LOCAL HISTORY From John de Porta in 1230 to the 21st century mayors Women urged to have ‘life saving’ cervical smear tests

By Matthew Smith.

Haematology and Oncology Centre.

By Harry Mottram:

When the first known mayor of Bath John de Porta took office in 1230 England was at war on two fronts.

Just over the border in Wales

Llywelyn the Great was on the war path battling the Marcher Lords and on occasion Henry III as he consolidated his power in Cymru.

And across the English Channel the king was at war with the French as the monarch battled over the spoils of the Angevin Empire.

Previously Bath had been a Saxon Burgh with a civic leader known as a Governor and later called a Maire appointed by the King to administer justice rather visit than to celebrate local charities as today.

Bath at the time was a small walled medieval city with a busy market a large cathedral and monastery and an increasingly important role in the politics of the Roman Catholic Church in England.

Appointing a Mayor consolidated Bath’s political and economic role with the woollen industry powering the economy as Fuller’s Earth was used in the manufacturing process in the city where the waters of the River Avon helped to drive the mills involved.

The city’s Roman Baths had fallen into disrepair but in 1180 Bishop Fitzjocelyn had founded a hospital and built two baths for help in caring for lepers.

Following John de Porta Henry le Tayleur took the office seven years later and he was followed by a long list of Henrys, Johns, Richards and Williams with the office eventually becoming an annual award .

The current incumbent is Cllr Rob Appleyard whose powers are somewhat less than those in previous centuries when mayors could condemn those accused in court to prison and worse.

Some of the most notable mayors over the years include Ralph Allen in 1742 who became Bath Post Master and made a fortune

Then and now: Ralph Allen and today’s mayor Rob Appleyard organising a national postal service. He is of course best known for the quarries he owned which used the stone to construct much of Georgian Bath.

Dr Henry Harrington was mayor in 1793 and was also a physician at the Mineral Water Hospital - and was known as an accomplished composer of sacred and secular music. Moving to the 19th century Charles Dickens was supposed to have been inspired by the landlord of the White Hart Inn in Stall Street whose name was Eleazar Pickwick. He was the mayor in 1826 and his name was to live on in the title of the novel

The Pickwick Papers

Mayor Aubrey Bateman wore the chain of office during part of the Second World War which was to see the city badly damaged by bombs and hundreds of residents killed.

Women only took the role of Mayor in the 20th century following changes in voting laws with Kathleen Harper, Ada Elsie May Hanna and Mary Rawlings among some of the first to take the office in Guildhall.

In this century it’s now the norm for women to hold the office - while Bath is a different place from 1230 and thankfully England is no longer at war with Wales or France.

A mum of three whose smear test identified she had cervical cancer is urging women to make sure they take up the offer of a cervical screening test.

Nyssa Edwards, 40, from Pilton in Somerset, had not had any symptoms of cervical cancer before she went for her screening.

“The test saved my life, it’s a simple as that,” she said. “I was 39 at the time, hadn’t had any symptoms and had no reason to expect that the screening would pick up anything, but it found I had abnormal cells.

“The cells were removed and further tests showed it was cancer.”

Nyssa underwent a radical hysterectomy after which it was found the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and womb.

She then began a programme of chemotherapy and radiotherapy at The Royal United Hospital in Bath (RUH) which was followed later by brachytherapy treatment – a type of internal radiation therapy - at the Bristol

In September last year, Nyssa’s oncologist gave her the fantastic news that the treatment had gone well and that the cancer had gone.

“It was incredible to hear that news – I was just completely stunned,” she said. “Throughout all the treatment you’re just hoping that it will work and that you get to hear that news at the end of it all.

“The treatment I received at the RUH was fantastic, particularly from the Radiotherapy team, which was so supportive and helpful all the way through.

“I’m just so relieved that I made sure I attended my smear test. If hadn’t, the cancer could have spread even further and it could have been a very different outcome for me. My message to women would be to please make sure you go for your test when you are invited. It really could save your life - without a doubt it saved mine.”

In the middle of her treatment, Nyssa even found the time to get married to her long-term partner, Tom.

“We’d had to postpone our original wedding date because of my hysterectomy and was determined we wouldn’t postpone it again. I actually had a radiotherapy session on the morning of my wedding!”

Nyssa will continue to have surveillance check-ups for the next three years and is also being supported by the RUH’s cancer rehab team.

“I’d be lying if said I don’t worry the cancer will come back,” said Nyssa. “But the local Macmillan Cancer Support group has been a great help and very supportive and the RUH team will be helping me with my ongoing physical and mental recovery.

“It’s been a long, tough journey but I’m staying positive and looking forward to the future.”

Cervical Cancer Prevention Week took place last month but you can find more information about cervical cancer on the Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust website - https://www.jostrust. org.uk/

You can find more information about smear tests on the NHS website - https://www.nhs.uk/ conditions/cervical-screening Notes: The test itself should take less than 5 minutes. The whole appointment should take about 10 minutes. It’s usually done by a female nurse or doctor. Before starting, they should explain what will happen during the test and answer any questions you have.