High Steward of Kingston upon Hull is a ceremonial title conferred by Hull City Council as a civic honour on prominent people associated with Kingston upon Hull. Hull has had a high steward since at least 1583. The position was abolished in 1974 and revived in 2013. Before 1974 the steward usually served for life; since 2013 the term of office is 10 years. The incumbent is Peter Mandelson.
History.
A town's steward mirrored at local level the Lord High Steward at national level. According to James Joseph Sheahan, "The dignity of Lord High Steward of Kingston-upon-Hull was formerly of great importance", but after the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 became "little more than honorary". The corporation hoped to pick an influential figure as steward; conversely, the steward often influenced the choice for MPs for Hull. The steward was paid a regular fee and received gifts of ale. The 1661 city charter made the position in the gift of the monarch, permitting the council to petition the monarch to award the title to a member of the Privy Council. His duties in 1864 were "to present such addresses to the reigning Monarch as the Corporation may adopt, and to watch over the interests of the borough in the Privy Council". Hull's first steward whose name is known was Sir Francis Walsingham, principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I. Sheahan says the previous steward died in 1582, but his name was not recorded. Allison says the office of lord high steward was instituted in 1584, and first mentioned in the town charter of 1598. In 1833, the stewardship fell vacant in the divisive aftermath of the Reform Act 1832; the Mayor and Aldermen of the Corporation petitioned to have the Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington appointed, while the burgesses made a counter-petition in favour of John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham; Durham was finally appointed after the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. Other stewards have included the Georgian-era prime minister Lord Rockingham, Hull businessman and MP Thomas Robinson Ferens, and Herbert Morrison (1956–65), a former Labour home secretary, grandfather of Lord (Peter) Mandelson, a successor.
The Local Government Act 1888 redesignated the borough of Hull a county borough which retained its civic officers. The Local Government Act 1972 abolished the county borough and officers from April 1974.
In 2012, Hull City Council issued a "loyal address" to mark Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee asking for permission to revive the offices of High Sheriff and High Steward. When this was granted in 2013, the council commissioned a new chain of office for the High Steward. The chain were funded by a bequest from Colonel Rupert Alexander Alec-Smith, who had served as Sheriff of Hull between 1949 and 1950, Lord Mayor of Hull in 1970 and 1971, and Lord Lieutenant of Humberside in 1980–83. The first appointee was former Labour minister Peter Mandelson, grandson of previous steward Herbert Morrison. John Prescott, a Labour rival of Mandelson who was MP for Kingston upon Hull East from 1970 to 2010, said he was surprised it had not been discussed with him, adding "I also have no interest in being a steward again - I did that job on the liners for 10 years."
List.
The list of stewards whose names are known is as follows. Unless noted, those appointed up to 1974 held office for life.
References.
Citations.
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