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The Lord Mayor of Leeds (until 1897 Mayor of Leeds) is a ceremonial post held by a member of Leeds City Council, elected annually by the council.
By charter from King Charles I in 1626, the leader of the governing body of the borough of Leeds was an alderman, the first holder being Sir John Savile. A second charter, in 1661 from King Charles II, granted the title Mayor to Thomas Danby, after whom Thomas Danby College was named. In 1893 the borough of Leeds became a city, and in 1897 Queen Victoria conferred the title of Lord Mayor on James Kitson.
The first woman to have the post was Jessie Beatrice Kitson in 1942: she was elected following the death of Arthur Clarke shortly after his election.
The Lord Mayor for 2015–2016 is Councillor Judith Chapman.
Notable former Mayors include Benjamin Gott (1799), Sir George Goodman (1836), several of the Lupton family, Henry Rowland Marsden (1873) and Alf Cooke of the famous printworks (1890).
List of Lord Mayors
Source:
2016: Gerry Harper