Samuel Birch (Lord Mayor of London) the lord mayor, and on the reverse a representation of a wheatsheaf, with the legend, 'Free Importation, Peace and Plenty.' During his mayoralty the marble statue of George III by Chantrey, the inscription on which was written by Birch, was placed in the council chamber of Guildhall. Almost his last act as lord mayor was to lay the foundation-stone of the London Institution in Finsbury Circus (then called the Amphitheatre, Moorfields) on 4 November 1815. In 1836 Birch, who had for many years carried on his father's old business in Cornhill, disposed of it to Messrs. Ring & Brymer, the
Edward Ironside (Lord Mayor of London) Ironside became an alderman of Cordwainer ward on 18 October 1745. He was one of the members of the so called ‘Benn’s Club’ a group of Aldermen with Jacobite sysmpathies under the leadership of Alderman William Benn. He was Sheriff of London in the year 1748 to 1749. He became Lord Mayor of London on 9th November1753. At his inauguration, he was so ill with gout that he had to be carried in a magnificent Sedan Chair. Alderman Benn rode in the State Coach and performed the honours of the day in his place. Ironside’s health did not improve and