Mayor's robe and chains

The Mayoral robe and chains are always associated with the town's first citizen, but most people do not know the origins of the formal attire.

The Mayoral Robe - is made from the finest quality wool and is trimmed with artificial fur. The sleeves are also trimmed with artificial fur and a band of velvet. The colour of a Mayor's robe is optional but most Mayors wear a red robe.

The Mayoral Chains - the Mayoral badge of office is enamelled with the Chorley Borough Coat of Arms. This was bought by public donations and presented to what was then called 'Chorley Corporation' to commemorate Queen's Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887. 

The chains include 3 crowned shields as well as 2 images of Queen Victoria. One image was bought in Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee year in 1887. The other was bought by public donations and presented to 'Chorley Corporation' 10 years later to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. As far as we know Chorley's Mayoral chains are the only chains in the country to include 2 images of Queen Victoria.

The chain was made by F. Elkington of Birmingham in 1886. It weighs 3 ½ lbs which is just over 1 ½ kilos.

The Mayoress' Chain - is a smaller version of the Mayor's badge of office and is made of 15 carat American gold. The badge is attached to a necklet of 12 scrolling open work links with scrolling connecting links set alternately with pearl and peridot.

The chain was presented to the then 'Chorley Corporation' by Councillor John Sharples who was Mayor in 1924 because at that time there was no official chain for the Mayoress to wear.

Consort's Badge of Office - was manufactured by Vaughtons, in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, in late 2004.

The jewel is made from hallmarked silver, which was assayed at the Birmingham Assay Office. The council crest was hand painted and mounted onto the centre of the jewel, then highly polished. The jewel was suspended from a double mitred ribbon, and is housed in a handmade leatherette case.