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Council

Former Mayors and Lord Mayors

  • Former Mayors and Lord Mayors

    From 1842 to 1891, the position of Mayor was referred to as Mayor of Belfast. From 1892 onwards, the position became known as Lord Mayor of Belfast.

  • Former Lord Mayors from 1892

    Mayor Year of office Other awards
    Councillor Ryan Murphy 2023  
    Councillor Christina Black 2022  
    Councillor Kate Nicholl 2021  
    Alderman Frank McCoubrey 2020  
    Councillor Daniel Baker 2019  
    Councillor John Finucane  
    Councillor Deirdre Hargey 2018  
    Councillor Nuala McAllister 2017  
    Alderman Brian Kingston 2016  
    Councillor Arder Carson 2015  
    Councillor Nichola Mallon 2014  
    Councillor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir 2013  
    Alderman Gavin Robinson 2012  
    Councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile 2011  
    Councillor Pat Convery 2010  
    Councillor Naomi Long 2009  
    Councillor Tom Hartley 2008  
    Councillor Jim Rodgers 2007  
    Councillor Pat McCarthy 2006  
    Councillor Wallace Browne 2005  
    Councillor Tom Ekin 2004  
    Councillor Martin Morgan 2003  
    Councillor Alex Maskey MLA 2002  
    Councillor Jim Rodgers 2001  
    Councillor Sammy Wilson MLA 2000  
    Councillor Robert Stoker 1999  
    Councillor David Alderdice 1998  
    Councillor Alban Maginness 1997  
    Councillor Ian Adamson 1996  
    Councillor Eric Smyth 1995  
    Councillor Hugh Smyth 1994  
    Councillor Reginald Empey 1993  
    Councillor Herbert Ditty 1992  
    Councillor Nigel A Dodds 1991  
    Councillor Fred Cobain 1990  
    Councillor Reginald Empey 1989  
    Councillor Nigel A Dodds 1988  
    Alderman John J D Gilmore 1987  
    Alderman Sammy Wilson 1986  
    Alderman John Carson 1985  
    Councillor A Ferguson 1984  
    Councillor A Ferguson 1983  
    Thomas William Sanderson Patton 1982  
    Grace Bannister 1981  
    John Carson 1980  
    William Bell 1979  
    David Cook 1978  
    James Stewart 1977  
    Miles Humphreys 1976  
    Miles Humphreys 1975  
    William Christie, MBE, JP, ODAS 1974 Knighted in 1975
    William Christie, MBE, JP, ODAS 1973  
    William Christie, MBE, JP, ODAS 1972  
    Joseph Foster Cairns, JP 1971 Knighted in 1972
    Joseph Foster Cairns, JP 1970  
    Joseph Foster Cairns, JP 1969  
    William Duncan Geddis, JP 1968 Knighted in 1969
    William Duncan Geddis, JP 1967  
    William Duncan Geddis, JP 1966  
    William Jenkins, JP 1965  
    William Jenkins, JP 1964  
    William Jenkins, JP 1963  
    Martin Kelso Wallace, JP 1962 Knighted in 1963
    Martin Kelso Wallace, JP 1961  
    Robert George Caldwell Kinahan, ERD, JP 1960 Knighted in 1961
    Robert George Caldwell Kinahan, ERD, JP 1959  
    Major William Cecil McKee, ERD 1958 Knighted in 1959
    Major William Cecil McKee, ERD 1957  
    Robert John Rolston Harcourt, JP 1956 Knighted in 1959
    Robert John Rolston Harcourt, JP 1955  
    Sir Percival Brown, CBE, FAI 1954  
    Percival Brown, CBE, FAI 1953 Knighted in 1953
    James Henry Norritt, JP, FCIS 1952 Knighted in 1953
    James Henry Norritt, JP, FCIS 1951  
    William Ernest George Johnston, BA 1950 Knighted in 1951
    William Ernest George Johnston, BA 1949  
    William Frederick Neill, JP, FAI, MP 1948 Knighted in 1948
    William Frederick Neill, JP, FAI, MP 1947  
    William Frederick Neill, JP, FAI, MP 1946  
    The Right Hon. Sir Crawford McCullagh, Bart, DL, JP 1945  
    The Right Hon. Sir Crawford McCullagh, Bart, DL, JP 1944  
    The Right Hon. Sir Crawford McCullagh, Bart, DL, JP 1943  
    George R Black, JP, May 22 until December 28 1942  
    Sir Crawford McCullagh, Bart, DL, JP 1941  
    Sir Crawford McCullagh, Bart, DL, JP 1940  
    Sir Crawford McCullagh, Bart, DL, JP 1939  
    Sir Crawford McCullagh, Bart, DL, JP 1938  
    Sir Crawford McCullagh, Bart, DL, JP 1937  
    Sir Crawford McCullagh, Bart, DL, JP 1936  
    Sir Crawford McCullagh, DL, JP 1935 Created a Baronet of the UK in 1935
    Sir Crawford McCullagh, DL, JP 1934  
    Sir Crawford McCullagh, DL, JP 1933  
    Sir Crawford McCullagh, DL, JP 1932  
    Sir Crawford McCullagh, JP 1931  
    Sir William Coates, Bart, DL 1930  
    Sir William Coates, Bart, DL 1929  
    The Right Hon. Sir William Turner, DL 1928  
    Sir William Turner DL 1927 Appointed a member of HM Privy Council.
    Sir William Turner 1926  
    Sir William Turner 1925  
    Sir William Turner 1924 Knighted in 1924
    William George Turner 1923  
    Sir William Coates, Bart, DL 1922  
    Sir William Coates, Bart, DL 1921 Created Baronet of the UK in 1921
    William Frederick Coates, DL 1920  
    John C White 1919 Appointed a member of HM Privy Council in 1919.
    James Johnson, JP 1918 Knighted in 1918. Appointed a member of HM Privy Council in Ireland in 1919.
    James Johnson, JP 1917  
    Sir Crawford McCullagh 1916  
    Crawford McCullagh 1915 Knighted in 1915
    R J McMordie, MA, MP until his death, March 25

    1914

     
    Sir Robert Anderson, appointed 27 March  
    Crawford McCullagh, elected 1 April  
    R J McMordie, MA, MP 1913  
    R J McMordie, MA, MP 1912  
    R J McMordie, MA, MP 1911  
    R J McMordie, MA, MP 1910  
    Sir Robert Anderson, JP 1909  
    Sir Robert Anderson, JP 1908  
    The Right Hon. The Earl of Shaftesbury, KVOC, HML 1907  
    The Right Hon. Sir Daniel Dixon Bart, DL, MP 1906  
    The Right Hon. Sir Daniel Dixon Bart, DL 1905  
    Sir Otto Jaffe, LLD, JP 1904  
    The Right Hon. Sir Daniel Dixon DL 1903 Created Baronet of the United Kingdom in 1903
    Sir Daniel Dixon, DL 1902 Appointed a member of HM Privy Council in Ireland in 1902
    Sir Daniel Dixon, DL 1901  
    RJ McConnell 1900 Created Baronet of the UK
    Otto Jaffe 1899  
    James Henderson, DL, MA 1898 Knighted in 1899
    W J Pirrie 1897  
    W J Pirrie 1896 Appointed a member of HM Privy Council in Ireland in 1897. Created Baron of the UK in 1906, KP in 1908 and Viscount in 1921.
    William McCammond 1895 Knighted in 1895
    William McCammond 1894  
    Sir Daniel Dixon 1893  
    Daniel Dixon 1892 Knighted in 1892
  • Former Mayors (1842 to 1891)

    Mayor Year of office Other awards
    Charles C Connor 1891  
    Charles C Connor 1890  
    Charles C Connor 1889  
    Sir James Horner Haslett, Bart 1888  
    James Horner Haslett 1887 Knighted
    Sir Edward Harland, Bart 1886 Knighted
    Edward J Harland 1885 Created Baronet of the UK in 1885
    Sir David Taylor 1884 Knighted in 1884
    David Taylor 1883  
    Sir Edward Porter Cowan 1882  
    Edward Porter Cowan 1881 Knighted in 1881
    John Browne 1880  
    John Browne 1879  
    John Preston 1878 Knighted in 1878
    John Preston 1877  
    Robert Boag 1876 Knighted in 1877
    Thomas Graham Lindsay 1875  
    James Alexander Henderson 1874  
    James Alexander Henderson 1873  
    John Savage 1872 Knighted in 1872
    Philip Johnston 1871  
    Samuel Browne, MD 1870  
    Frederick Harry Lewis 1869  
    Samuel McCausland 1868  
    David Taylor 1867 Knighted in 1884
    William Mullan 1866  
    John Lyttle 1865  
    John Lyttle 1864  
    John Lyttle 1863  
    Charles Lanyon 1862 Knighted in 1868
    Edward Coey 1861 Knighted in 1861
    William Ewart Jr 1860  
    William Ewart Jr 1859  
    Samuel Gibson Getty 1858  
    Samuel Gibson Getty 1857  
    Samuel Gibson Getty 1856  
    Thomas Verner 1855  
    Frederick Harry Lewis 1854  
    William McGee, MD 1853 Medical Doctor
    Samuel Graeme Fenton 1852  
    James Sterling 1851  
    James Sterling 1850  
    William Gilliland Johnston 1849 Knighted in 1849
    George Suffern 1848  
    John Harrison 1847  
    John Kane 1846  
    Andrew Mulholland 1845  
    John Dunbar 1844  
    George Dunbar 1843  
    George Dunbar 1842  
  • Glossary of abbreviations

    Abbreviation Title
    MD Medical Doctor
    DL Deputy Lieutenant
    MA Master of Arts
    JP Justice of Peace
    LLD Doctorate in Laws
    KVOC Knight of the Royal Victorian Order
    HML Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant
    MP Member of Parliament
    Bt or Bart Baronet
    BA Bachelor of Arts
    FAI Fellow of the (chartered) Auctioneers' Institute
    FCIS Fellow Chartered Institute of Secretaries
    ERD Army Emergency Reserve Decoration
    ODAS Order of Distinguished Auxiliary Service (Salvation Army)
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