Herbert, Bert as he he was known, Taylor died at Withybush Hospital on June 20th after a short illness.

Bert was born into a mining community in Upton, west Yorkshire in 1933.  Unlike his father and two elder brothers, he was not keen to work in the local colliery and when he left school at the age of 14 he worked as a brick maker at Upton Brickworks.

After four years in the brickworks, Bert joined the Royal Air Force Police. He was posted to RAF Foley, where Roch Gate is now. On his first trip to Haverfordwest, Portfield Fair was in full swing and who should he meet on the roundabout but Prudence (Prue) John, of Spittal, and after a whirlwind romance they married in 1953 and remained so for 57 years.

Bert fell in love with Pembrokeshire and five years later joined the Pembrokeshire Police (later Dyfed-Powys Police), and his first posting was Neyland where Ian Richards was also stationed Bert and Ian became firm friends and remained so for the next 50 years. Bert also served in Haverfordwest, Kilgetty, Tenby and latterly with special branch on the ports at Pembroke Dock and Fishguard and retired from the police in 1986, aged 53.

Bert was a keen gardener and pigeon fancier, but his first love was beekeeping. In 1968 Bert caught the beekeeping bug from Ian and he obtained two beehives. Never a man to do things half-heartedly he soon had eighty colonies which took up all of the couple’s spare time. Bert went on to become a Master Beekeeper a national judge, examiner and much respected authority in the bee fraternity. For many years he was chairman of Pembrokeshire Beekeepers’ Association and served on the committee of the WBKA.

In Bert’s own words he had a ‘damned good life’ and his keen sense of humour and positive outlook on life made him popular with all he came into contact with.

He will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. Sadly gone but not forgotten.