The Adelaide Corporation was Australia’s first local government, formed in October 1840. Joining aldermen and councillors was the first mayor, James Hurtle Fisher (1840-1842). The first council meeting was held in November that year.
Sir Lewis Cohen (1889-1890, 1901-1904, 1909-1911, 1921-1923) started as mayor, but campaigned for the City of Adelaide to become a lord mayoralty. This was achieved in 1919. He was a member of Adelaide City Council for 30 years, and in 1911, he represented the City of Adelaide at the coronation of King George V.
Charles Richmond Glover (1917-1919, 1923-1935, 1930-1933) was mayor when the City of Adelaide became a lord mayoralty (in 1919) and so became Adelaide’s first lord mayor. He was a philanthropist and established the three Glover playgrounds in the Adelaide Parklands.
Arthur Campbell Rymill (1950-1953) was a businessman and solicitor.
Wendy Chapman (1983-1985) was a property developer, and was involved in the high-profile Hindmarsh Island bridge controversy during the 1990s. The legal and political issue involved the clash of Indigenous Australian religious beliefs and property rights.
Henry Ninio (1993-1997) was born in Cairo in 1935, and after migrating with his family to Adelaide in 1956, he went on to complete pharmacy studies. With a business partner, he established the Piaf Perfumery chain.
Dr Jane Lomax-Smith (1997-2000) was previously a teacher, medical researcher and histopathologist.
Michael Harbison (2003-2006, 2006-2009) was a businessman.
Stephen Yarwood (2009-present) is the City of Adelaide’s youngest lord mayor, and has worked as a town planner after graduating from university with a Bachelor of Arts (Planning). He also has a Masters in Business Administration.