Rest in peace, John

Sad news has reached us that Welshpool has lost one of its most outstanding sons.

John Herbert Gwilt passed away on Monday evening, aged 95, following a life of public service which saw him serve as Town Mayor from 2001.

He was born in New Street in December 1922 and enjoyed an early adventurous life in the town enjoying cubs, scouts, the Boys Club and St. John’s Cadets. But with the Nazi advance relentless, he joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers Home Guard and saw active World War II service in North Africa, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany with the 23rd Field Training Regiment and the 56th Heavy Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.

He was a part of the beach landings at Algiers, Salerno and Marseilles and was wounded at Cassino, Italy.

After the war, John worked for the railways and later the Ambulance Service and played an active role in both the National Union of Railwaymen and the National Union of Public Employees.

He was a member of the former Welshpool Borough Council from 1964 to 1974 and was its last Deputy Mayor.

From 1974 to 1977, John was one of the Welshpool councillors on the Montgomeryshire District council and was elected to Welshpool Town Council in 1993, becoming its representative on the Cambrian Rail Users Group, the Citizens Advice Bureau and a member of the board of the Welshpool Partnership.

He remained a staunch supporter of the Armed Forces as an active member of the Royal British legion since 1948, and served as President of the Welshpool branch.

John was a leading Labour Party member, including being a former parliamentary election agent in Montgomeryshire and a County Constituency Party Chairman.

He was a founding cadet of the local St. Johns Ambulance Brigade in 1933, and remained an active member until he retired in 1978. He received the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem from the Queen in Cardiff in 1974.

Other public posts included being a founder member and Chairman of the Welshpool Council Tenants Association in 1978 and as former secretary of the Welshpool Old People’s Association.
He was a member of St Mary’s Parish Church Choir and has taken part in Trewern and Buttington Amateur Operatics Society productions, Methodist Singers concerts, Llanfair Male Voice Choir concerts and the Choir of One Thousand Voices at the Albert Hall.

In April 2001, John was elected Mayor by the late Ann Holloway and his passion was to serve the people of Welshpool.

In his later years, his time was spent volunteering with the League of Friends at Welshpool Hospital and as President of the British Legion. He also looked after his wife, Gwyneth, when her health deteriorated.

He loved Welshpool, and could be seen walking most days to Powis Castle, meeting and talking with the local people.

He leaves two daughters, Kay and Sheila, and one son, Michael, as well as six grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren.