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Welcome to the Mayor's Parlour
The parlour is used as the Mayor's working office during their mayoral year. It is also used for meetings and hosting receptions. Mayoral Regalia - the mayoral chain, badge and mace are referred to as regalia. Regalia have always been, and are still, regarded as essential to the dignity and importance of the Council and its Mayor. The Mayor wears the chain of office at public events in the borough of which he or she is Mayor. It may also be worn in other boroughs, but only with the permission or at the invitation of the mayor of that borough. The Mayor of Camden traditionally wears the Camden badge and chain but on occasions where the event has a specific association to either Holborn or St Pancras these chains may be worn. The St Pancras mace is the one used on most occasions, including at regular meetings of the Council. At meetings of the Council the Mace is carried in front of the Mayor when she processes into the Council meeting. Camden's regalia has been provided and paid for by past Mayors. Robes - The Mayors wear a robe of office on ceremonial occasions. Traditionally the fur on robes was real fur but Camden now uses fake fur. A lace jabot is worn at the neck. A hat is also worn. A black cocked hat with gold embellishment on the right is worn by men and a black tricorne hat by women. White gloves are worn as well. The Deputy Mayor also wears robes on civic ceremonial occasions. Cabinet - Mayoral regalia and civic gifts are displayed in the cabinet. This includes: First Shelf: Holborn Mace - The mace was presented to the borough by the Mayor, Councillor William R. Smith, D.L., J.P., M.D., V.D., in 1906, the silver- gilt mace has four shields on the head containing representations of St Andrew, St George, St Giles and Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom, patroness of arts and crafts and the protectress of all who wished to excel in mental and manual pursuits. This last refers, like the motto on the coat of arms, to the academic features of the borough life. The arms are engraved lying on top of the mace, with the rose, shamrock and thistle entwined lying on top of the mace, with the rose, shamrock and thistle entwined round the stem, and at the base are the donor's arms in relief and an inscription commemorating its presentation. Middle shelf: Left hand side: Holborn Mayoral Chain and Badge - presented by the Duke of Bedford, first Mayor of Holborn, in 1901. The gold chain has 24 links, eight of which contain enamelled devices indicating: the Borough of Holborn; the parishes of St Giles, St George Bloomsbury, St Andrew Holborn and St Giles-the-Martyr; Lincoln's Inn and Grays Inn; and the donor. Between each of these devices are two links suggesting the letter "H" and set with small roses. Beneath the "Holborn" link is a lion's head, forming a small intermediate link to support the badge. The design of the gold badge is based on the borough seal, its principal features being three niches, containing standing figures of St Giles, St George and St Andrew. Above the niches is a representation of the old houses still existing in Holborn; from beneath an arch in the base flows the Holebourne, teeming with fish, between banks, studded with flowers and strawberries, in allusion to the gardens mentioned in Shakespeare's Richard III. Hampstead Mace - Edward Brodie Hoare, Member of Parliament for the borough, presented the mace in 1901. Modelled in sterling silver gilt, the mace bears upon the obverse the arms of the Hampstead Borough, and in an encircling band the inscription "The Mace of the Borough of Hampstead", surmounted by the initials of the borough, and with acanthus decorations. The lower part of the stem is ornamented with the English rose and crossed sceptres, emerging into fluted work and oak embellishments at the foot, whilst the fillet of the crown is studded with amethysts, aquamarines, carbuncles and white coral. Right Hand side of shelf: St Pancras mayoral chain and badge - made of gold and presented by Sir John Blundell Maple Bart, M.P. The badge features the arms of the borough in fine enamel, while the chain is composed of links of the initial "P" entwined with the prefix "St" in the centre, alternating with shields bearing the names of successive mayors. Bottom Shelf: St Pancras Mace - is made of solid sliver water-gilt, and was presented by Sir Horatio Regnart, J.P., in 1901. The Imperial Crown surmounts the head, which has four shields containing the borough arms, a view of the old church of St Pancras, the borough seal, and the inscription. The head is supported by figures illustrating Authority, Commerce, Prudence and Temperance, standing on a platform at the head of the shaft, which is encircled by chased work introducing the national emblems. The St Pancras mace was adopted as the Camden Mace in 1965. This is the mace most often used by Camden. back to top ^^ |
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