King Henry VI decreed that the City should be "of one Mayor and one commonalty, wholly corporate for ever". The first Mayor elected under Royal Charter was John Lynde.
The responsibilities of Mayors have diminished over the years. They were once in charge of keeping the peace, serving as Chief Magistrate and presiding over the local lawcourt. This caused problems as the Mayor could be asked to chair sessions without experience or knowledge of law. The Justices of the Peace Act of 1968 decreed that Mayors were no longer entitled to sit as magistrates by virtue of their office alone.〔(www.canterbury.gov.uk, 'The History of Office of Mayor' ), consulted 10 January 2010.〕