1 February 2007
Sword of Honour: Lord Mayor's right-hand man retires
Brigadier Neill O’Connor of Wilton, Salisbury, aged 63, has
retired as the Swordbearer to the Lord Mayor of the City of London
after ten years in the role.
The title of the Swordbearer is a ceremonial role dating back to
1420. Neill was first appointed as the City Marshall in 1997 and
promoted to Swordbearer, the most senior of the Lord Mayor’s three
personal staff officer known as the Esquires, in 2002. He had spent
35 years with the army and was a Director at the Ministry Of
Defence before he joined the Mansion House.
However, the ceremonial role accounts for only about five per
cent of the work the Swordbearer undertakes for the Lord Mayor. The
more important duties, which make up 95 per cent of the work, are
to run all the administrative aspects of the Lord Mayor’s complex
and busy programme both at home and abroad.
His job involved planning, preparing, briefing and accompanying
the Lord Mayor to official engagements, with days that often lasted
from 5.00am to 2.00am.
With his colleagues, Neill acted as planner and manager of all
Lord Mayor's overseas visits. This led to him visiting over 100
cities in 50 countries, many of which he travelled to more than
once, supporting Lord Mayors as they work around the world
promoting the UK-based Financial Services industry.
Another aspect of Neill’s job was to supervise the protocol of
ceremonial events, many of which date back over 400 years. When
attending ceremonial events, the Swordbearer wore a fur hat which
was known as Cap of Maintenance and carried the Lord Mayor's Sword
of State which dates to 15th century.
"It is important that ceremonies are to be done perfectly, with
grace, to honour the history and stability of the city over more
than 1,000 years"
"I have been lucky enough to serve 11 successive Lord Mayors and
have participated in some major ceremonies including the Queen’s
Golden Jubilee, the Queen Mother’s 100th Birthday celebrations, a
number of state visits and many other high profile state occasions.
I wish the excellent team at the Mansion House all the best for the
future."
Neill has also accompanied Lord Mayor Sir Michael Oliver and the
Archbishop of Canterbury to take the 9/11 Memorial Bell to New
York. He took part in services at Ground Zero and elsewhere - and
spent time with families of the victims from the UK.
Neill will continue running the Mansion House Scholarship Scheme
and a charitable foundation near his home in Wilton.
Notes to editors:
The Swordbearer
Neill Patrick Scott O'Connor MA
Born: 1943.
Educated: Wellington College; Magdalene College, Cambridge; The
Staff College, Camberley; US Armed Forces Staff College.
Career: 1963-81 - Commissioned into The Royal Regiment of
Artillery. Served at regimental duty in Kenya, Aden, UK and
Germany, including a tour as Adjutant, The King’s Troop, Royal
Horse Artillery. Service with troops alternated with staff training
and with appointments in the Ministry of Defence, Whitehall in
Military Operations and Tactical Doctrine Directorates.
1983-85 - Commanding Officer, 39 Heavy Regiment, Royal
Artillery
1985-92 - Senior Staff and Head of Branch appointments in the Army
Command and Information Systems Directorate in MOD and at HQ UK
Land Forces, Wilton. 1992-95 – Promoted Brigadier. Appointed
Director, Command and Information Systems (Army), MOD Whitehall.
Retired from Army in 1996.
1997 - Appointed as City Marshal to the Rt Hon the Lord Mayor.
Appointed as Swordbearer in March 2002.
Family: Married (1968- Rosslyn); two daughters, one son. Family
home in Wilton, Salisbury.
Interests: Golf, Skiing, Country Pursuits, Theatre, Music and
Gardening.
The post of Swordbearer
The Swordbearer is the first Esquire of the Mansion House and
the present incumbent can follow the line of his predecessors back
to 1420. Although he has an important ceremonial role, nowadays
this only occupies some 5% of his time. Together with the other two
Esquires (the Serjeant-at-Arms and the City Marshal) his role is
principally that of a full-time personal staff officer to the Lord
Mayor of The City of London, running all the administrative aspects
of the Lord Mayor’s complex and busy daily programme at home and
some 80 days of business promotional visits overseas each year.
Lesley Mair
Press Office
City of London PO Box 270, Guildhall, London EC2P 2EJ
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