Biography: The Lord Mayor of York
Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Martin Rowley BEM
Councillor Martin Rowley BEM is the Lord Mayor of York for the civic year of 2025 to 2026, and has prepared the following summary of his life and career to date.
I was born in the Norfolk on Monday 2 April 1962. Within a few months my family moved to Sheffield. Maybe that’s where I got my love for Sheffield Wednesday from as my family lived in a block of flats close to the Hillsborough Stadium.
I joined the Army in September 1978 and served in the Royal Signals. Postings to Germany, Northern Ireland, and the Falkland Islands preceded my move to York in 1985. That year I was introduced to Elizabeth through mutual friends, and we have been together ever since. I left the army in March 1986 and started work with the North Eastern Electricity Board (NEEB) in their York offices in Dundas Street, a year later I left to go into sales.
Elizabeth and I married on Saturday 30 September 1989 and set up home in our first house in Haxby.
In 1990, I undertook a full-time course at the Elim Bible College in Nantwich in Cheshire which was affiliated to Manchester University. After graduation in 1992, I was appointed a Probationary Minister and served as the assistant Pastor at Huddersfield Elim Church. In 1993, my family moved to Princes Risborough where I was appointed the Pastor.
I chose to leave full time ministry in 2000, and my family moved back to York in 2001. I retrained as a Financial Advisor, initially working for Pearl Assurance and once back in York, I began working for LloydsTSB Bank. In 2012, I took redundancy and retrained as a Funeral Director. Rowley & Sons Family Funeral Services opened on Tuesday 7 May 2013. Since then, my family have built a well-established and respected business who have helped over 2,500 families.
"I have always had a calling to public service. In 1993, I became a school governor at the local primary school, and 35 years later I still serve today as a foundation governor at Archbishop Holgate’s School.
I spent several years as a Magistrate in High Wycombe. I served as a charity trustee with a local York based charity, and the national charity that oversees ‘Street Angels’ projects throughout the UK. I helped to develop ‘York Street Angels’ following its creation by the ‘One Voice York’ trustees.
I have been a member of the Royal British Legion (RBL) and the Royal Signals Association (RSA) since leaving the army in 1986. I am a co-founder of the veteran’s drop-in centre which meets at the Spurriergate Centre every Tuesday morning, and a supporter of the various veteran’s breakfast clubs that run in the city throughout the month. I am the councils’ ‘Armed Forces Advocate’ and I work closely with the Leader of the Council in her role as the ‘Armed Forces Champion.'
In May 2019, I was elected to the City of York Council as a member for the Osbaldwick and Derwent Ward and was re-elected in May 2023. I also serve as a Parish Councillor on both Osbaldwick and Dunnington Parish Councils.
I was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) by HM Queen Elizabeth II in the 2021 New Years Honours List for services to the community in York.
I have been a sax player for over 40 years and play both the tenor and soprano saxes in the worship group at York Community Church where Elizabeth and I attend.
Elizabeth and I are keen caravaners and enjoy get aways whenever we can. We enjoy trips to the coast and the occasional fish and chips.
We became grandparents in June 2023, and each spend a day a week looking after our beautiful granddaughter Sophia.
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