The first office of Mayor was first introduced by the Normans in the eleventh century and the word Mayor itself derived from the Latin ‘magnus’, meaning 'great'.

The first English Mayor was the Lord Mayor of London, who took office in 1189. From 1835, the title of Mayor was given to the head of each municipal council, or corporation, in England with the post-holder being seen as the First Citizen who spoke for the whole town or city.

Southend-on-Sea is now on its 99th Mayor, John Lamb