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The Lord Mayor is elected each year by his or her fellow Councillors at the Annual Council Meeting. The Deputy Lord
Mayor is elected at the same meeting.
The City’s first Lord Mayor, Thomas Clarke Wild, was elected in 1927-28.
For further information on recent Lord Mayors, from 2007 to present, please read on.
Or, for a full list of Lord Mayors from 1927 to present, please follow the link to the Civic History page, where you
can find photos of each and every Lord Mayor.
2010-2011 - Lord Mayor Denver Tolley
Denver’s consort was his wife, Lynne Tolley.
Denver served continuously as a Councillor for 25 years – first as a County Councillor from 1985 – 1997,
and then as a City Councillor from 1997 to 2011. He also served as vice chair of Staffordshire Fire Authority.
Originally from Hednesford in the West Midlands, Denver was a City Councillor for the Longton North ward. Now retired,
he worked for 31 years as a bus and coach driver, including five years working on the buses in Australia in the early 1970s.
2009-2010 – Lord Mayor Jean Bowers
Jean’s Consort was her niece, Sabrina Bowers.
Jean was first elected as a city councillor in 2000. Her first taste of employment came in the pottery industry,
where at age 15, she learnt the art of gold stamping gilt edging on all form of tableware. She went on to work in the
industry for five years, before a change of career to study theology.
She then swapped the text books for stethoscopes and thermometers as her career took in first nursing and then adult
social care – a role that saw her become matron at a city run care home, where she says her love of the elderly blossomed.
Jean also held senior management roles at probation centres in Reading and Skelmersdale for a total of four years –
the only time in her professional career she has been based outside Stoke-on-Trent. Before retiring, Jean was an education
welfare officer, serving a number of schools in the city.
2008-2009 – Lord Mayor Derek Capey
Derek’s consort was his wife, Mrs Joyce Capey.
Derek was first elected as a city councillor in 2002. He was born in Wolstanton in 1938, and has lived in the Stoke-on-Trent
area for most of his life. He has an invaluable love and knowledge of our area and its proud heritage.
Derek served his National Service from 1957 to 1959, mostly in Cyprus. Afterwards, he worked for the Silverdale Co-operative
Society, where he met his wife Joyce. This was followed by working for the Michelin Tyre Company.
From 1972 until 2001, Derek ran a fish and chip shop with his wife in Heron Cross, where he was also Chair of the Traders’
Association. When the construction of the A50 meant the shop had to close, he went to work in the pharmacy department
at the City General Hospital.
Derek is a devoted family man. He married his wife Joyce in 1961 and has two sons, as well as a number of grandchildren.
A keen sportsman, Derek was a cricket player for several teams, from the age of 16 until he was 40, including Barlaston,
Meakins and Johnson Matthey. Derek played football for Silverdale Co-op, Audley Ex-Servicemen and Johnson Matthey and
has been a football referee for Staffordshire County F.A. and Cheshire League. As linesman Derek served in all divisions
of the Football League and officiated at the UEFA Cup in Belgium. He has completed several marathons, with a best time
of 3 hours 31 minutes in the Potteries Marathon.
2007-08 – Lord Mayor Bagh Ali
Bagh’s consort was his daughter, Miss Sophia Bagh.
On being elected to the City Council in 1996, Bagh began a dedicated career as a Councillor and played a full part in
the municipal and civic life of Stoke-on-Trent, a city he himself describes as 'beautiful'.
Bagh has lived in Stoke-on-Trent since 1970. When he first moved to the city he worked on the Michelin tyre plant, and
has also worked in the local pottery industry. Since 1981, Bagh has been self-employed as a taxi driver.
Bagh is the son of a veteran of the Second World War, who fought in Singapore and the Far East and was taken as a prisoner
of war by the Japanese during the conflict. One of the key themes of Bagh’s year in office was to promote civic
pride in all the citizens of our City, regardless of their colour, race, or creed.
Married to Farzand Begum since 1974, Bagh Ali has six children, and also has a number of grandchildren.
For further information on previous Lord Mayors please contact the Lord Mayor’s Secretary on (01782) 232625, or
by e-mail to lord.mayor@stoke.gov.uk