THE funeral takes place today of long-serving popular pub landlord Bernard Herbert, who has died aged 85.

Mr Herbert, who ran the Seacourt Bridge Inn in West Way, Botley, for 41 years, died last month following a long illness.

A former chairman of the Oxford, Thames Valley and Midland Region Licensed Victuallers’ Association, Mr Herbert ran the Seacourt Arms for more than four decades, between 1950 and 1991.

He abandoned a career at Oxfordshire County Council to join his wife Josephine in the pub trade.

Unlike his wife, Mr Herbert had inherited no innkeeping traditions from his family.

His father was in the Indian Army and Bernard was just five when he returned with his parents to their family home in Oxford, where his grandfather ran his own building business, J Herbert of Headington.

Mrs Herbert, who survives him, had been at the pub since the late 1930s when her father took it over.

Mr Herbert went to St Andrew’s Church School, in Headington, and the School of Commerce in St Ebbe’s, Oxford.

He enjoyed sport and played football for the Headington youth team.

He left school in 1939 and joined the RAF in 1942, being posted to the Empire Training Scheme in South Africa and later India, where he flew Hurricanes and Dakotas on supply missions.

When he was due for demobilisation in 1946, he considered staying on, but decided the future was too uncertain and returned instead to Oxford.

He applied successfully for a job as Quarter Sessions Clerk with Oxfordshire County Council, just in time to take on the challenge of the 1948 Criminal Justice Act.

But within two years Mr Herbert’s career was to change again – this time for good.

Mr Herbert first met Josephine while serving in a group of Local Defence Volunteers and the couple arranged to marry in 1950.

However, they brought the wedding forward slightly after Josephine’s mother died.

Having retired from the pub trade in 1991, the Herberts moved to Mayfield Road, in Farmoor.

Mr Herbert belonged to the Oxford Flying Club, though his main hobby was golf and and he founded the Seacourt Golfing Society.

Mr Herbert was father to Rosalind and Roger and father-in-law to John and Janice.

His funeral is being held at St Michael’s Church, Cumnor, at 2pm.