Newbury honours former town macebearer Rod Thomason, one year on from his death
Newbury Town Council has paid tribute to a former town macebearer who died this time last year.
The council unveiled a new town flag in the Town Hall dedicated to Rod Thomason, who was a devoted macebearer for the town for 29 years.
Mayor of Newbury Andy Moore unveiled the new flag in his memory at a reception hosted at Newbury Town Hall on October 17 to an audience of former mayors and councillors.
Mr Thomason died on his birthday on October 17 last year, at the age of 88.
He had a keen interest in flags and played a part in the design of the Newbury Town Flag.
At a full council meeting held shortly after Mr Thomason’s death, councillor Phil Barnett (Lib Dem, East Fields) read out the following tribute to him on behalf of the town council.
He said: “Rod was polite, approachable, knowledgeable, likable, well presented and respected by all councillors he had come in contact with.
“Besides carrying out duties as the macebearer, Rod had on numerous occasions stood in as mayor’s attendant, not forgetting covering as the caretaker, helping at mayor’s coffee mornings or serving sherry or mulled wine.
“Away from the town hall, Rod had a keen interest in flags.
“Roughly at the same time as Rod took up his duties as macebearer, he offered to take over John Gould’s job at the parish church, where previously John flew the flags for the various special occasions.
“Rod was a stalwart of 29 years of service to the mayors of Newbury and Newbury Town Council.”