Ipswich City Council Mayoral Chains of Office

Mayoral Chains of Office
The original Ipswich Mayoral Chains of Office made of silver plate and enamel were produced c.1959/1960, maker unknown. The Mayoral Chain was gifted to the City of Ipswich by Archbishop Sir James Duhig, Catholic Archbishop of the Brisbane Diocese on 29 February 1960 in recognition of Ipswich’s 100^th anniversary of municipality. Unfortunately these Chains only include the names and dates of Ipswich Mayors commencing from 1960 i.e. Mayors Finimore, Hastings, Freeman, Underwood, Nugent and Pisasale. The previous 43 Mayors who consecutively served Ipswich during the period of its first 100 years after the granting of municipality are therefore not recognized in the original Mayoral Chain of Office. 

As part of Ipswich’s 150^th anniversary (sesqui-centenary) of municipality,  a Commemorative Ordinary Council Meeting to mark the formation of the first ever Ipswich Municipal Council in 1860 was held at the Ipswich Civic Centre on Monday night 12 April 2010. To mark the importance of this occasion, during the proceedings, the new Mayoral Chains of Office were dedicated by two Ministers of Ipswich churches ministering to the local community today. These Ministers were the Venerable Matthew Jones, Rector and Archdeacon of Cunningham, St Paul’s Anglican Church, the oldest church in Ipswich and Pastor Mark Edwards, Senior Minister of the Ipswich Region Community Church, one of the youngest churches in Ipswich. Back in 1861 it was the Reverend Lacey Rumsey, then Rector of St Paul’s Church who created the Ipswich Crest and Arms subsequently registered in Great Britain. This Crest and Arms was incorporated into the original Mayoral Chains of Office and is the centre-piece of the 2010 new Mayoral Chains of Office.

The new chains were made by Somers & Son and are made of sterling silver and enamel (crest colours).

As the original Mayoral Chains of Office were gifted to the City in 1960 in recognition of the 100^th Anniversary of the Municipality of Ipswich, for historical purposes it was transferred to the Ipswich Art Gallery for inclusion in the City of Ipswich Collection, to be displayed on appropriate civic occasions.