List of provosts of Glasgow

The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Glasgow is the convener of the Glasgow City Council. The Lord Provost serves both as the chair of the city council and as a figurehead for the entire city, and is elected by the city councillors from among its members at the council's first meeting.[1] The office is equivalent in many ways to the institution of mayor that exists in the cities of many other countries.

The Lord Provost of the City of Glasgow, by virtue of office, is also:

Each of the 32 Scottish local authorities elects a provost, but it is only the four main cities, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee that have a Lord Provost, who also serves as the lord-lieutenant for the city. This is codified in the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. As of 2017, the role attracts a salary of £41,546, plus an annual expenses budget of £5000.[2]

The current Lord Provost of Glasgow, elected in May 2022, is Jacqueline McLaren.

The Lord Provost of Glasgow has the use of an official limousine which is always black and always carries the registration plate "G0".[3] Past limousines are on display at the city's Transport Museum. The current limousine is a Rolls-Royce Ghost, donated by Boyd Tunnock in 2018.[2]

List of provosts and lord provosts

The Medieval burgh of Glasgow was administered on behalf of the Bishops of Glasgow by officials known as Bailies or Provosts. The office of Provost as a single chief magistrate was not created until the early 1450s.[4]

15th century

  • (1450x1453–1479) John Stewart
  • (1480) Sir Thomas Stewart of Minto
  • (1485–1489) Robert Stewart
  • (1491) Andrew Otterburn
  • (1497) Matthew Stewart, 2nd Earl of Lennox
  • (1498) Sir Patrick Blacader of Tulliallan
  • (1498–1499) John Stewart

16th century

17th century

  • (1600–1601) Sir George Elphinstone of Blythswood
  • (1604–1605) Sir George Elphinstone of Blythswood
  • (1607–1608) John Houston of Houston
  • (1609–1612) James Inglis
  • (1613) James Stewart I
  • (1614–1616) James Hamilton
  • (1617–1618) James Stewart I
  • (1619–1620) James Inglis
  • (1621–1622) James Hamilton
  • (1623–1624) Gabriel Cunningham
  • (1625–1626) James Inglis
  • (1627–1628) James Hamilton
  • (1629–1632) Gabriel Cunningham
  • (1633) William Stewart
  • (1634–1635) Patrick Bell
  • (1636) Colin Campbell I
  • (1637) James Stewart II
  • (1638) Patrick Bell
  • (1639) Gabriel Cunningham
  • (1640) James Stewart II
  • (1641–1642) William Stewart
  • (1643–1644) James Bell
  • (1645–1646) George Porterfield
  • (1647) James Stewart
  • (1648) Colin Campbell II
  • (1648–1649) George Porterfield
  • (1650) John Graham
  • (1651) George Porterfield
  • (1652) Daniel Wallace
  • (1655–1656) John Anderson I
  • (1658) John Anderson II[5]
  • (1658–1659) Sir John Bell
  • (1660–1661) Colin Campbell II
  • (1662–1663) Sir John Bell
  • (1664–1666) William Anderson
  • (1667) John Anderson II[5]
  • (1668) William Anderson
  • (1669) James Campbell
  • (1670–1673) William Anderson
  • (1674–1675) Sir John Bell
  • (1676–1677) James Campbell
  • (1678–1681) Sir John Bell
  • (1682–1683) John Barns
  • (1684–1685) John Johnston
  • (1686–1687) John Barns
  • (1688-1689) Walter Gibson
  • (1689–1690) John Anderson III
  • (1691–1692) James Peadie of Ruchill
  • (1693–1694) William Napier
  • (1695–1696) John Anderson III
  • (1697–1698) James Peadie of Ruchill
  • (1699–1700) John Anderson III

18th century

19th century

20th century

21st century

Deputy lieutenants

A deputy lieutenant of Glasgow is commissioned by the Lord Lieutenant of Glasgow. Deputy lieutenants support the work of the lord-lieutenant. There can be several deputy lieutenants at any time, depending on the population of the county. Their appointment does not terminate with the changing of the lord-lieutenant, but they usually retire at age 75.

19th Century

21st Century

References