The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch

Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...

, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council

Christchurch City Council

The Christchurch City Council is the local government authority for Christchurch in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Christchurch. Since 2007, the Mayor of Christchurch is Bob Parker, who stood as an independent candidate...

. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system. The current mayor, first elected in 2007, is Bob Parker.

Chairmen of the Town Council

Christchurch became a city by Royal charter

Royal Charter

A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...

 on 31 July 1856; the first in New Zealand. Since 1862, chairmen were in charge of local government. Five chairmen presided in the initial years:

	Name	Term
1	John Hall	1862–1863
2	John Ollivier John Ollivier John Ollivier was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Christchurch, New Zealand.He represented the Christchurch Country electorate from 1856 to 1860 when he resigned.-References:...	1863–1864
3	Isaac Luck Isaac Luck Isaac Luck was a New Zealand architect born in 1817 in Oxford, England. A professional builder, he arrived in Lyttelton on the Steadfast in 1851. Luck co-designed with his brother-in-law and business partner Benjamin Mountfort Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings in Christchurch between 1858...	1865
4	Edward Brenchley Bishop	1866
5	William Wilson William Wilson (mayor) William Barbour Wilson , also known as "Cabbage" Wilson, was the first Mayor of Christchurch in New Zealand in 1868.-Early life:...	1867

Mayors of the City Council

The town council held a meeting on 10 June 1868 to elect its first mayor. In those days, councillors were elected for three-year terms, and once a year elected one of their group as mayor, i.e. the position was not elected at large (by the voting public) as is the case today.

The following councillors attended the 10 June meeting: William Wilson, James Purvis Jameson, T. Tombs, George Ruddenklau, Henry Thomson, W. A. Sheppard, W. Calvert and John Anderson

John Anderson (mayor)

John Anderson was the second Mayor of Christchurch in New Zealand 1868–1869, and a successful businessman. He had a close connection with three buildings that have later received Category I heritage registrations by the...

, who chaired the meeting. Thomson moved that Wilson be elected as the first mayor of Christchurch, and Tombs seconded the motion. The chairman put the motion to the meeting and it was carried unanimously. With the meeting, the council had brought itself under the Municipal Corporations Act 1867.

Hence, the last chairman (William Wilson) became the first mayor in 1868. The first chairman (John Hall) became mayor 44 years later in 1906. There have been 45 holders of the position. The longest-serving was Sir Hamish Hay

Hamish Hay

Sir Hamish Grenfell Hay was a New Zealand politician, who served as Mayor of Christchurch for fifteen years, from 1974 to 1989.-Early life:...

, who held the post for 15 years (5 terms). The shortest mayoralty was by Tommy Taylor in 1911, who died three months after being elected. Wilson's term, at just over six months, was the second shortest. Vicki Buck

Vicki Buck

-Political life:Elected to the Christchurch City Council in 1975 at the age of 19, she became the city's first woman mayor fourteen years later.She began her political career as a member of the Labour Party, but stood for mayor as an independent. An active and vigorous leader, she is widely...

 has been the only female mayor so far.

The position of Deputy Mayor was established in 1917.

Five mayors have held non-consecutive terms:

• James Gapes
• Walter Cooper
• Charles Louisson
  Charles Louisson
  Charles Melville Louisson , known as Charles Louisson or Chas Louisson, was a New Zealand politician. Born in London, and relocated to Australia as a teenager, he worked in farming and on the gold fields...
  
  
• Charles Mathew Gray
• Robert Macfarlane
  Robert Macfarlane (New Zealand)
  Sir Robert Mafeking Macfarlane, KCMG was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was a Member of Parliament, served as Speaker of the House of Representatives and was a Mayor of Christchurch.-Local body politics:...
  
  

Recent mayors

Two former mayors are alive:

• Vicki Buck (1989–1998)
• Garry Moore
  Garry Moore (mayor)
  Garry Moore, CNZM is a former Mayor of Christchurch, New Zealand, serving from 1998 to 2007. He is a board member of the New Zealand Transport Agency. He is a 'South Island enthusiast'.-Early life:...
  
   (1998–2007)

The most recent deaths were:

• Ron Guthrey
  Ron Guthrey
  Albert Ronald Guthrey OBE MC was a councillor for Christchurch City Council for 22 years before being elected Mayor of Christchurch. He was a World War II veteran and he and his family were well known business operators in Christchurch.-Early life:Guthrey was born in Rawene, Hokianga on 15...
  
   (8 September 2008)
• Hamish Hay (7 September 2008)

List of Mayors of Christchurch

	Name	Term
1	William Wilson William Wilson (mayor) William Barbour Wilson , also known as "Cabbage" Wilson, was the first Mayor of Christchurch in New Zealand in 1868.-Early life:...	1868
2	John Anderson John Anderson (mayor) John Anderson was the second Mayor of Christchurch in New Zealand 1868–1869, and a successful businessman. He had a close connection with three buildings that have later received Category I heritage registrations by the...	1868–1869
3	Andrew Duncan Andrew Duncan (mayor) Andrew Duncan was Mayor of Christchurch 1869–1870. From a working class background in Scotland, he emigrated to New Zealand as a young man and became a highly respected member of the Christchurch community...	1869–1870
4	James Jameson	1870–1871
5	Henry Sawtell	1871–1872
6	Edward Brenchley Bishop	1872–1873
7	Michael Brennan Hart	1873–1874
8	Frederick Hobbs	1875–1876
9	James Gapes	1876–1877
10	Henry Thomson	1877–1878
11	Charles Thomas Ick	1878–1880
	James Gapes, 2nd time	1880–1881
12	George Ruddenklau	1881–1883
13	Charles Hulbert	1883–1885
14	Aaron Ayers	1885–1887
15	Charles Louisson Charles Louisson Charles Melville Louisson , known as Charles Louisson or Chas Louisson, was a New Zealand politician. Born in London, and relocated to Australia as a teenager, he worked in farming and on the gold fields...	1887–1889
16	Samuel Manning	1889–1890
17	Charles Mathew Gray	1890–1891
18	William Prudhoe	1891–1892
19	Eden George Eden George Eden George was an Australian and New Zealand politician.Born in Forbes to photographer William Rufus George and Bettina Holme, he attended Sydney Grammar School before becoming a photographer in New Zealand, settling in Christchurch, of which he was mayor in 1893. He married Ada Jane Butler on 31...	1892–1893
20	Thomas Gapes	1893–1894
21	Walter Cooper	1894–1895
22	Henry Joseph Beswick	1895–1896
	Walter Cooper, 2nd time	1896–1897
	Charles Louisson, 2nd time	1897–1899
23	William Reece	1899–1901
24	Arthur Rhodes Arthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes Arthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes OBE was a New Zealand Member of Parliament and Mayor of Christchurch.-Life before politics:Rhodes was a lawyer in Christchurch...	1901–1902
25	Henry Wigram Henry Wigram Sir Henry Francis Wigram was a British-born New Zealand businessman, politician and aviation promoter. He is best known for his role in developing a public transport system in Christchurch and as a key player in the establishment of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.-Early life and business:The son...	1902–1904
	Charles Mathew Gray, 2nd time	1904–1905
26	John Hall	1906–1907
27	George Payling	1907–1908
28	Charles Allison	1908–1911
29	Thomas Taylor	1911
30	John Joseph Dougall	1911–1912
31	Henry Holland Henry Holland (mayor) Henry Holland, CBE was a New Zealand politician of the Reform Party, and Mayor of Christchurch from 1912 to 1919.-Member of Parliament:...	1912–1919
32	Henry Thacker Henry Thacker Dr Henry Thomas Joynt Thacker was a doctor, New Zealand Member of Parliament and Mayor of Christchurch.-Early life:...	1919–1923
33	James Arthur Flesher James Arthur Flesher James Arthur Flesher OBE was a politician in Christchurch, New Zealand. He held many public offices and was Mayor of Christchurch from 1923 to 1925.-Early life:...	1923–1925
34	Rev John Archer John Archer (New Zealand) Rev John Kendrick Archer was a Baptist Minister, Mayor of Christchurch and member of the New Zealand Legislative Council.-Early life:...	1925–1931
35	Daniel Giles Sullivan Daniel Giles Sullivan Daniel Giles "Dan" Sullivan was a New Zealand Member of Parliament, Cabinet Minister and Mayor of Christchurch.-Early years:...	1931–1936
36	John Beanland John Beanland John Walton Beanland was a building contractor and Mayor of Christchurch from 1936 to 1938.Beanland Avenue in Spreydon, Christchurch is named in his honour.-References:...	1936–1938
37	Robert Macfarlane Robert Macfarlane (New Zealand) Sir Robert Mafeking Macfarlane, KCMG was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was a Member of Parliament, served as Speaker of the House of Representatives and was a Mayor of Christchurch.-Local body politics:...	1938–1941
38	Ernest Andrews Ernest Andrews Sir Ernest Herbert Andrews was Mayor of Christchurch from 1941 until his retirement in 1950. He had served continuously on Christchurch City Council since 1919.- Early years :...	1941–1950
	Robert Macfarlane, 2nd time	1950–1958
39	George Manning George Manning (politician) Sir George Manning CMG was Mayor of Christchurch from 1958 to October 1968, when he retired. He served a total of 34 years on the Christchurch City Council.-Early life:...	1958–1968
40	Ron Guthrey Ron Guthrey Albert Ronald Guthrey OBE MC was a councillor for Christchurch City Council for 22 years before being elected Mayor of Christchurch. He was a World War II veteran and he and his family were well known business operators in Christchurch.-Early life:Guthrey was born in Rawene, Hokianga on 15...	1968–1971
41	Neville Pickering Neville Pickering Neville George Pickering was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.He won the 1957 election in the St Albans electorate in 1957...	1971–1974
42	Hamish Hay Hamish Hay Sir Hamish Grenfell Hay was a New Zealand politician, who served as Mayor of Christchurch for fifteen years, from 1974 to 1989.-Early life:...	1974–1989
43	Vicki Buck Vicki Buck -Political life:Elected to the Christchurch City Council in 1975 at the age of 19, she became the city's first woman mayor fourteen years later.She began her political career as a member of the Labour Party, but stood for mayor as an independent. An active and vigorous leader, she is widely...	1989–1998
44	Garry Moore Garry Moore (mayor) Garry Moore, CNZM is a former Mayor of Christchurch, New Zealand, serving from 1998 to 2007. He is a board member of the New Zealand Transport Agency. He is a 'South Island enthusiast'.-Early life:...	1998–2007
45	Bob Parker	2007–present