GOLD CHAIN LOST

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 138, 8 December 1938, Page 5

GOLD CHAIN LOST

A MAYOR'S MISFORTUNE

Police in the Isle of Wight searched all day recently for Newport's mayoral chain of office, which disappeared when the Mayor, Mr. F. Welsh, attended a carnival dance at Newport, says the "Daily Telegraph and Morning Post." Many of those who attended the dance were interviewed, and detectives were posted at the landing stages used by ferryboats to the mainland. The chain is insured for £200, and much of it is of pure gold.

When it is worn on civic occasions the Mayor's sergeant guards it, but recently the Mayor had two engagements and did not wish to keep the sergeant on duty too long and went to the dance alone.

! Mr. Welsh stated: "I wore the chain at a children's fete and ball last evening. After that I went to a carnival dance, which was less formal, and put the chain in my coat pocket. I thought I could take care of it and relieve the sergeant after an arduous day. "At the dance I took off my coat, but an hour later when I went to get it it had disappeared. It may have been taken by some person who did not realise it was mine and that it had the Mayoral chain in the pocket." Mr. J. Parkinson, of Gravesend, secretary .of the National Association of Mace Bearers, said:

"The missing chain is a triple one, of gold, with an oval badge in enamel bearing the arms of the borough. On the back of the badge is an inscription stating that the official chain and badge were presented by Robert William Kennard, M.P. for Newport, to the Mayor of Newport and his successors, on the occasion of the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales, March 10, 1863."