WEST CUMBERLAND TIMES, DEC. 12,
1928.
______
37 YEARS SERVICE.
_____
POPULAR WHITEHAVEN
POSTMAN’S
RETIREMENT.
After upwards of 37 years’ service Mr. J. Y.
SMALLWOOD, acting head postman at Whitehaven Post Office, has just retired on
pension on reaching the age limit. He started his postal career at the
Whitehaven Office in 1891 as an auxiliary postman and was appointed to the staff
two years later as a rural postman to Moresby Parks. Subsequently he was
transferred to the Hensingham delivery which then extended to Linethwaite and
Scalegill. In January 1896, he was appointed a town postman and served in that
capacity until 1921, when he was promoted to the position of acting head
postman.
He was actively associated with various organizations
and carried out much useful work in the interests of his colleagues. In this
connection he was for a long period secretary of the Staff Benevolent Fund and
was also vice chairman of the Post Office Whitley Committee, and he performed
his duties with that thoroughness and efficiency which characterized all his
work during his long postal career. Genial, courteous and obliging, he was
popular alike with the public and the members of the Post Office staff and when,
owing to a break down in health, he was compelled to relinquish his duties and
activities, regret was expressed on all sides.
The esteem in which Mr. SMALLWOOD is held by his
colleagues was manifested last Thursday when the staff presented him with a pair
of beautiful water-colour paintings mounted in English Gold. The presentation
took place at Mr. SMALLWOOD’s home, the Gardens, Coach Road, where the paintings
were handed over to him by Mr. G. H. THOMPSON, the Head Postmaster, who voiced
the regret of the members of the staff of the Whitehaven Post Office, that he
was unable owing to the state of his health, to continue at the office to the
end of his service. They trusted, however, said Mr. THOMPSON, that now he was
free from official worries and cares, his health would improve and he might be
spared for many years to enjoy his well earned pension.
Mr. McCUTCHEON, overseer, associated himself with the
Postmaster’s remarks and said they would always remember Mr. SMALLWOOD as one
who was respected by the staff and with whom it had always been a real pleasure
to work. They hoped that every blessing would rest upon him and his wife and
that they would have many happy years together.
Mr. SMALLWOOD replying, said the kindness of the staff
had almost overwhelmed him and he would ask them to accept in a few words the
outpourings of his heart in deep thankfulness for their beautiful gift and
kindly sentiments. It was perhaps necessary for him, he added, to say how
very deeply he felt the official and personal severance from those with whom he
had been associated for so many years, and he could assure them his thoughts
would often wonder back to his old colleagues at the Whitehaven Post
Office.
Mr. I. VICKERS, who entered the service as a telegraph
messenger in 1897 and was appointed postman in June, 1900, has been appointed
acting head postman in succession to Mr. SMALLWOOD.
___________________________