-25.