AT EVENTS I attend I am often asked about the mayor’s chain and badge, and the history behind them.

The mayor’s chain was presented to the town in 1874 by the then mayor, E Burnett, and bears the dates 1305 and 1835.

The date 1305 is significant because that is when King Edward I granted a charter authorising the building of a county gaol in Dorchester, which officially confirmed Dorchester’s position as county town – although Dorchester had been an important settlement many years before that.

In 1835 was the passing of the Municipal Corporations Act, which created local government in a form similar to today.

The badge is the seal of the town and shows a triple- towered castle and a shield bearing the quartered arms of England and France and is taken from an original seal dating from 1370.

The royal purple background signifies Dorchester’s status as part of the private estates of the King since Doomsday and the individual links on the chain are engraved with the names of the mayors who served in the early years.

The chain was obviously designed for men as until 1936 all the mayors were men.

In 1936 Winifrede Marsden became the first woman mayor, followed in 1950 by Nancy Jackman.

I am pleased to say that in this century we are sharing the position equally with men.

The first mayor of Dorchester was John Parkyns in 1629, and the position of town clerk also dates back to that year.

In 1928 ‘the women of Dorchester’ presented a badge and chain for the use of the mayoress – the badge is now also worn by men when they become the mayor’s consort.

Many people think a woman mayor is called a mayoress, but a mayoress is the wife of a mayor. I am the mayor of Dorchester and was mayoress when Trevor, my husband was mayor.