William Brown Chammings, Freeman of Okehampton, Mayor 1918/19, 1929/30, 1932/33, 1933/34, 1934/35, 1938/39, 1939/40, 1945/46. WILLIAM Brown Chammings was known affectionately as ?WB? to just about everybody. He took over as senior partner of T C Westcott and Co, The Mart, Fore Street, Okehampton, on the death of his uncle and former mayor, Thomas Chammings Westcott. The other partners were his brother T H (Tom) Chammings, Joe White and Cecil White, all well known Okehampton personalities. He continued the business in much the same way, insisting on good customer service, with market days being particularly busy. By the time of his death, motor vehicles had replaced the pony and traps which the ?Travellers? had used, and this added speed and enabled him to expand the delivery areas. In public life he served Okehampton as mayor on no fewer than eight occasions, spread over 28 years. In analysing the dates, however, it will be seen that he occupied this office during some traumatic times. He was first mayor in 1918/1919, at the end of the Great War when he could celebrate with the families of the returning service personnel, but at the same time offer sympathy for those who did not return. He was also mayor in 1938/39 during the build-up and declaration of world war two. He was also mayor again in 1945/46 on the cessation of hostilities. In between, he was mayor in 1929/30 and then consecutively 1932/33, 1933/34 and 1934/35. These were difficult periods for the country and for Okehampton and district, with the effects of the depression. One major loss to the area was the gradual closure of the large Devon Motor Transport (DMT) depot on West Street, with the loss of some 200 mainly skilled jobs. In these difficult times he had ?tried to do his bit? to encourage local employment by becoming a director of the Okehampton Brick and Stone Co Ltd in 1928 to develop the Brickworks at Knowle Quarry, Brightley. There were, however, many happier times, such as when he hosted a ?Welcome home luncheon? for those who had served in the Great War. This took place in the Market Hall on Saturday July 19 1919. He was mayor at the time of the Silver Jubilee of His Majesty King George V when the commemoration festivities were celebrated on May 6 1935. A further commemoration was the unveiling of the new clock placed in the tower of St James? Church on June 28 1935. As mayor, he formally handed over the key to the care of the Trustees of St James. The standard of the water supply in Okehampton had occupied a lot of time in council meetings over 50 years or so and it was on July 11 1939 that he formally opened the new waterworks to serve the borough. WB was also mayor when Sir Alan Cobham?s Flying Circus came to Okehampton airfield for an air display on Sunday May 14 1933. The council was alarmed that this Aviation Day would be held on a Sunday and a resolution was passed requesting church ministers to ask the congregations to refrain from attending. This occupied much debate in council and in the churches at the time, with even questions being raised in Parliament and eventually an agreement was reached that Sir Alan Cobham would take care to avoid flying during the hours of worship. In the end, the day passed successfully and without incident, as Okehampton townsfolk left a near deserted town to flock to the airfield at Folly Gate. However, in his public life he had, at one time or another, filled practically every senior office in the Borough?s public organisations. First elected a councillor in 1913 and alderman in 1922, subsequently appointed an alderman for the second time in 1937 and still on the council at the time of his death at the age of 81 in 1946. He was a prominent member of the Wesleyan Church at Fairplace, having held most of the offices open to laymen. He had been a chapel steward for 58 years and a circuit steward for nearly 30 years. His many other appointments included: governor of the Grammar School, school manager, chairman of the Ecclesiastical and United Charities, chairman of the Holditch Charity, and he was also on the Castle Trust and Simmons Homes. He was also a representative on the Northern Area of Assessment Committee and Commons Committee. Added to this he was elected president of the Okehampton Borough Band when it was reformed after the war in 1945. However, while he did so much public work, ?Parade? was foreign to his character. His life?s work was characterised by unobtrusiveness and humility in a genuine desire to benefit his age and generation. At his funeral service, it was said that ?two of his greatest qualities were sincerity and integrity?. At his funeral, Okehampton paid a striking homage to W B Chammings who, until his death, was Okehampton?s last surviving Freeman.