Elections under the 1878 Act did not take place because a royal charter was granted in September the same year, making Burton a municipal borough. The charter authorised the election of 24 councillors, representing 4 wards: 6 each for Burton-upon-Trent, Burton Extra, and Horninglow wards, and 6 for a combined Stapenhill and Winshill ward. There were no ex officio councillors. Only nine former commissioners were elected as councillors in November 1878, but they included the brewers Henry Wardle, John Yeomans, and Sydney Evershed, each of whom was chosen as an alderman at the first council meeting. The other five coopted aldermen, making a total of two for each ward, were either brewers or builders. This included William Henry Worthington, the former chairman of the commissioners, was chosen as the first mayor.

1878-79 William Henry Worthington
In 1878, Burton was granted the status of County Borough and W.H. Worthington, one of the most prominent brewers in the town, was appointed its first Mayor. This was a natural progression since he was the chairman of the Town Commissioners at the time that Borough status was awarded.

1880-81 Sydney Evershed
Sydney Evershed was another prominent brewer who eventually, in 1905, merged to form the highly successful Marston, Thompson and Evershed brewery. He was elected to Parliament and became MP for Burton-on-Trent in 1886.

1882-83 George Higginson Allsopp
George Higginson Allsopp (1846–1907) was a prominent English brewer, Conservative politician, and local official born in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. He was part of the famous Allsopp brewing dynasty, which established Samuel Allsopp & Sons.

He served as the chairman of the Burton-on-Trent School Board. During this era of local educational reform, charities tied to the Allsopp family endowments helped fund the creation of early local schools, leading to the amalgamation of the Allsopp Foundation Charity School into the Bond Street Grammar School and Waterloo Street Girls’ School.

1884-85 Thomas B. Lowe
T.B Lowe was partner and eventual chairman of the local prominent building firm Messrs. Thomas Lowe and Sons.
He was later elected to Parliament and became MP for Burton-on-Trent in 1886

1886-87 E. Wright

1888-89 C. Harrison
One of his most notable civic actions during his time in office was presiding over the official opening of the town’s historic Ferry Bridge on April 3, 1889.

1890-91 R. Wilkinson
R. Wilkinson was appointed Mayor at age 26 making him the youngest Mayor by far.

1892-93 A.J. Coxon

1894-95 J. Parker

1895-96, 1900-01 J.R. Morris

1897-98, 1922-23 F. Thompson
F. Thompson was a partner in Thompson Evershed Brewery

1899-00 G.L. Blackhall
He was one of the early historical mayors of the town after Burton-on-Trent was officially granted County Borough status in 1878. His arms are among those historically depicted in the stained glass of the Town Hall council chamber, which honors all of Burton’s past mayors

1902-04 A.J. Roberts
A.J. Roberts remained in office for two consecutive years and enjoyed the privilege of opening the new Tramway System in 1903 when he travelled on the very first tram from the Town Hall to Stapenhill Green.

1905-06 T.E. Lowe
Educated at Burton Grammar School and Ashville College, Harrogate, he joined Mssrs. Thomas Lowe and Sons in 1885, became a partner in 1887 and eventually Chairman.
Keen on sport, he was Hon. Secretary of Burton Football Club. He was elected a member of the Town Council in 1893; was made an Alderman in 1904 and was elected Mayor in 1905.
For more than 20 years, he was Chairman of the Gas and Electricity Committee; was appointed Govenor, and eventually Chairman, of the Endowed Schools and was Justice of the Peace for the Borough of Burton-on-Trent and later, County of Stafford.
Much of his spare time was devoted to music. He was conductor of the Burton Musical Society and took principal parts in the Operatic Society.

1907-08 Charles A. Tresise
Charles A. Tresise ran a successful printers, publishers and newspaper company. The company continued as Tresise Printers long after his death.

1909-10 Thomas Jenkins
During his term in office, he officially opened the Burton upon Trent Magistrates’ and County Courts building on December 14, 1910.

1911-12 Marquis of Anglesey
Sir Charles Henry Alexander Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey GCVO, was educated at Eton and the Royal Military College Sandhurst. In 1911 he became Mayor of Burton upon Trent at the age of just 26 making him by far the youngest ever mayor of the town. His end of his term was punctuated by the outbreak of WWI and he went on to serve in the Royal Horse Guards.

1912-13 T. Metcalfe
T. Metcalfe laid the foundation stone of Burton Museum in Guild Street.

1914-15 J.S. Rowland
Joseph S. Rowland was the principal of Rowland & Son, one of the most prominent auctioneers in Burton at the time.

1916-17 J.W.A. Bassett

1918-19 G. Hill

1920-21, 1921-22 A.H. Yeomans
Educated at Burton Grammar School, he learnt malting. He inherited his father’s Brewery but joined with Marston’s where he became Managing Director of what became Marston, Thompson and Evershed Ltd.
In 1917, he was elected to Burton Borough Council and was placed on the Justice of the Peace roll. He was elected Major in 1920 and held the post for two consecutive terms.
Being a keen rower in his younger days, he was Chairman of Burton Regatta from 1898 to 1920. He also played for Burton Football Club and became a long-standing committee member for the club.

1924-25 C.M. Livens

1926-27 A. Elliott
For some intriguing reason, I have not been able to find any information on Mayors from 1927 to 1931; there doesn’t appear to be any records for the period although there is a mention of A. Elliott attending some event as Mayor in 1930. I will populate the gap if ever I come across any details.

1931-1932 Mary Goodger J.P.
Mary Goodger, who lived at Stapenhill House after the family purchased it from Clay family, was in a family of well established Burton solicitors.
She made her mark by being installed as the towns first Lady Mayor for 1931-32. She died shortly afterwards.