Lady mayor aims to 'un-square the Square Mile'

First ever lady mayor of the City of London Dame Sue Langley tries on a pearly jacket similar to one she will wear in her alternative role of lady pearly mayor of the City of London

It will be a weekend of firsts for Dame Susan Langley DBE, the lady mayor of the City of London.

Although Dame Susan, 62, is not the first female lord mayor (she's the third in its 697 year history) she is the first to take the lady mayor title.

Consequently she has insisted that this year the name of the Lord Mayor's Show is changed to the Lady Mayor's Show. A passionate advocate for equality, especially for women, Dame Susan also wants to "un-square the Square Mile" by highlighting its innovative side.

Born in London's East End, she'll also have a further honorary title bestowed on her by the Pearly Kings and Queens Association as the first ever "lady pearly mayor of the City of London".

Dame Sue Langley DBE has taken the title lady mayor of the City of London because she is not a lord

"I never ever imagined as a little girl that I would be in that golden coach," reflected Dame Sue.

She was born in Whitechapel, grew up in West Ham and Hornchurch and considers herself an east ender.

"What's strange is, I was born with the sound of Bow bells and now I'll be accompanied by the sound of state trumpets," she added.

"I used to watch the show sitting on my Grandad's shoulders wrapped in a warm scarf and seeing the whole parade go past.

"To be part of it, let alone in it, will be absolutely amazing, but I have to say, slightly surreal!"

Dame Sue observes the ceremonial coach she'll ride in as Lady Mayor of the City of London

She added: "This role has hundreds of years of tradition, it goes back to 1189, and tradition is brilliant. But we also need to gently flex.

"There have been two previous female lord mayors, out of 696, and I will be the 697th.

"But I will be the first to take the name 'lady mayor' and to be honest it never occurred to me to be anything else. I'm not a lord, I'm a lady, that's just who I am."

As lady mayor she is the ambassador for Financial and Professional Services in the Square Mile, so Mansion House, which she has just moved into, is her embassy.

"I think the words Square Mile... to me square is slightly old fashioned, and it's not and I'm not.

"The City is innovative. So if I had one aim I'd like, over the next year, to un-square the Square Mile."

Waistcoat of pearly buttons

But there was one dream she had as a child which was even bigger than riding in a golden carriage.

"As a child I wanted to be a pearly queen because they were so shiny," she explained.

"I so, so wanted to be one."

"My Gran was not only a prolific knitter but was also a piece-maker. She made clothes and she made me a waistcoat covered in pearly buttons.

"I thought that was the closest I was going to get, but somebody spoke to the Pearly Association and just for a year I'm going to be the pearly lady mayor!"

Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE is the pearly queen of the City of London and she is hoping Dame Sue will join her in raising money for charity

The pearlies started 150 years ago when costermongers or market sellers used to decorate their clothes in pearly buttons and at the same time collect money for the less fortunate.

Today, the descendants of those families continue the tradition of charitable working class London culture.

Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE is the pearly queen of the City of London, whose family has been part of the pearly community for decades.

She is also the CEO and founder of WeAreTheCity and was awarded an OBE for her services to women and the economy.

"There is a synergy, we're east London girls," said Dr Vallely, referring to herself and Dame Sue.

"I learned about this wish for her to be a pearly queen and I thought well, it's on my patch right? I can make that happen," she said.

The pearly queens and kings will also be taking part in the Lady Mayor's Show for the first time ever this year.

The Pearly Kings and Queens started in the 1870s as costermongers, or market-sellers, who would dress up in clothes decorated with pearl buttons and raise money for charity

There will be a definite feminine energy to the Lady Mayor's Show, not least because the lady mayor wants women to be front and centre.

Taking part in this year's show will be 697 women, to reflect the 697 years of the show.

And because Sue is a dame, she's also invited other woman who have been awarded a damehood. They'll be in a horse-drawn omnibus.

About 7,000 people will be taking part in the parade, which dates back to the early 13th Century and is the oldest, and at three miles (about 5km) long, the longest procession in the world.

A former sheriff of the City of London, Dame Sue is also an alderwoman. She was given an OBE for services to women in business in 2015, before being honoured with a damehood two years ago.

Asked if she sees herself as a role model, Dame Sue has accepted that she is.

"Somebody said to me once that I was a role model, and I did that typical British thing of 'oh no' type thing.

"But she actually took me to task and said 'Sue, you need to realise that for some people they do have to see it to be it. I can tell my daughters they can do this, or I can point to you and say, see, there's one there'.

"So I do realise this is a really important role to play."