NCI Calshot Tower QAVS and Stone Point Watchkeepers attend the 802nd Annual Southampton City Mayor Making Ceremony. Bryan Young and Helena Carr represented NCI at the Ceremony on Wednesday 15 May in the 02 Guildhall. The new Lord Mayor of Southampton and Admiral of the Port is Councillor Dave Shields. Councillor James Bailie took over as Sheriff and Deputy Lord Mayor.

The stations also attended the Lord Mayor’s Rogation Day Service aboard the SS Shieldhall on Sunday 5May – picture are Bryan Young (SM), Stephen Edmonds (DSM), Di Roblett (Publicity Officer) and Helena Carr with the Southampton Town Crier,City of Southampton, who now has an NCI badge on his tunic!

A little bit of history for you: As Admiral of the Port, the Lord Mayor of Southampton has a special flag, a traditional Admiral’s Flag of red St. George’s Cross on a white background with a black anchor motif in the canton. 

Originally Maritime trade and domestic maritime problems were handled by common law. Over time, maritime law and jurisdiction developed in boroughs which were home to ports, such as Southampton. It is said Southampton is where the first Admiralty courts were held, soon after Henry VI’s specific grant in 1451.

These honours were bestowed to acknowledge the tremendous contribution the port had made to the country by “the eminence it had attained in overseas trade” and the Lord Mayor’s ‘Admiralty Jurisdiction’ extended from Hurst Castle in the West to Langstone in the East, and included Portsmouth. Power was given to the mayor to exercise all the functions of Admiral of England within the town.