A MINUTE’S silence was held by councillors and staff in memory of a former mayor’s chaplin.
Reverend Canon Harald Thomas, who died on May 16 at his home in Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, after a long illness, had supported a number of Torfaen Borough Council’s civic leaders in the role.
At Torfaen Borough Council’s June 10 meeting, Council leader Anthony Hunt said: “Harald was a great friend to many of us and well known for his work through things like the Cadets.”
The former British Airways manager was ordained at the Holy Trinity Church in Pontnewydd in 1997 following years of involvement with the church community. He was recognised with an MBE in the 2007 new year’s honours list, aged 73.
Pontnewydd born and raised, he married his wife Dorothy at the church in 1963 after a five-month whirlwind romance and was a father of two and a grandfather and great-grandfather.
He had been a regular compere at community events and summer festivals and served as a chairman of both Cwmbran’s Congress Theatre, which he had fought to save from closure, and the Pontypool Jazz Festival while he’d also been involved in local community councils.
Rev Thomas’ funeral will take place at Holy Trinity Church, Pontnewydd on Thursday, June 12 at 1.30pm, followed by the committal at Gwent Crematorium at 3pm.
Members at the June 10 full council meeting, in the Civic Centre, Pontypool also offered condolences to cabinet member Mandy Owen following the death of her mother. Cllr Hunt said she was absent from the meeting “having taken time to grieve”.