William Craven (Lord Mayor of London) William Craven (Lord Mayor of London) Sir William Craven (1548 – 18 July 1618) was an English merchant, Lord Mayor of London in 1610 (some sources say also in 1618). It has been noted that the story of Dick Whittington has some similarities to Craven's career, though the story was first published before Craven became Lord Mayor. He was the second son of William Craven and Beatrix, daughter of John Hunter, and grandson of John Craven, was born at Appletreewick, a village in the parish of Burnsall, near Skipton in the West Riding of Yorkshire, about 1548. The date is
Lord Mayor of London as a symbol of the latter's overlordship. The monarch does not, as is often purported, wait for the Lord Mayor's permission to enter the City. When the sovereign enters the city, a short ceremony usually takes place where the Lord Mayor symbolically surrenders his or her authority to the monarch by presenting the sword to them. If the sovereign is attending a service at St Paul's this ceremony would take place there rather than at the boundary of the City for matters of convenience. The importance of the office is reflected by the composition of the Accession Council, a body