Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Monday, 04 October 2010

Ian Ramsey School

Today I was delighted to welcome teachers from Ian Ramsey School with their exchange students to the Town Hall.

The weather was lovely and sunny as Marjorie and I were driven to the Town Hall and arrived at the same time as the students.  The students aged from 14 to 16 were from Germany and Spain.  They all had refreshing soft drinks before the visit got underway.  It gave Marjorie and I time to talk to the students and their teachers - they were the usual noisy teenagers.

We then showed them all up to the Council Chamber and I gave them some idea of the my duties as a Civic Mayor.  This is quite different from the continental Mayors, as they have a lot more power and actually run the councils.  I also explained the symbols on the chain and their significance to Stockton.  Kevin gave them the history of the Town Hall and its outstanding features as well as explaining what the brass plates commemorated.

It was time to accept gifts from both Spain and Germany before I presented Stockton plaques to each group.  It was now time for photographs with the whole group and Kevin, the Mayor's Attendant, was kept very busy as the chief photographer. We then continued the Town Hall tour before retiring to the Mayor's Parlour for a buffet lunch.

The students were fascinated with the Mayoral chain and wanted to feel its weight and take photographs of it.  

After lunch the students were then going shopping which they were looking forward to.  We seem to forget that Stockton is a foreign country to them.  The students were a little wary of each other as they only met at the weekend, but we don't think that will last for long.

It was a lovely visit with such a happy group of students.

Billingham Boys' Brigade

This was our second Town Hall tour of the day and this one was by the St Luke's Church (Billingham) Lads' and Girls' Brigade where I am a Leader.

The Brigade group actually arrived at the Town Hall before Marjorie and I so we followed them in.  They all assembled in the Mayor's Parlour while Marjorie and I put on our Mayoral chains which gave us time to talk to them before the tour.  I asked them what they thought our Mayoral duties consisted of and had several amusing answers, but of course our grand daughters, Grace and Emily, had more idea.  

We all went up to the Council Chamber where I explained the significant symbols that made up the Mayoral chain.  Kevin, the Mayor's Attendant, then gave them a history of the Town Hall, according to Kevin, and they all enjoyed it especially the part about the cell with the large hole in it where the crocodile comes in at high tide to eat children who haven't done their homework.  After the Town Hall tour it was back to the Mayor's Parlour for soft drinks and the Mayor's biscuits.  The children were fascinated to examine the chain and feel how heavy it was.

One of our young boys went home and told his mother that he had to do his homework before he went to bed, so Kevin's story must have had some effect.  They all left the Town Hall in a happy mood for their trip back to Billingham.