In 1543 Richard Dobbs was elected Sheriff of London.

In 1551 Richard Dobbs was elected Lord Mayor of London.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 13 May 1556. The xiij day of May ded ser Rechard Dobes late mayre of London, and skynner, and altherman, betwyn iiij and v in the mornyng.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 18 May 1556. The xviij day of May at after-non was bered ser Recherd Dobes latt mayre of London and altherman; ther wher at ys berehyng mony worshefull men; ... my lord mare and the swordbeyrer in blake, and the recorder cheyff morner, and master Eggyllfield and master (blank) and master .... [ov]ersear, and a lx mornars, and ij haroldes of armes, and the althermen and the shreyffes, and master Chestur bare ys cott armur, [with] helmett and targatt, sword, a standard, and penone, and iiij baneres [of] images, and a xxx pore men in rosett gownes holdyng .. torches, and iiij gylt chandyllstykes with iiij grett tapurs [with] armes on them; and all the cherche and the stret hangyd with blake and the qwyre, and armes, and ij grett whyt branchys; and alle the masturs of the hospetalle boyth althermen and the commenas with ther gren stayffes in ther handes; and the chyeff of the hospetalle, and prestes and clarkes; and after dirige to the place to drynke; and the morow masse of requiem ij masses, on of the Trenete in pryke songe, and a-nodur of our Lade; and after a sermon, and after to dener: and ther wher x dosen of skochyons.

Note. P. 106. Funeral of alderman sir Richard Dobbs. Son of Robert Dobbs, of Batby in Yorkshire; sheriff 1543, lord mayor 1551. Stowe mentions his monument in the church of St. Margaret Moyses, but gives no epitaph. Arms, Per pale argent and sable, a chevron engrailed between three unicorn's heads each charged with three gouts all counter-changed. (Wm. Smith, Rouge-dragon.) See the death and funeral of his widow in pp. 268, 269.

Henry Machyn's Diary. Oct 1561. [The ... day was the funeral of lady Dobbes, late the] wyff of ser Recherd Dobes knyght and skynner late mayre, with a harold of armes, and she had a pennon of armes and iiij dosen and d' skochyons; [she was buried] in the parryche of sant Margat Moyses in Fryday stret; [she] gayff xx good blake gownes to xx powre women; she gayffe xl blake gownes to men and women; [master] Recherdsun mad the sermon, and the clarkes syngyng, [and] a dolle of money of xx nobulles, and a grett dener after, and the compene of the Skynners in ther leverey.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 09 Oct 1561. The ix day of October at iiij of the cloke in the mornyng ded the old lade Dobes [Note. Wife of Richard Dobbs] in sant M[argaret's]-mosses in Frydey strett.