THE man they call “Mr Monmouth,’ John Blake, is retiring from his role as mace bearer after 53 years of service.

Well known as one of the two leading mace bearers ahead of the mayoral processions, he was thrust into the job many years ago when he was asked to try on the uniform to see if it fitted him.

“The two mace bearers at the time both stood down” he said, “ and as I was working for the council, we were called up to the office to see who would fit into the uniforms”. As John was the right size, he was ‘given’ the job.

He was to be introduced to many people over the years, royalty such as Princess Diana when she visited Bridges, Princesses Margaret and Anne as well as the Prince of Wales and the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, who asked him “so you’re the mayor then?” To which John replied, “she’s over there sir!”

For many years he and Graham Powell headed the mayoral procession through town on annual events such as the carnival, which John helped to start up, and the civic service.

The civic service is held annually every May when a new mayor for the town is elected.

This May will be the last official duty for John when for the last time, he will lead the mayoral procession from the Shire Hall to St Mary’s Church.

He will still carry on his daytime job of scrap merchant, but is standing down as one of the longest serving mace bearers in the country.

For the investiture of the Prince of Wales in Carnarvon Castle in 1969, Monmouth was asked to lead out the procession and it was John that took the lead, and for many years, a picture of the procession, with John at the front, hung in Carnarvon Castle, and many people have told him that he can still be seen in the picture, at the front on that special day.