The City

Tradition
The City does not refer to the whole of central London but rather to a small area east of the centre, which includes
the site of the original Roman town. It is an area with a long and exciting history, and it is proud of its independence and
traditional role as a centre of trade and commerce. This tradition is focussed on the Citys Lord Mayor, whose official
residence is the Mansion House. Once a year, in November, the Lord Mayors Show takes place. This is a colourful street
parade in which the newly elected Lord Mayor travels in a golden coach, which is over 200 years old. In the evening a
splendid meal is served in the Guildhall, to which the Prime Minister and members of the Government are invited.
Commerce and finance
The City of London is one of the major banking centres of the world and you can find the banks of many nations
in the famous Threadneedle Street and the surrounding area. Here, too, you will find the Bank of England. Nearby is the
Stock Exchange which is like a busy market, except that here not food but shares in commercial companies are bought
and sold. A little further along in Leadenhall Street is Lloyds, the most famous insurance company in the world.
During weekdays in the City you can see the City gents with their bowler hats, pinstriped suits and rolled
umbrellas. This is the uniform only of those men involved in banking and business in the City, and outside this small
area you will probably not see anyone dressed like that.
The Old Bailey
The centre of the countrys judicial system is to be found in the western part of the City. The Old Bailey houses
many courts and some of Britains most famous murder trials have taken place here. Many solicitors and barrisisters have
their offices (called chambers) nearby, particularly in the area known as the Temple. All criminal trials in Britain are
held before a judge and a jury consisting of twelve ordinary people. It is the jury, not the judge, who decides if a person is
guilty or not. An accused person is considered innocent until proved guilty. All defendants are entitled to legal
representation, which will be provided free if they cannot pay for it.