The
Unofficial Website
Incorporation
A petition was sent to Queen Victoria in 1870 to grant a Charter of Incorporation to the Borough of Rotherham. The citizens were told in 1871 that the Privy Council would advise the Queen to grant the Charter. The Charter was granted on 29th August 1871, dividing the resultant Borough into six wards, each to have one alderman and three town councillors. The original borough consisted of Rotherham and Kimberworth, but in 1897 it was extended to cover parts of Whiston, Greasbrough and Brinsworth.
Unfortunately very few people seemed keen to take up municipal office - now there's a surprise. The first mayor was Mr. J. Habershon who had been Chairman of the old Board of Health.
Ten years elapsed before the Mayors gained any insignia of office - now that does not surprise me. I can just hear the chuntering "Now what does 'e want a chain for - waste of bloody
money."
The robes of mayoral office did not appear until 1891 when their purchase met with opposition against "extravagance and vulgar display"
. I can still hear them today, clear as a
bell down all these years.