The City’s Letter Books, Journals, and Repertories, from 1347 (for the Letter Books) on to 1642 (and sporadically for some time thereafter), at first occasionally and then often specify which of the two sheriffs, in a given year, was chosen by the (outgoing) mayor. (The other sheriff was elected by the commonalty). The note “mayor's choice” for a sheriff in this database indicates that one or more of these specific civic records series identify him as the mayor’s choice. No specific source footnote is provided. Twice before 1347, however, such an identification has been found outside these civic record series, and in these two cases the source is footnoted. For a few of the years from 1347 to 1642, either the three civic records series named above do not identify a mayor's choice or there was no mayorally-chosen sheriff because the mayor's nominee refused to serve and was replaced by an elected candidate. From 1641 the right of the outgoing mayor to nominate one of the two sheriffs for the following year was sometimes challenged and sometimes not followed (see A. B. Beaven, The Aldermen of the City of London (2008--13), II.xxxiv--xxxv), and was eventually ended. This database supplies no information on the mayor's choice after 1642.
