The office of Mayor of Chesterfield in Derbyshire, has existed since 1598 when Queen Elizabeth issued a charter to the town, granting the town the right to have a mayor. The first holder of this position was Ralph Clarke. This charter is on display in the Chesterfield Museum and Art Gallery.[1]
Prior to 1933 when the Local Government Act 1933 came into effect, any local citizen could hold the position, following this act only elected councillors could become mayor.[2]
^Riden, P.; Blair, J.; Chesterfield (England). Borough Council (1980). History of Chesterfield: Records of the Borough of Chesterfield and related documents 1204–1835. Chesterfield Borough Council. p. 205. ISBN978-0-9500459-8-6. Retrieved 6 July 2018. The newspaper article already referred to provides additional information about a few of the mayors. ... to the removal of Hercules Clay and the installation of John Allwood; to Christopher Pegge's death in office in January 1724; and to the writ ...