Newark Town Council's lead macebearer Nicky Bosworth retires after 21 years of civic duties
After 21 years in the role, Newark Town Council’s lead macebearer has retired.
Nicky Bosworth took on the role of macebearer on Sunday, May 13, 2001, at the 21st annual meeting of the Newark Town Council.
The Town Crier at the time Chris Gangel was asked at short notice to find someone to be one of the two macebearers for the Mayor Making ceremony.
The macebearer carries the mace in front of the Mayor at ceremonial occasions and council meetings. It was initially to protect the mayor, but is now a ceremonial role.
Nicky expressed an interest and was quickly taught the ropes. Her appearance at the meeting was said to have been met with some surprise, but generally with gratitude for stepping into the breach to perform duties for the meeting at which the late John Clark was named Mayor and Peter Foster as deputy.
The council never previously had a female macebearer.
She said: “I decided it was time. I thought I would do two civics — it was a last minute thing — and then they asked me to do two to three years.
“That suited me fine, but the person who was going to take over me was unable to — and all of a sudden it got to 17 years.”
Nicky later became the lead macebearer in 2006 and was the first woman to officiate at a Mayor Making ceremony. She had planned to retire after 20 years, however, a year with no civic occasions thanks to the pandemic lead to her continuing to her 21st year in the role.
She added: “It was just a real privilege, no other women have done it consistently. It was a bit of a one up for feminism.
“It was nice to put on the robe and do my civic duty — I have made a lot of friends through it and met lots of interesting people including civil dignitaries I would not have met otherwise.”
