By Douglas Whitbread & Catherine Mackinlay via SWNS
One of the world’s longest-serving papers boys has retired after delivering news to his local community – for 70 years.
Sprightly Joe Wardman, 82, said he had finally decided to put away his bicycle clips as there was ‘nothing else to achieve’ following his decades in the industry.
His dad Richard, who lived in Barrow, Cumbria, with his wife and their nine kids, co-founded Wardmans Newsagents in the town with his father, Joseph, in 1922.
After a short probation period, Joe began taking papers to homes and businesses in 1954, at the age of 11, while still at school.
He later took over the family firm with his mother when his dad passed away in 1964 and ran it until his retirement in 2011 – working seven days a week.
But even after this, he continued to voluntarily deliver papers until he handed over his final print issue to staff at the town’s White Lion pub on September 21.
Joe said about his choice: “I’d done my 70 years and I thought there’s nothing else I can achieve with it now.
“Part of the decision was because of all the recent storms, heavy rain and winds, but I’m still fit and involved in all my work in town.
“It’s proved to be a good decision too because the young lad who has taken over is doing a really good job.
“He does the round on an electric bike so he’s in his glory.”
Joe began dipping into the paper delivery trade when his older brother was called up for National Service in 1951.
But his job became more permanent three years later, and he then worked amidst the backdrop of the famous 1959 printer’s strikes, which lasted seven weeks.
He remembered when there were two daily editions of his local paper, the North-West Evening, which cost just 1p per issue.
And Joe also recalled many major historical events, both locally and nationally, that occurred during his time getting the news out to people.
He said: “I used to deliver to the navy and remember the HMS Dreadnought submarine being built.
“I used to deliver to the crew on the Larne Ferry when there was no proper health and safety. That involved me climbing up a ladder onto the ship with people watching me.
“I’d look down at the water petrified and think ‘Jesus!’ and they’d pull me on board.
He added: “There was the Queen’s Coronation in 1953, all the Royal Visits to Barrow, the first Britons to conquer Everest, the famous Lady in the Lake case – all kinds.
“In the 1960s, there was a real increase in readers as absolutely everyone wanted to read about The Beatles and the Rolling Stones.”
Joe saw the effect television had on print news but said local and national printed papers were still a must-read for many in the community.
He added: “I love the paper, the town and the people in it – I guess that’s why I’m a workaholic.
“And I used to also glance at all the nationals – I especially liked the sports sections.”
“Over the years I’ve climbed through windows when people have been locked out, put eye drops in for pensioners when they’ve been on their own, climbed into cellars to put a shilling in gas meters.
“I love my customers and I’ve always spoken to them like they’re one of my family.”
