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The oldest annual parade
in the world takes place in London; but since it takes place in the
middle of November, at a time when there are not too many tourists in
the capital, the "Lord Mayor's Show" is an event
that is not very well known outside the city.
The first Lord
Mayor's Show took place in the year 1215, after King John gave
Londoners the right to choose
their own representative. Like today's event, it was a fairly exciting
procession, during which London's new "Lord Mayor" was "shown" to the
people of the city.
Originally, the new
Lord Mayor had to present himself to the Law Courts
for
approval
by the King, and to swear
loyalty. Today, the Show is
always attended by
representatives of the Crown.
For many years,
until 1856 the procession included making part of the journey by barge
along the Thames. Now the Show winds
its way through the streets of the City.
 It is usually the biggest
free show of the year for Londoners; and for many years, it has been an
exotic or spectacular occasion. In the year 1602, for example, the
ordinary people of London were able to see a lion and a camel in the
procession - beasts that most of them had certainly never seen before!
The
Lord Mayor
In the olden days,
when
"London" was all contained within the walls of the "City", the Lord
Mayor was a powerful figure. He was the representative of the people of
London, a man who was chosen by the most important people in the city;
he was not appointed by the King.
Today, the "City"
has a
population of about 6,000 people - less than 0.1% of the population of
the modern city of "Greater London". And as far as this modern London
is concerned, the Lord Mayor of the City is not a very important
person. For instance, he is far less important than the
directly-elected "Mayor of London", who is really in charge of the
capital's affairs.
On
the other hand,
the Lord Mayor is a representative of the "City", the most important
financial centre in Europe; and although many of his functions are
ceremonial, he also plays an important role in the world of
international business.
Naturally, the Lord
Mayor's Show is has little to do with business. London's corporations
may pay for it, but it is a show for the people.
THE
MODERN SHOW
 In today's Lord Mayor's Show,
the new mayor rides in his ceremonial carriage
at the head of a long procession of vehicles, floats
and marching bands.
Last year's
procession
was 4 kilometres long, and was made up of 146 different groups,
including 70 floats, 2,000 military personnel, and over 3,000
civilians, as well as hundreds of horses. Among the participants were
many of the City of London's institutions, as well as charities
and many of the big companies that are based in the city.
Naturally, the City
of
London is rich, as are most of the big companies that work there; this
means that the Lord Mayor's Show is not only one of the biggest annual
parades in the world; it is also one of the most spectacular, as firms
and institutions compete with each other to produce the most exciting
and original floats.
Dominic Reid, the
man in charge of the Show, says: "Every year we try to beat
last year's show for spectacle."
Last year's show
finished
with the biggest firework display in Britain. This year, over half a
million visitors are expected to line the city's streets for the
special Millennium show. Everyone will be hoping that the rain holds
off!
WORDS:
barge:
boat - beat: do better than - carriage:
coach pulled by horses - charity:
charitable association -choose:
select, nominate - event:
happening, occasion - float:
decorated vehicle - for approval:
to be approved, accepted - hold off:
be absent - is attended by ...:
.... are present - law court:
court of justice - on the other hand:
however - swear: promise -
winds: turns (the verb wind rhymes
with mind) .
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