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Welcome to the page for the Lord Mayor’s Office, featuring information on Portsmouth Guildhall and how to address the Lord Mayor.

How to address the Lord Mayor and their Official Companion

The Lord Mayor is always referred to as ‘The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth’ regardless of gender.

If desired, the name, preceded by Councillor may follow the office – ‘The Right Worshipful’ should always be placed before ‘The Lord Mayor’.

A Lady Mayoress (the wife or other female companion chosen by the Lord Mayor, such as a daughter) is not referred to as ‘The Right Worshipful’.

If the Lord Mayor’s companion is male, their title will be Consort.

The table below shows how to address the Lord Mayor, Lady Mayoress or Consort in various situations.

SituationLord MayorLady MayoressConsort
Beginning a letterMy Lord Mayor (formal) Dear Lord Mayor (social)My Lady Mayoress (formal) Dear Lady Mayoress (social)Address by name
Ending a letterYours faithfully (formal) Yours sincerely (social)Yours faithfully (formal) Yours sincerely (social)Yours faithfully (formal) Yours sincerely (social)
EnvelopeThe Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of PortsmouthThe Lady Mayoress of PortsmouthThe Lord Mayor's Consort followed by name
Verbal addressMy Lord Mayor, or Lord MayorMy Lady Mayoress, or Lady MayoressName
Description in conversationThe Lord Mayor, or the Lord Mayor of PortsmouthMy Lady Mayoress, or Lady Mayoress of PortsmouthThe Lord Mayor's Consort or name

Portsmouth Guildhall

Follow the link to find out what’s on at the Portsmouth Guildhall, or read about the building’s history below.

The Portsmouth Guildhall stands on land that was formerly the residence of the Commanding Officer of Artillery. The site was acquired from the Government and in 1883 an Act of Parliament was passed authorising the expenditure of £120,000 for the erection of the Town Hall.

The Foundation Stone was laid by Mayor Alfred Starling Blake on 14 October 1886 and building was completed on 30 May 1889. The final payment to the contractors was £139,553-3s-8d. Which included amongst other extras the provision of the organ, considered to be amongst the finest in the South of England, and the clock and bells.

Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales officially opened the Town Hall on 9 August 1890. On 21 April 1926 Portsmouth was raised to the dignity of a city and to mark the event the Town Hall was re-named The Guildhall.

The Guildhall was destroyed by enemy incendiary bombs on 10 January 1941 when the scene was one of complete destruction – only the outer walls being left standing. Reconstruction work began on 23 April 1955 at an estimated cost of £864,531. The first department to move into the new building was the Town Clerk’s Department on 11 August 1958 and the first Council meeting in the new Chamber was held on 9 September 1958.

The official opening of the reconstructed Guildhall took place on 8 June 1959 with the ceremony being performed by Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by HRH Prince Phillip. The ceremony was watched by thousands of the city’s residents who had stood for several hours in driving rain awaiting the arrival of the Royal party.