Michael Gwilliam kindly sent us this article that was published in The Forester only a few days ago. In contacting the Newspaper they have given us permission to reproduce it on our Website.

29 September 2005
The ancient office of Lord Mayor of Ruardean is to be revived this weekend.

A Sergeant-at-Arms has been appointed and three hapless parishioners have been "charged" to appear at the Mayor's Court in the Village Hall on Saturday. "This is an honorary office that is very much part of Ruardean's history," said local councillor Reg Duberley.......

Read the full article at:
http://forest-of-dean.net/joomla/stories-and-articles Ruardean_Lord_Mayors

Re-reading the book "Forest Humour" by Harry Beddington, who is one of my favourite local authors I came across this piece about the Ruardean Mayors which I hope you will all enjoy. Harry Beddington writes just as he used to talk, and my copy of the book is a lovely record of the Forest dialect which I treasure.

" I once invited Syliva Lamond, a London journalist who we knew well, ta come wi I ta the Ruardin Lard Mayor's Court which used ta meet fairly regular. Thay'd got zum good cases on thic evenin an' thic club room at The Angel were vull.

'Er loved it an' put a good article in Reveille the next wik. Ev'rybody in Ruardin were gwain round wi' a copy stuffed in thair pockuts.

Er'd mentioned what I tawld 'er, 'that the Lard Mayor was allus the tallest mon in the village an' was elected ver life' an' 'er'd referred to'n as a "tall hatchet-faced individual."

Tim Brain were walkin' down the village a day ar two a'ter an' met the Lard Mayor isself comin' up. 'Im stopped awld Tim an' exed un "'ast thou zin thic article in thic paper?" an' when awld Tim tawld un 'Oye' 'im exed un a bit anxiously "Well dost thou think my face da look like a hatchut?"

Tim look un over carevul an' shook 'is yud. "Well" 'im zed thoughtfully "I 'ouldn't zay 'im da look like a 'hatchut but anybody ould be vorgiven ver thinkin' 'im 'ad bin trimmed out wi' one.""

I wonder which of the mayors he is referring to, and if there is a copy of the article in The Reveille anywhere.