Almshouse ceremony ends former mayor's civic life after six decades

THREE times Mayor of Beverley Eric Bielby is finally retiring from civic life after nearly six decades.

Mr Bielby, who became a councillor on Beverley Brough Council in 1951, was yesterday officially opening nine new almshouses in Beverley in his current position as chairman of Beverley Consolidated Charity.

The award-winning development at Keldgate Bar, formerly a market garden and nursery, is already occupied by six couples and three single women from the Charity’s waiting list.

The nonagenarian will be stepping down at the end of the year, after 55 years as a trustee, of which he was chairman for 30.

He said “habit” had kept him going so long.

“I often say the last 30 years has probably been one of the most exciting in the almshouses’ history because our history goes back – some historians say just before the Norman conquest, some say just after.”

He continued: “Everything good has an ending and by the time I finish I shall be 92 and that’s about enough really.”

The charity, which has 118 almshouses, has recently raised funds from the sale of a field on Swinemoor Lane for the new community hospital.

Mr Bielby said: “It was grazing land and it wasn’t very profitable so we turned it into cash with the help of the hospital.”