HIS job is one of the most historic in Oxford and serves as a cornerstone of our democratic system.

As Mace Bearer to the City of Oxford, Tim Cox leads the Lord Mayor into the chamber at the start of each full council meeting.

Now the 57-year-old has decided call it a day – 42 years after he first started working at Oxford Town Hall as a junior porter.

On Monday Mr Cox presided over his final full council meeting, when the Lord Mayor paid tribute to his “unrivalled knowledge”.

His full title is now Supervising Town Hall Keeper, Lord Mayor’s Sergeant, Sheriff’s Officer and Mace Bearer to the City of Oxford.

Mr Cox, who lives with his partner in Chalgrove, said he had mixed emotions about retiring.

He added: “I’ve had a wonderful time working here with so many brilliant memories. You get the chance to meet a huge array of people.

“But I think it’s probably time to move on.”

Mr Cox started working at the town hall immediately after leaving Gosford Hill School in Kidlington, where he grew up.

He was promoted to Assistant Town Hall Keeper, which also gave him the title of Mace Bearer, in 2001.

Mr Cox also works as the town hall’s historian, building up an unrivalled knowledge of the present hall’s 117-year history.

He said: “It’s a wonderful building.

“I was lucky when I started to have been taught a lot about the hall and its history.

“Over the years I have tried to keep learning. There is so much to discover.”

The Great Mace is silver gilt, 5ft 4ins long and weighs nearly 18lbs.

It is the largest civic mace in Britain and was created during the Mayoralty of John Lambe in 1659/60 and first used at the Coronation of Charles II.

Mr Cox said: “It is very impressive and it has been a great honour to be the bearer.”

He added: “I have no real plans for my retirement. I’m just going to take it easy and relax.”

Lord Mayor of Oxford, John Goddard, paid tribute to Mr Cox at the meeting.

He said: “He has seen 42 Lord Mayors and still seems to be sane, human, warm and helpful.

DID YOU KNOW?

* When the Town Hall was built in 1897, it was the most modern building in the city and housed the old magistrates’ court and the central library.

* The then Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, performed the official opening on May 12, 1897.

* The present Town Hall is the third on the site.

* Oxford’s first Guildhall was built on the site in 1292. This was replaced by a Town Hall in 1752, built by Isaac Ware, which was demolished in 1893.

* The present design by Henry T Hare was built by Messrs Parnell and son of Rugby and cost just over £94,000.