Born in 1804, Frederick Harry Lewis was a timber merchant who served as Mayor of Belfast in 1854, and again in 1869.

Lewis came from one of Belfast’s oldest families. He was the grandson of Charles Lewis, who settled in Belfast from Radnorshire (Wales) c.1700. James Lewis, the father of Frederick Harry, served as Sovereign (the term used for the position of Mayor before 1842) in 1777.

During his second term as Mayor the Belfast City Cemetery opened. The first burial was of a three year old child named Annie Collins. The child’s mother went to the Town Hall to organise the burial but was unable to pay the registration fee. Lewis was at the Town Hall on the day and paid the fee for the family, and along with some others raised a sum of money to cover the cost of expenses connected with the burial.

He took a particular interest in trade in the city, regularly visiting the markets during his time as Mayor. Lewis died aged 67 on 15 February 1871.