Robert Hudson, also known as Rocky, is retiring from his position as Britain’s longest-serving Royal Mail postman after a career spanning 60 years. He began his Royal Mail career in December 1964, aged just 16, and worked at the Whitechapel Delivery Office as a messenger distributing telegrams. Rocky’s final shift will take place overnight on December 28 at the Docklands Delivery Office in east London, where he has worked for the past four decades.
With the end of his service, Rocky has recalled hand-delivering festive goods such as turkeys, salmon, kippers and cream. Christmas parcels in the 1960s were wrapped in brown paper or cloth with a leg sticking out. He also remembered the joy on recipients’ faces when he delivered last-minute gifts. At Christmas, Rocky and his colleagues donned Santa hats and heard people say, “Here comes Father Christmas.”
Rocky transferred to night shifts in the Docklands Delivery Office after his wife, Sheila, passed away in 1980, leaving him to take care of their three children, who were around 10 years old at the time. The night shift was the best option as he started work at midnight and could be at home with his children until then. For the past 40 years, from 11 pm to 7 am, he has made sure that delivery trucks are filled and organized to go out every morning.
Rocky and his colleagues celebrated his retirement on December 7, the same day he started his career in 1964 at Docklands’ delivery office. With his retirement on the horizon, Rocky plans to spend more time gardening and with his family
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
