New mayor dons his robes

Coun Jon Barry took over as the Right Worshipful the Mayor of the City of Lancaster from Coun Susie Charles in front of a packed Ashton Hall in Lancaster.

Coun Barry was born in Rainham Kent. He attended Maidstone Grammar School and then Reading and Edinburgh Universities.

He arrived in Lancaster in 1987 to take up a research position and, later, was appointed as a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

He left the University in 2000 and now works three days per week, mainly from home, advising scientists at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) Lowestoft.

One of the reasons he moved to Lancaster was that he was an aspiring 1500m runner and he hoped that there would be more competition ‘up north’ to help realise his dream of running in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Sadly, a knee injury meant that his running career didn’t make it past Blackpool.

Coun Barry played cricket for many years for both the Gregson and Torrisholme cricket clubs.

In his debut game for Torrisholme he was part of a winning last wicket stand of 44 - of which he contributed 1 not out!

He currently cycles with the Lune and Lancaster cycling clubs. He has five bikes.

He shares two dogs and an allotment with his partner Gill, who is an artist and animal behaviourist.