This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce32ezwqvl4o
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| UK's longest serving postman calls time on career | UK's longest serving postman calls time on career |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Robert Hudson, known as Rocky, started his Royal Mail career in December 1964 | Robert Hudson, known as Rocky, started his Royal Mail career in December 1964 |
| Britain's longest-serving Royal Mail postman has recalled hand-delivering turkeys, kippers and last-minute gifts for Christmas as his record 60 years comes to an end. | Britain's longest-serving Royal Mail postman has recalled hand-delivering turkeys, kippers and last-minute gifts for Christmas as his record 60 years comes to an end. |
| Robert Hudson, from Leyton, east London, started his career in December 1964 - aged 16 – as a messenger in the Whitechapel Delivery Office distributing telegrams. | Robert Hudson, from Leyton, east London, started his career in December 1964 - aged 16 – as a messenger in the Whitechapel Delivery Office distributing telegrams. |
| The 76-year-old, known as Rocky, will carry out his final shift overnight on 28 December at the Docklands Delivery Office - where he has spent the last four decades working. | The 76-year-old, known as Rocky, will carry out his final shift overnight on 28 December at the Docklands Delivery Office - where he has spent the last four decades working. |
| Looking ahead to retirement, Rocky said it will be strange to be turning off his early alarms, but he is ready to "relax" and to spend time gardening and seeing his family. | |
| Watch: Happy Xmas - Postal deliveries in 1951 | Watch: Happy Xmas - Postal deliveries in 1951 |
| Widow reunites with teddies after postal mix-up | Widow reunites with teddies after postal mix-up |
| Christmas parcels back in the 60s were also a strange affair as Rocky recalls hand-delivering perishable festive goods through the post such as turkeys "wrapped up in brown paper or a cloth with a leg sticking out". | Christmas parcels back in the 60s were also a strange affair as Rocky recalls hand-delivering perishable festive goods through the post such as turkeys "wrapped up in brown paper or a cloth with a leg sticking out". |
| Salmon, kippers and cream were also part of his deliveries and Rocky remembers seeing the joy on someone's face as he handed them a last-minute gift from a loved one. | Salmon, kippers and cream were also part of his deliveries and Rocky remembers seeing the joy on someone's face as he handed them a last-minute gift from a loved one. |
| "We often wear Santa hats and go around at Christmas, seeing the look on the kids' faces when you're at the door is so nice," he told the PA Media news agency. | "We often wear Santa hats and go around at Christmas, seeing the look on the kids' faces when you're at the door is so nice," he told the PA Media news agency. |
| "People used to say, 'here comes Father Christmas'. | "People used to say, 'here comes Father Christmas'. |
| "The amount of work we get around Christmas is incredible, it's so busy, but you push through and get it done – there's nothing left behind." | "The amount of work we get around Christmas is incredible, it's so busy, but you push through and get it done – there's nothing left behind." |
| Rocky recalled carrying his parcels in a sack on his back to hand-deliver them | Rocky recalled carrying his parcels in a sack on his back to hand-deliver them |
| After spending 10 years going door-to-door, Rocky transferred to night shifts at the London Docklands Delivery Office. | After spending 10 years going door-to-door, Rocky transferred to night shifts at the London Docklands Delivery Office. |
| This came after the sudden death of his wife, Sheila, at age 26, in 1980 and he needed to take care of their three children, who were around the age of 10 at the time. | This came after the sudden death of his wife, Sheila, at age 26, in 1980 and he needed to take care of their three children, who were around the age of 10 at the time. |
| "I had little kids to bring up on my own and the night shift was the only way I could sort of get round it," Rocky said. | "I had little kids to bring up on my own and the night shift was the only way I could sort of get round it," Rocky said. |
| "I didn't start until midnight so I could be there with them right up until then, get them in bed, tuck them in, shoot off to work, come home again at 07:00 in the morning and get them up to go to school. | "I didn't start until midnight so I could be there with them right up until then, get them in bed, tuck them in, shoot off to work, come home again at 07:00 in the morning and get them up to go to school. |
| "It worked out absolutely perfect." | "It worked out absolutely perfect." |
| Rocky has since spent the last 40 years from 23:00 to 07:00 emptying and organising the delivery trucks to go out each morning. | Rocky has since spent the last 40 years from 23:00 to 07:00 emptying and organising the delivery trucks to go out each morning. |
| "It's very, very busy at Christmas and some offices struggle – I managed to keep my one running." | "It's very, very busy at Christmas and some offices struggle – I managed to keep my one running." |
| Rocky met King Charles when he reached 50 years of service with Royal Mail | Rocky met King Charles when he reached 50 years of service with Royal Mail |
| To mark 60 years and the end of his service, Rocky and his colleagues celebrated his retirement party at the Docklands delivery office on 7 December – the date he first started in 1964. | To mark 60 years and the end of his service, Rocky and his colleagues celebrated his retirement party at the Docklands delivery office on 7 December – the date he first started in 1964. |
| "The first thing I'm going to do is turn all my alarms off," Rocky said looking ahead to his retirement. | "The first thing I'm going to do is turn all my alarms off," Rocky said looking ahead to his retirement. |
| "I'll finish building my shed down the garden and do some maintenance things." | "I'll finish building my shed down the garden and do some maintenance things." |
| Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk, external | Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk, external |