The exact date of establishment of a town council is unknown. The Domesday survey recorded that Bristol, then known as Brygstowe was part of the royal manor of Barton and was a borough governed by a reeve, and assessed at 110 marks. Charters confirming rights and duties were granted by Henry II in 1172 and by John in 1190. The first known mayor was Roger Cordwainer, who is referred to in Crown documents from the summer of 1216. He, however, appears to have been an appointee of King John. The first mayor chosen by the townspeople was Adam Le Page, who took office on 29 September 1216. As the town developed the mayor was assisted by provosts, later known as stewards and bailiffs. A list of mayors dating from 1216 was published by the town clerk, Robert Ricart, in 1479. A charter granted by Henry III in 1256, extended the town's rights, enabling the burgesses to choose coroners and to farm the fees payable to the king.
County and city status
In 1373, Edward III granted a charter to Bristol stating that: Bristol was the first provincial town to be given this status. Bristol was first described as a city in a charter of Elizabeth I in 1581, but this document suggests that Bristol had been granted city status at the time of Henry VII. The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 established Bristol Corporation, which consisted of 48 councillors and 18 aldermen. The term Corporation of Bristol or Bristol Corporation, encompassing the mayor and common council, had been in use since the eighteenth century at least. Bristol became a county borough in 1888 and the boundaries were extended into Gloucestershire and Somerset.
Mayors
The first historically recorded mayor of Bristol was Roger Cordewainer who is referred to in orders issued by King John in 1216. He, however, was a royal appointment. From the middle ages to the nineteenth century Bristol treated Adam le Page as its first mayor, probably because he was the first to be chosen by the town for an annual one-year office. Following the Bristol riots of 1831 the then incumbent mayor of Bristol Charles Pinney was tried in London for negligence, but found innocent. This was one of many local disturbances throughout England leading to the Municipal Corporation Act 1835 and the installation of a permanent mayoral office. From early times the mayor was the chief officer of the council, elected by the members of the common council. The position of Mayoress was usually held by the wife or daughter of the mayor. In 1899, Queen Victoria granted the mayor the right to be styled Lord Mayor. When a woman served she was still referred to as Lord Mayor, rather than Lady Mayoress. In 2012, the new post of Mayor of Bristol was created following a referendum held on 3 May. The first elections to the new post were held on 15 November 2012, and resulted in the election of George Ferguson. This post differs from that of the Lord Mayor. It will be an executive role as opposed to the first citizen civic representative role of the Lord Mayor.
